The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-08-19
THEY HATED MKINLEYISM.

Wallace Bruce, United States Consul
at Edinburgh, arrived in New York by
the Furnessia on Sunday. During his
residence in Scotland he had exceptional
opportunities to study the effects of the
Mckinley tariff abroad and to compare
the condition of the workingmen of the
United States with those of other coun-
tries. Said Mr.. Bruce:
There is a strong undercurrent- of
good will for America and the Ameri-
cans there, although the protective tariff
of the United States is bitterly denounc-
ed. The. present election will decide the
fate of many industries in England and
Scotland. The people they are hoping
that the Free Trade party here will come
into power and open up the markets of
the United States. Many manufacturers
are doing business without profit or even
ON losing basis, hoping for change
soon; but if the Protection party remains
in power they talk of moving their plants
to the United States.
II have here pamphlet published in
London, giving detailed statement OF
the exports from England to the United
States for the quarters ending Dec. 1st,
1891. The decrease in the value of car
pets exported is 100000; in hemp, flax
and tow, S44, 200; in metals, iron and
steel, and articles manufactured from
them, 1881 900; wearing apparel goes
down $50, 900 and tin 81, 112,000. These
figures are for three months only.
There has been a marked increase in the
exports of articles not produced in this
country on which the tariff was taken off
by the Mckinley act. ] have talked with
several wooden manufacturers in my dis
trict, and they say that the United States
is now making in Boston and elsewhere
as good goods as are manufactured in
Scotland.
"Tin plate is not produced in my dis
trict, but have talked with manufac-
turers and dealers in tin, who say that
the best workmen are coming to the
United States, and know personally of
one mill that was transferred bodily,
employers, employees and all. The diff
ference in the cost of production in Great
Britain and in the United States is sim
ply the difference in the cost of labor.
With hardly an exception, working-men
in Scotland get but fraction of what is
paid here for the same amount of labor.
1t is mistaken idea that it costs more to
live in the United States than in Europe.
l have lived with my family at home and
abroad, and our experience proves every
thing cheaper in cities of corresponding
size in the United States, except only
the item of service-house servants re-
ceiving double the wages here that they
get in Great Britain. The standard OF
living in Scotland among the working
classes is far below that of the United
States, yet it takes all the poor man can
earn, and ordinarily he has nothing left
over at the end of the week
1.-THE Homestead trouble is the one
topic of conversation that was upon
everybody's lips when 1 sailed, and its
principal effect has seemed to be to in
form the laboring men that even dissatis
fed workmenin the United States re
ceive more than twice as much per day
as corresponding workmen in Scotland
The difference between capital and labor
is much greater in Great Britain thar
here. The capitalist and manufacturer
get larger proportion of the profits
than in the United States, and hence the
British laborers have greater cause fol
complaint.
1.-The manufacturers were so incenseC
at the Mckinley act that they did no
propose at first to send their goods t.
Chicago, but as they have come to un
derstand the magnitude of the exhibition
and to realize that they can reach the
eyes of all nations there, they have de
termined to cooperate and have applied
for more space than was originally as
| signed to them.'