New-York tribune., 1880-09-27
EEW-JERSEY AND THE TARIFF.

The protective tariff, enacted by hepupi'-
can Congress in 1861, is an object of especiai
attack this year, and the Democrats have put
into their National platform clause which guar
antees the treading down of protection. il their
party should come into power. In New-Jer-
sey, whose industries have been developed 10y
the tariff the manufacturers are seriously
alarmed. Letters from Trenton and New
Brunswick show that in the pottery, hosiery,
rubber goods, paper hangings and other fac
tories, the more intelligent and energetic
among proprietors and men are forming asso-
Citations and agitating the question of main
tanning the tariff. They consider the welfare
of both themselves and the people of the State
at stake.
TRENTON'S GREAT INDUSTRIAL WORKS.
now PROJECTION HAS GIVEN PROFITABLE EMPLOY
MINT TO TIN THOUSAND OPERATIvEs-PLEAs-
ANT HOMES FOR THE LABoRTSG CLASSES.
iFEoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
TRENTON, N. j., Sept. 17-Go,ng into the Office
OF one of the Trenton potteres this morning, saw
posted on the wall of an entry through which the
operatives pass to their work large placard, with
the following printed in blue ink:
Read these exact quotations from the two platforms,
ana deco which suits tue business interests of New
A TARIFF FOR REVENUE oNLr.-I Democratic Plat
form.
A TARIFF WHICH DISCRIMINATE IN FAVOR OF
AMERICAN LABoR.-[Rcpuolican Platform.
The placard seemed to me like a whole stump
speech on the tariff question boiled down to few
lines. There it stood, asking its question of every
voter who went in and out of the pottcry-"Whch
platform suits the business interests of New
jersey besti" There can be but one answer
to the question. The Democratic platform. If
carried ont in legislation would destroy millions OF
invested. capital and turn oat of employment tens
of thousands of industrious men and women who
are now earning an independent livelihood IN the
great manufacturing Industries of the State. lbe
Republican platform, steadily carried out in legs-
laion for the past nineteen years. has built up these
industries and given work and wages TO all tins
army of artisans and laborers. vote for the DEM
ocratic ticket this year is vote to destroy the
most important business interests of New-Jersey A
vote for the Republican ticket vote to sustain
ana develop these interests. The issue is simple
and direct The wOrkingnan engaged in the pro-
tected industries of this State who votes for Han
cock and "a tariff for revenue only " votes for
lower wages for himself. or wages at ah.
The pottery business of Trenton is notable an
example of an industry purely the outgrowth of the
protective system is the silk business of Pater
SON. Before the Morrill, tariff passed it was
feeble affair, turning out poor kind OF ware by
slow hand-processes and forced to almost beg for a
mense interest, employing $40 600 of capital
and giving work to 1000 people. Twenty firms
are engaged in it. Improvement IN the quality OF
TIE Trenton pottery has KEPT pace with the increase
in the quantity made, until now the best white
ware of Staiordslire is duplicated. Indeed. much
of the ware sold in this country English IS made
here. The lion and unicorn mark is put on at The
demand of the wholesale dealers, who say that the
public does not yet understand that American
pottery is Just as good as the imported. ! am glad
10 learn that many of the Ireston potters refuse to
put false marks their goods, and are
determined TO gain for them the recognition they
deserve as the products of one of the most
fol of American industries The free trade theory
that q protective duty invariably increases prices
is dsproved in the case of pottery. An increase III
the dnty from - TO 40 Per cent built mp most OF
these Trenton kilns but it did not send mp the price
of ware On the CONTRARY, the price OF English ware
in New-York steadily declined uuder the influence
of home competition, and is now only about half
what IL nsed to be.
"What would become of your business if the
Democrats should apply their revenue tariff project
TO ~ asked one of the potters.
"Thc Euglish would break it mp. They would
FIRST sell, at rates which would afford them no profit
ond oud perhaps entail positive loss. in order to
d,,ve us ont of the market Then. when they had
succeeded IN destroying our business, they would
mt up prices and make American puI-
chasers pay higher prices than they do now. After
n frnitess effort at competing with theIn,we shood
have to close our pOtteres set onr employees adrii
ond save what little could from the wreck OF
our capital"
The pot.ers are fully alive to the importance OF
the present camDaign The manufacturers nave
formed Tariff Association aud the workihgmen
ore nearly al. members of a similar society Of their
have
,oics save as related to the single question OF the
nrotect We tariff Their members will vote for Gar
field because he and the party he represents are
friendly to the protective system.
Tho candidate for Congress in this district. Mr.
Johp Hart Brewer, is one of the propretors OF one
of the Oldest potteres here and Is the president o1
the National Potters Association. His fei-
low craftsmen will vote for him in a body,
and bis election regarded as cer'aln. TWO years
ago tbe Democrats indoTsed Smith' the oreeh-
hacl.rs, candidate ard by anticipating the Maine
<,s;o, ulau succeeded in e,ecting HIM. As soon as
or,;th cot INTO Congress be forgot his Grecnback
,ofsssions and became a straight-out Democrat.
H. hos been renominated by the Democrats, but the
Creenbackers refuse to support him. and have
nominated Samuel Dobbins as their candidate.
Amono Trenton industries the iron and steel
works rank next in importance TO the potteries.
Including the rolling mills. foundries forges, wire
mills aud the shops for making chains and anvs.
they employ fully 1000 men. Counting women
and children dependent upon these men for support
the population maintained by this industry cannot
ne less than G,OOO Some branches of iron manu-
facture could now live without protection. but pro-
lection has built up the whole business to its
pre,ept vast dimensions and the men en-
gagged in it, whether as capitalists managers
or workmcn, all stand together in favor
of the protective system. III there are
ouv democrats in the non works of New Jersey,