Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-02
A PROTECrIONISTIN ENGLAND.
W. ID. Kelley's study of English Indus
trIes-Ehe EVIL Effects Of Free Trh de.

Judge w. ID. Kelley of Pennsylvania has
returned to this country, after spending sew
eral months abroad. Judge Kelley returns
to this country much improved IN health,
and, he aflirms, more strongly imbued with
the doctrines Of protection then ever. at
was only regard for health, " he said to re-
porter, ''that led me to go abroad But |
admit that once the opportunity presented
Itself oil studying the questions of labor and
living in England | took much pleasure
in making it of avail. | stopped ten
days at Manchester and week at
Birmingham, and while at both | was able
to go about and visit some of the industrial
centres Of the neighborhood. In this way |
was able 10 see what was going on in Shef-
field, Bradford and places where iron work
ing prevailed. l also went to South Wales
to study the iron industries there, but found
the great works Of Pendarrow, near Merthyr.
Iydvil, abandoned and in ruins and the men
WHO had been employed in them living in
idlcness aud want"
did you visit the Welsh mines?
YES, | did," sail Judge Kelley, "and Il
sad picture they presented Many of the
pc pie who had once been engaged in the
IRON works were reduced to the necessity OF
toiling in them. l saw women and girls work.
ing in the coal ii the mouths OF the
pits. Some were loading coal, others were
hauling 1t about some were handling large
plates, and all were Engaged in forms Of
labor which require no special skill, and
therefore are the most poorly remunerated
TIE wages of the men are larger, as they are
skilled, but it is hardly sufficient to enable
them to live"
what was the state of affairs in the Eng
fish iron working towns?'
From birmingham l drove to Lye, Lye.
waste and Halesowen. These are nail and
chain making towns A woman in them can
earn five shillings week making nails. From
this if she be single, is to be deducted the rent
OF forge, cost of fuel aud cost Of carrying
the material, out of which nails
are made, to the forge, and the nails when
made to the shops. II she lie married and
have children, she must pay two shilinss
and sixpencc for the care Of them and the
house, ana then she must live out of
The remaining two shilliugs and sixpence.
The female brickmakera, the moulders and
carriers are much cnvied by the nail and
chain makers, because they earn as much US
six shillings week. AT Cradley, however,
the chainmakers have tue advantage, as they
ne. SIX shillings. But Que of the saddest
things is that the envy of the
whole country side are the girls in tue
galvanizins establishments. They receive
seven shilings week, but on account
of the acids used and the affections OF the
throat they cause the poor creatures cannot
work more than six months continuously,
and they are very soon broken down alto
gether.'
From all this what opinions have you
formed of industries at home and abroad
1T was not difficult to make up my mind,
sand Judge Kelley. an view of all these
facts you may well believe that have come
home more intense protectlonst than when
went away. ! am sure that the people saw
were ruined by free trade They know as
much themselves. aud they freely express it,
| remember well the words of an English
workman to me: Free trade and American
inventions have ruined us, said he. 1T
would have been good thing for the poor
man if America had never been discov-
cred. ~