New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-31
Mr.. CLEYELANr
IRON STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.

lFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
Olneyville, r. l., March 3O.-On leaving Provi-
aence to-day for an excursion TO the manufacture
ing suburbs was delighted to observe that " The
Journal was longer open to such criticism
as | offered a few days ago. This morning II
rcsolutely faces the issues of the canvass bal
anccs the claims If each party, and throws Its
influence upon the Republican side. With It's
large circulation and high character as an III
dependent and well-conducted newspaper, its sup
port of Senator Aldrich ought to carry with II
nearly all the wavering voters in Rhode Island.
It's leading article is candid, outspoLcn and un-
equivoca, and discloses profound distrust of the
Democratic party on account of the attitude of
the majority Of the House upon the silver ques-
tos and the neglect of the political managers in
the State to bring forward candidate for the
United States Senate capable of standing against
Senator Adrich.
Olneyville Is of the centres of the woollen
industries Of the State. ana has population
which is largely employed in factories. What
impressed at once | went through the
streets in visiting the mills, the great num-
her of tasteful and comfortable houses 10 he seen
in every quarter
Who own all these houses was one of my
first questions when | presented letter of i'll
PRODUCTION TO a large mill owner.
Eighty per cent of the operatives in the
mills" was the reply live in their own houses. .
! could readily believe this. for the pre-
vious day had obtained from the records of the
Secretary of State most astonishing evidence Of
the prosperity of the working classes disclosed
by their surplus earnings deposited in the say
ings banks. In English factory villages work
mems families live mainly in rented houses and
seldom own their homes. In NewEngland those
who live in rented houses are the minority. The
majority have comfortable houses of their own,
live we'll and have money in the savings banks.
With over $4,000, 900 deposited in these banks
the working classes in reality supply the capital
required for conducting the enormous business
interests of the State. They may not De conscious
of the magnitude of their resources. but the TACT
remains that the manufacturing interests of Rhod'
Island would be paralyzed if the accumulated
savings of the wage-earners we're wlthdraWn
One only needs to spend day IN
such suburb a. OlneyVlue anu
10 observe the signs of thrift and comfort III
the homes of the working people IN order 10 pc
convinced that the factory operatives are ho'
suffering from the effects Of protection and the
Mckinley Act They have. for one thing, STEADY
occupation. Every wooen and worsted mill IN
Rhode Island is running on full time ana has nern
in constant operation since the passas" OF the
Mckinley Act All the wool,cl and woIet"i mills
in the circuit Of Providence industries are dong
fine business to-day. including the National,
Providence Saranac Atlantic, Riverside, MtntOh,
lvnlansvie Wrvb s-et. >tecrc, Geneva, NalleJ
and Centre1ale works. There is no lack OF work.
and the wages paid from 1O7 To 10 pee
cent hgher than those paid for TIE same class
Of labor in Enelsni That is the secret OF the
pro>peritv of this class of workers as shown by
their deposits in savings banks, and by their
comfortable homes
There are $500 woIkm"n employed IN the
factories controlled by Charles Fletcher In The
woolIen ard worsted mills " hich have nieEtionrd
about l.. 900 operatives are working. win al
oitional classes of labor directly AM indirectly
depcnden, mon the woollrn industry about 5000
working people are affected by the prosperity of
1hi. great line Of manufacturing. When / asked
ore of the prominent manufacturer, what. i'm
hi. Judgment was the most important effect ~
tho Mckinley Act So far AZ the wOocn trade was
concerned he answered promptly that II was the
maintenance OF the schedules of wages. Without
that legislation, The manufacturers would nave
been compelled TO reduce wages since Ehgllsh
manufacturers were pressing then American com
rctitors very hard With that eglslatlon' Inc
rates Of wages have been steadily maintained al
though there has been reduction OF from - 10
% per cent in England. This does NOT aIi""
for the natural increase Of WAGES when j. al"aAo
~, ,,r IN American mills without any formal
change of pay ..hcdues. During me Iah' '"cnN
,c,rs This natuIal increase has averaged about ID
nor cent II is this question OF Increae'u ""E''
which 10, a. tire bottom of the tariff Controversy as
ro,. ~, 1vs.iIv illustrated. In of the worsted
nil. which / visited in Oncyvllc, the wages
maid annually 10 the workmcn amounted 70 s'o"''
ana In . similar worsted mill of the same capac'N
in bradford England, the wages pald ior do'''n
nisbino the same work amounted 70 Hfo4''Vu,
Tho withdrawal Of the tariff on wooiiehN
irvolve necessarily, the choice between wv a., a.,
-; The closing of the American mli
or the scaling down Of the wages 10 F4o',''
the English level. The first course "'ui" INV"
,bc oneratives out of employment anu loch up "'
It'll invested in the industry, and the secoh"
,youId take 1896, 900 ont Of the poc"e'a u '"'
v,apc-earncrs When there Is An increase" pay
roll Of l07 pcr cent in favor OF American W."
men tbc only practical method oi kecpih3 '',
wool mill, in operation without tAil" al
o~,,,aIi4e the wage schedules Freetrade when
reduced u it's simplest Terms lnPleS NV P'h ~
., :, in WAGES 10 woollcn- workers where >! are
now received. .,., ,ho
o.., ., r,., in tbi, way: The wOollcn and worstea
mills in and around Providence represent c'in
,.l 81 SEQ O0O. 0O0 an output Of SlG,OOO,ooo ana
schedules Of wages for $4,000 men, whIch arc d.
Ieast 10 per cent above the English level J"
nrotectjon be withheld and the industry oe ~
no,ed 10 direct competition from Europe 'heie VIII
lie a sbrinkage of value in the investment a'io''i
ino 10 onehalf But the manufacturers r loss ~"
moi be greater in proportion than ti"1 oi 'i'o i''
tory worker whose wages VIII nave I" W '''
down opc.half. and whose cottage VIII J." "oi' III
one-half what it is to-day. Not even 'he oo'u'''
,b.o,i., on tbe Democratic side ventures 10 rec
ommepd 81 radical a departure as inns from
the American economic system, but thc
the marty is committed to free wool az 'en'-
norarv substitute for ireetradc. l asked ihe
millionaire. whose views ! nave been quoune'
whether IT was possible 10 have free wool "i'n-