The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-31
Free Trade the Cause.

One hundred twenty English operatives
arrived in Providence, r. l., Wednesday of
last week. They went directly to Sim
monsville, village a few miles west of
Providence where houses had been erected
and furnished ready for them. A new and
commodious brick mill had been erected on
an old mill privilege there, and filed with
machinery imported from England and
these operatives were brought from Not
tingham to begin business at once In
answer to query as to what caused him to
come to America and embark in this under
taking, Mr.. Cooper, the proprietor of the
mill, said: g For twenty years had been
manufacturing the finest kind of hosiery for
men, women and children. Ny place of
business was in Nottingham, England.
Finally business began to flag, and found
1t necessary to seek another place to do
business" "When did the decline set IMP"
Well, for the last ten years there has been
steady decline. In fact not only in my
line of business, but in the entire list of
manufactures, the whole trade is declining"
"And to what cause do you attribute ths?"
To free trade. 1t is a great mistake Eng
land has fallen into, and her people are be-
ginning to see it, as well as feel it. The
Germans are running away with the bust
ness. They have cheap labor, and con-
sumers are learning that they can do bet
ter by going to the German markets. l
was going to be the pioneer British manu-
facturer in coming to America to sell di-
IL
have been accustomed to make trips across
the water and place my goods in this mar
ket." "What difference did you note in
the business?" Z" A great deal. Why, when
/ first came here l used to place 10000
worth of goods a year. Latterly, with bet
ter facilities for producing goods, / was I'M
able TO place more than 10000 worth a
year. In the best years of my business l
placed goods in this market valued, includ-
ing duties, cost of transportation, etc, at
Al.
the closing years the business done was not
one-third OF that amount per annum." Mr..
Cooper had watched the market for several
years, and six months ago decided that it
was time to take this step He has plant
worth $4,000 in the new mill, and expects
to start up by the first of the new year with
an ability to manufacture seven hundred
dozen hosiery weekly. The firm will be
known as "The British Hosiery Company"
and will require the employment of one
hundred persons. OF these fully fifty have
worked more or less in Nottingham. The
party left England December 10, and con-
sists Of fifty men, fifty women and girls, and
twenty children The wages here will be
thirty per cent more than what they could
make in Nottingham. Their cottages will
cost them about twenty per cent more than
they paid in England, but their food will
cost them much less than they have been
paying for it. The operatives are delighted
with the change. Mr.. Cooper was asked
did the departure of the party make any
excitement In England" Yes, it did
There were about ten thousand people al
the station to see us off. We had great diff
Guilty in getting our carriages, and some OF
the party were left and had TO come on the
next train. The local papers spoke of it ar
great undertaking, and said that they
never remembered seeing anything like the
demonstration made at the station" Dc
you think that your step has attracted the
attention of other English manufacturers
eyes, do. feel that the eyes of many O.
them are upon this little party, and tha
whatever we do will be closely watched. L
we make success of it, they will surely
come to America also. Free trade Is doing
all this. 1t has undone the manufacturer
and brought poverty upon the people
There are thousands and hundreds of thou
sands of people there out of work. Neve
has the business of the country been so de
pressed as it now is"