New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-09
NO FREE TRADE IN WOOL.
NETWORK FACTORIES REPUDIATE THE
MILLS BILL.
A VISIT TO LITTLE FALLS. THE SEAT OF THE
oopc t.-nucWRV
KNIr.GooDs INDUSTRY.


Little Falls. n Y, Aug (spocaD.-Thc New-YorR
Central and the west Shore Railroads wind mp tho |
Mobavt Valley TO this place following the meandering
course OF the Mohawk River through landscape scenes
of placid pastoral beauty But here tho scenery SUI
denly becomes rugged and Wild the hills on either sde
of the river to approach one ano'her anu a' a'
tho railway train plungcs into gorge as rocky ana
savage as q canon In the Rocky Mountains ms |
gorge in the opinion Of gcoogsts, was formerly
tho outlet Of the waters OF great inland iako. Now It
is the only pathway by which the Mohawk can How to
the sea.
In the mouth Of this gorge IS tho thriving manuiact
urng village OF Little Fails. Tho traveller has noticed
n his seventy four miles journey from Albany many OF
these busy factory hamets-indccd, the whole valley
has seemed be home Of thousands OF industrious
farmers mechanics and factory operauves-but qe VIII
not have porous than Little rams ap-
parenty Is. It IS living example, OF the Dement'S
Of the American protective indnsria system Two OF
its leading citizens Titus sheard and Charles Bailey,
came to this country from YORKSHIRE England, in 1856,
with scarcely enough money TO reach Little kals NJ
Bailey exactly 13 cents I'm HIS pOcketDOok when he
got of the at this village. He was twcnty-seven
years old and had wife and children. lie hah lett
free-trade England because no could not make lveil-
hood there. Speaking about this portion OF his life
a few days ago he said: was a practical pattern
weaver and designer in YORKSHIRE; but was without
means and was ill-pald. therefore emgrated when
reached hero ! found that the low tarlh OF this
country kept wages at a low point 1t was the day OF
James buchanan the last Democratic President before
the War and wages in the cotton mills sc 12
cents day II took protective tariff to put them at
their present generous rate
Mr. sheard came hero the same year with Mr.
Bailey and equally poor Both men, however,
began 20 good wages when the protective torf
was put IA force during the war; they saved their
earnings and Locame manufacturers on their own
account. Now Mr. ShcaId IS a wealthy man, the
OF two largo Init goods manufactures and no
employs $50 As for Mr.. Bailey, he Is also
Of large property. and IS tho presldcn OF the
! Littlc FAILS Knitting Mis- Company which employs
800 hands. Both NJ. Shcard and Mr. Bailey, although
| Enslishmen stcTy opposed to free trade with
/ England, and they leaders Of the movement In
Little Falls IN opposition 10 the Minis bill and 10
/ President Clcvelands reelection. Political honors
have conc to ono OF them. NJ shcard was three
times elected Assemblyman from Hcrhmer County,
! and In 1884 Speaker Of the Assembly.
Yet # Is as a business man whose property IN
;ercss are lmperilled that Mr. shcard Is now active
ly al work for the Republican party. lie Is chair
man Of the Executive Committee Of the Knit Goods
Manufacturers Association As such no said few
days ago: Tho adoption Of tho Mills bill by Con-
press would almost ruiz tho business of tho knit
goods manufacturers. Already trade has been
seriously burt Iy Me agitation in Congress and orders
have fallen or. Under tie NILS bill all wool shirts
and drawers could be made In England and delivered
in New York at 80 to IS cents per dozen less than
! y,
have 10 shu, down mills and quit basiness or
! reduce wages to the English standard The
| Mills bill reduces tho duty knit goods 22 to 40
per cont-tho percentage Of reduction depending upon
the quality of tho goods glad to say that my opcr-
atvcs appreciate the situation and intend 10 express
their sentiments about Il decidedly at tie polls We
| manufacturers Of Ncw-Yorg make twO-tlaIds Of mo
knit goods that yOu VIII find IN the shops and therefore
tho blow to Ncw-York operatives VIII be especially
| great Consider tle wages paid I'm England and in
this country in this lire Of business. Wages Of men,
expert hnittcrs on ful-fasLionei machines, rotary
machines ard rib machines, I'm many mills In England
are from a. 81 10 81 p,r week while here pay
from $40 to $50 per week Our girls, as Knitting
machine operatives, an average more than ex
pert men do in England. Women lOOUcrs earn from
- 80 to 20 70 per week IN that country, while our
looprrs good expert hands. viii earn from g. to $40
per week. and We have many instances Of their EARN
ing $50 per month. Seancrs and hnishers average
about 50 10 So per week In England, while our
scamcrs three times that amount and dnishegs
even more. Spinners (menl earn 50 per week and
helpers 81 IN England while splnucrs earn from
80 10 az per week and helpers get from 50 10
SO per week Mon about the Mil and outdoor work
men earn from e. TO - per week In England. while
the lowest paid TO be found In mills - 10
per week Children from 20 cents TO 81 % IN
England, while The smallest child we have 50 IS
Per week There are 100000 children employed in
thc mills OF England who under thirteen years Of
, |
10 compete will and what we VIII have - compete
With under low duties and under direct importation.
" I do not believe ! could compete successfully with
the foreign manufacturers OF knit goods except at
lower wages. Give labor cheap they have I'm
foreign countries and could compete successfully
here with them. But who wants tho low standard Of
wages which have named as paid in England Ger
tanly the manufacturers Of knit goods IN Little
FAILS. Tho present ra,e If wages here cannot be
maintained If the tariff Is reduced inst much IN
proportion the tariff IS reduced, thereby permitting
increased mpora Ion Of foreign goods, just much
! wages must be reduced. This question Of tariff Is
simply question of wages If we had frco-tradc
tiTey all materials which enter into Inc manu-
factTc Of goods, could not compete with
foreign countries IN foreign markets or orr home
, marl.ots. unless he'd As low or lower wages. We
are told n the Presidents message that with FREQ wool
We could compete IN tho markets Of the world; YET
how IS # that With free cotton VIC cannotl 1t is
simply because OF our high wages Under al circum
: stances the home market is the best market We car
find, and the further 10 dispose Of our product.
the worse ofi.'
Mr. bailey confirmed Mr. shcard's statements A
TO the inpraciicabily Of composing with the Engli,l
Init goods manufacturers and expressed the belief ha
n tho NILS ll should become law. Il would destroy
the knit goods manufactures OF Little Falls art
Il throw out Of work the 1000 persons who are nov
employed IN these factories. our wool IS So chcal
now said Mr. Bailey, that wo would not g.
any business advantage by wool being put on th'
| free let. The take President Cleveland makes
(, that he assumes That rhs duty upon wool IS added
Is American dealers wool 10 the normal price
Of American wool That IS not true
Mr. shoaid states that not only has large Harrison
Il and Morton Club boon formed in Little Falls bu
that Democrats declaring publicly their intent OF
" Of voting The Harrison and Morton ticket. " III
prospect Of Republican IN Hcrlucr County,
= Le sad few days ago, IS most excellent II rarcll
i happens that a Republican comes here from any D
II the outlying towns OF HerhmGr County but no give
4, the name Of Democrats Of his place who have com
out for Harrison. II Is lie tariff question which
r giving u .his success H. trgirs 70 look 60 ne a
n If he STATE would g. Republican by 10000 majority
o ] sure our majority, Il the election could be take