Omaha daily bee., 1892-09-23
PROTECTION BENEFITS IN ONE STATE

PROTECTION BENEFITS IN ONE STATE
The report OF the labor commissioner
OF Massachusetts, the trustworthy char
acter of which no one has ventured to
question, shows evon better re-
suits from the operation OF protection
under the present tariff than the report
of the New York labor commissioner,
which the democrats are so eagerly en-
deavoring to discredit.
The Massachusetts report shows that
since the present tariff law went into ef-
feet wages in that state have advanced
materially and that the protected in
dustries have been able TO pay on an av-
erage nearly Si42 to every workman in
1891 who received but Si3S in 1890. 1t is
shown, also, that the industries OF Mas
sachusetts turned out more than So, ,O00,.
600 worth of goods in 1891 in excess of
the production of the previous year and
that this enlarged output gave employ
ment to $4,000 more people than were
engaged in these industries the year be-
fore the Mckinley law went into opera
tion. This involved an increased dis
bursement of money for labor amounting
to So, $50, 900, which means very ma
terial addition to the prosperity and
comforts of the people of that state.
The cotton goods industry realized the
most important increase, having paid
over Sl,0J0,000 more in wages in 1891
than in 1899; next came the woolen
goods industry with a wage advance OF
Sill 900; then the machinery industry
with an increase In wages of $500, 600. 1t
is observed that the increase in wages
would have been still larger had it not
been for decrease in the boot and shoe
and leather trades, industries which
have the advantage, according to tho
democratic theory, of free raw materi-
ais. Nevertheless the total amount of
wages and the average yearly wages Of
| the workingmen of Massachusetts have
| experienced Il very satisfactory increase
under the present tariff.
Another fact of interest is that the in
crease in capital devoted to production
in 1891 was nearly $40, 900, 900, an increase
| of 2.34 per cent, while the increase in
| the value of goods was but / 33 per cent,
| although the increase in the value OF
| stock used amounted to 2.77 per cent
| Thus the manufacturing industries OF
Massachusetts. with more persons en-
| ployed, higher wages and a larger pro-
duction, have produced goods in many
cases lower than before and yet at fair
profit. This is showing" remarks
the Boston 1dUeu,Ser, that ilatly and
very plainly contradicts by actual re.
suits the rather dismal prophecies made
in 1890; but it is u showing which is
! quite in line with the facts and figures
published elsewhere during the present
year" 1t supplements and sustains the
report of industrial progress in New
| York and it is in accord with the ex7
perience OF manufacturers everywhere.
Yet in the face of such indisputable
facts, Enthusiastically due to the tariff
policy of the republican party, demo.
cratic leaders audaciously assert that
the Mckinley law has had nothing to dc
with increasing industrial development
and improving the wages of labor. 1--WE
insist that the country has been pros
perous," said Senator Hill in his Brook
lyn speech, mot because OF the McKin
ley law. but in spite of it," Such leaders
OF the democracy must have very poo
opinion of the Intelligence of the people
if they suppose that after the utter
failure Of their prophecies of two year
ago, that the Mckinley bill would bring
disaster to the country, they can now in
duce any large number OF the people t,
believe that that net is entitle ed to n,
credit for the industrial progress ant
general prosperity of the country.