The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-09
THE HUDDERsFIELD MILLS.
An English Manufacturers Testimony as to
Effect of Our Protective Tariff

An English Manufacturers Testimony as to
Effect of Our Protective Tariff
Robert P. Porter, in New York Tribune.
we ought to increase our trade with the
United States" said Mr.. James Drake, one of
the leading wooden manufacturers of Hud-
dersield. "rhe fact is. he continued, last
year we sent from here So 37S, 600 worth Of
goods to your country; but we ought to send
more. For~twenty years has HudderStield
been struggling against adverse tariffs. Our
own colonies are worse than foreign countries.
They generously allow England to fight for
them at our own expense, but when we want
to send them goods they put on a tariff and
shut US out This is the case in Canada,
Victoria, New Zealand and the Cape"
Then you think foreign tariffs are the
impedimen;s in the way ofextending trader"
Most assuredly. The United States France
Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Russia
all turn their tariffs against us. No sooner
do we invent something here, say in tweeds,
cheap and attractive, than they begin to
fight their way, in spite of all these formida-
Bile obstacles, into these countries; then they
increase the pound duty or by some other in
genious device block us"
In further conversation with Mr.. Drake
whom | found a most intelligent man, he
told me that on account of the high duties in
Germany, low, heavy wooden goods are
nearly driven out of the market, and several
of the DewSbury and Bailey manufacturers
have now opened mills Germany where
they produce those goods OF course he ad-
mitted that, looking at the question from a
political standpoint, this was good thing
for Germany. Only the finer class of goods
is now sent from Huddersfield to Germany
The manufacturers of the cloth country are
all complaining bitterly of the new
French tariff, not only on account of the du-
ties being higher, but of the 'vexatious and
ridiculous mode of classification and Incl
dence." The Classification is always "ridcul-
GUS" here when it keeps out the goods 1
also learned i'll Huddersield that the italian
demand for English woolens is not what it
used to be in former years. The high tariff
they say is, of course, great drawback,
while the Italian manufacturers continue
to increase" This is almost a crime in
the eyes of an Englishman. "And though
this interest is not as yet a large one,
on account of cheap labor long hours, and
some useful wool grown in their own coun-
try their manufacturers are enabled 70 pro-
duce variety of useful goods at an ex-
tremely cheap rate" The demand for ''Dews-
bury seal-skins' has also greatly fallen off in
Germany during the past year, owing to the
fact that the Dewsbury seal-skin men have
also started factories in Bismarck's domains,
and Germany manufactures its own seal
skins" The prospect of reduced tariff in
any country is heralded with great delight
at Huddersfield. The subject has been re-
Gently agltated in Spain, but without. so
far practical results" said one manuiac-
turer Said another prominent mill owner
THE success of the Democratic party in
America and their coming majority in Con-
gress and their prospects in 1884 are looked
upon here as foreruuners of a daybreak in
the trade of the cloth country. Their tradi-
tiOns are Tree trade and the manufacturers
of England confidently expect that should
they be installed at Washington, they will
throw down wholly, or at least in part the
zn1 lN,,,, 81, !
malefcently barred out our products. Should
that fortunate day come for the great textile
and great mining and manufacturing
counties of England the increased
skill of our manufacturers. their enlarged
experience their cheaper capital and labor,
and their concentration of effort will again
give us back at least a good part OF the
50,OU0,0O0 OF customers of whom we have
been robbed by your high war tariff
| said to my enthusiastic friend Build
not your hopes on the Democratic party"
When the prosperity of these hives OF hui
man industry, concentrated as they are in
such a limited area, depends so much upon
the tariffs of other countries, all of which
seem of late years determined to develop
home industries, is it surprising that tine
English manufacturer, as he views his great
workshop trembling at the uncertainty of
foreign legislation, should eXclaim
This sinister fallacy of protection seems
to lead charmed life clinging as closely to
many distinguished foreign statesmen as the
Old Man of the Sea did to Sindbad and, if
the figure may he so suddenly changed, RS
ing ever like phoenix from the ashes of its
own manifest failures"
Its own manifest failures" the building
up in the United States of an industrial
empire to-day greater than the lesser Britain
from which it sprang; the conversion of
vast farming country into a land of varied
pursuits and great industrial cities; the start
ing of industries in warhke Germany. to
find employment for and possibly stem the
outpourng of the flower of its popul, ton in
other lands, the dawn of an industrial era
in the Italian republic and the return of
manufacturing prosperity to poverty -strick-
ell Spain. In this brief letter have shown
from words spoken by the manufacturers of
Huddersfed themselves that these are the
present tendencies of protection. Why
then, should it not lead "a charmed life"
and why should not many distinguished
statesmen" naturally doubt the wisdom of a
system pro pounding laissez faire as the last
word Of human wisdom?