New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-26
CONNECTICUT INDUSTRY.

The letter which we publish to-day from
Danbury, Conn. contains lucid exposition OF
the operaton Of the Mckinley act, and an
interesting account OF prosperous and we'll
ordered New England community. II is city
with practically one business, the hat trade.
That was an old industry which had always
existed there, but in the course OF time IT was
oynoscd TO destructive competition from cheap
labor centres in Europe. The Mckinley act
has saved the trade from ruin by an advance
in duties, calculated to offset the difference IN
the level of wages between Danbury and hat
making centres in England, Germany and
Belgium The results accomplished have been
marked revival Of the business. a great IN
crease in the manufactured product, the intro
duction of new branches OF the industry, and
constant employment at good wages for large
force of trained hatmakers. Against these OBJ
yiolls advantages there is no Offset IN increased
prices for the consumer. Hats are as cheap
to-day as they were before the Mckinley act
was passed. The increased duties have not
proved a tax, and very important industry
has been rescued from ruinous competition with
cheap labor
There is one feature of the operation of tho
Mckinley act in this instance which deserves
close attention. The increased duties were
levied very largely in the interest OF skilled
labor. The manufacturers, of course, have
proiited by the prosperity of the industry, but
they are mainly employers who began as work
men themselves, and by thrift and attention
TO business have improved their fortunes. Those
"robbcr millionaire barons,' of whom Free
Trade demagogues have so much to say. arc
not TO be found in Danbury. II is mainly a
community Of small capitalists and prosperous,
vcll-paid workmcn. The tariff was changed
almost wholly in the interest OF the operatives
of the factories Owing to notifications in the
business abroad. they were menaccd with either
loss of employment or a sweeping reduction OF
wages. The Mckinley act has protected their
labor and served 10 keep their wages at a high
level. where they live with comfort own their
own houses and by saving their surplus earn
ings have u chance OF doing what their en-
ployers, recruited from the same class, have
done before thcm-getting on IN the world.
The Chicago Convention, we are aware, re-
pudatcd and stamped upon The doctrine that
differences in the level Of wages between Eu-
rope and America ought TO be considered III
revision of the tariff. That is not the way in
which Republicans look at the matter. They
are very firm in the conviction that such differ
ences ought to be taken into account.
Another characteristic feature of this inter
esting industrial community is the harmony
prevailing between employers and employed.
The labor unions in the hat trade are well
organized and very powerful; but there are
no strikes, all questions in dispute are settled
by arbitration, and the operatives and factory
owners get on very pleasantly together Dan
bury is prosperous city, which bears evidence
in every street to the beneiicent operation OF
the American system of Protection. The com
parison of wages there and in England, which
is made by our correspondent with palnstaklng
care, tells the whole story. 1t marks the differ
ence between a country where labor is pro-
tected against foreign competition of its own
class and country where cheapness OF pro-
duction is consid red the only thing in po-
litical economy. 1t is the chief glory of Re-