New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-30
FRUITS OF PROTECTION.
INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY IN A RHODE ISLAND
TOWN.
HOW MANUFACTURERS, wAGE-EARNERs AND
CONSUMERS RAVE BEEN BENEFITED BY
TARIFF Observation-Disclosures
OF DEPOSITS IN SAVINGS
l., wAGE-EARNERS AND
rSox srArr CORRESPONDENT OF raE TRrnuxE
INSTITUTIONS.


narkable for the Investigation of its industries
and the thrift and prosperity of its people. There
are many factories in il as there are raisnS In
a Christmas pudding. There industries large
and small dealing with cotton, wool leather,
rubber. fibre, iron, steel and every other raw
material of manufacture. With a population of
nearly 10000, the industrial fortunes of Paw
tucket are bound up with those of the American
system of protection. In driving through the
main streets and making the circuit of the manu-
factories to-day passed hundreds of factories in
active operation. 1t is handsome, busy and
well-ordered city. Manufacturing is the breath
Of its life. Every class and trade represented i'll
it X dependent more or less directly upon the
maintenance of the tariff system.
In the course of series of visits to important
factories took pains 10 ask whether any estab-
lishment was closed in the city or any portion
Of the population out Of employment. In every
instance the answer an emphatic No." All the
factories running on full time, and there was
no lack of employment. There were signs of
hustle, contentment and prosperity everywhere
There was brisk movement of business in the
streets There air of thrift and homey
comfort about the workmen's cottages.
What was especially anxious TO ascertain
was whether the Mckinley Act had affected the
industrial fortunes of Pawtucket favOrably or
unfavorably. On this subject there was marked
unanimity of opinion among manufacturers. The
tariff legislation of 1890 had not only reinvgor-
sted nearly all the old industries but it had also
been instinct with creative power good IL
lustration Of its operation is afforded by the ex-
perience of the Royal Weaving Company, which
manufactures sleeve Innings and dress goods
When the Mckinley bill was introduced this COM
nany had only twenty looms. was employing
handful Of operatives and had langushing bus
ine% While the bill under discussion for
aim manufacturers ordered cut OF 80 per cent
in prices, and these twenty looms were stopped :
competition with foreign manufacturers was
hop.less thing under the old tariff act. When
the Mckinley bill passed the
looms were again set in notion the
CAPITAL was enlarged from 100000 10
$3.50, ooo and the number of looms was increased
from twenty to 800 Without the aid OF legisla-
tiou il would have been impractlcable 70 put 'Ie
new plant in operation. Finer grades OF goods
we're manufactured, and superior GLASS OF "oiH
was required. There increase Of wages
averaging % cents day for women and 80
for men. Those who before the ACT was passed
,csro earning from IS TO 50 week are now
Getting from so to gil. The wages OF men have
increased TO S14 and in some instances to slS.
both the manufacturers and the operators pIoIi'eo
in this way from tariff legislation, ana 'he con-
sumner shared the advantage. AFTER inc passage
~ the ant the foreign manufacturers made
second cut in prices in order 10 Offset the tarln'
The result is that sleeve hnines which were
formerly made for 50 cents are now offered for
az cents The consumer who formerly paid 81
now gets them for IS cents. The net result OF
the Mckinley Act as applied to this enterprise Is
the creation Of industry requiring better
class of labor an increase of wages and reduction
in nsf m no
Among the largest establishments in Pawtucket
are those controlled by W. +. Sayles. including
the Lorraine Mills where over 1000 operatives
are EMPLOYED, and the bleacheries and dyeln9
works where there IRE another 200 wase-earnerS'
Immediately after the passage Of the 1chlneN
Act large mill was built and stocked WIN
American and English machinery for the manu-
fscture of higher grades Of woNted dress goods
The effect of the tariff legislation upon these enor-
nous establishments has been to increase 'he
volume Of production and To widen the range OF
manufscture both in woonens and cotbons. These
T,anroueket mills are now enabled to compete IN
,.Ihoen.lv and effectively with English, French
nd German mills in the higher grades OF dress
.oods The patterns and coloH are more dehcate
and artistic than they were, and goods equai IL
NOT superior 10 the foreign manufactureS are no"
produoed This one OF the onIec's OF 'ne
Mckinley Act, and il has been accomplished III
Rhode Island by energetic manufacturers IKE ''e
Snvlss PEOPLE. The operatives have tf'e ~n'an.
taae of constant employment and better class Vi
work There temporary advance III oiio
mice Of few lines OF dress goods al"r '"1
...aoo 90 tho act. but this has been regulated
by competition, and all classes OF FANCY
a,d oottons are now as cheap as they were o"o
years ago. In some gr"''SH
cline in price : h,.. an
C.reral other manufacturing companies nave Gu
,.rred their product in consequence OF the Nv
V;,lsv Act DeCion e. Sons have invested S%'0o'
a., wachinry for the improvtd MANUFACTURE
- r.ohsir plush, an industry introduced eleven
v..rs ago. but imperfectly developed About 3oo
on~r.tivee are now employed IN making V"e'e
GOODS and dress braids. Compettlon nan oeen
~. rrom Europe and complaint is made OF under-
valuations of imported goods, but The proiecS oi
tho rr,ovigorated industry are most bopeiuI
Tho p. Jenks Manufacturing Company has largely
increased its plant for the Manufacture
NJ hosiery The large thread "o'h Vi -
Coates have also profted by tariff legisla-
I.,;on and increased their production rotter "
Atberton have enlarged their plant for the manu-
,ac,u,e ~ cotton machinery and other firms deal
inc in similar goods have improved their facilities
o., snpolving superior mill mechanism
- %be manu- facturers OF Pawtucket are Irospering
,,rder the protective tariff 50 also are the working
ra,nls I never saw more contented faces IMAM
tho.e Of the operatives of these New-England mills
There are perhaps 900 Frcnch-Canadlans-
hut the majority OF the working people are
American, English, Irish, Scotch and German.
They have steady work and good wages ana
are saving in their habits. There are three saw
ines banks in the city, and about SG,ooo'ooo
represents the surplus earnings of working people.
What holds good for Pawtuckct Is also
true of Rhode Island. If the protective
systen in general, and the Mckinley OH
in particular, were bringing ruin ana diS-
as,ar TO the working people of this state 'he
effects would be quickly noticed In the savings
hank statistics There are thirtyelght lhh'i'u-