New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-20
HTDDERSFTELDS TRIBCTE.

Democratic tariff agitators attach great I'M
portance TO English experience under inc rev.
Trade system. We place at their disposal ms
morning some expert testimony OF this clsss
Henry Il. Lister has been one OF the most IN
auential and enterprising manufacturers IN
Uuddersfeld. a centre Of the English woOllen
trade. HIS factories have been closed in Eng
land thr,rch the operation of the Mckinley
act. His firm is now building in Jamestown,
\. Y. the first Of series OK factories which
will ultimately employ a,OOO operatives ana
produce various classes of goods formerly I'M
ported from England While portion ~ 'hs
plant will be brought from Understood, the
operatives employed VIII be Americans l'Vihg
in Western New-York The transfer OF this
large business from one side Of the ocean u
the other Is most important industrial event
Mr.. Listers comments upon 1t, III MS lfahk
talk with our ,taf correspondent, are practical
and not f. be misunderstood We ask DEM"
cratic paitisanS 10 study and digest them, ana
to profit by such excellent expert testimony.
No rational Free Trader will attempt TO
DENY that the establishment of this great manu-
featuring plant on American soil, where 2,Oo9
factory operatives can be provided with re-
muncIative employment. is substantial gam
for the industries " the country. Well, II 1t
he a good thing 10 have an immense product
Of manufactures Of the highest class turned
ont here rather than in England, it is benefit
to he ascribcd directly 10 the Mckinley act.
Mr.. Listers testimony is explicit on that point.
He states, furthermore, that without the ADJ
riOnal protection afforded by that act II would
be impos.ibc to establish the industry here
He proves his point by comparing IN detail
the wages paid in England and in the United
STATES for the same classes of work in bis line
of manufacture. The difference is from 30
10 100 per cent in favor OF the American
operatives. At the same time he declares that
il does not cost a work ingman any more TO live
in this country than it does in England, II IN
deed rs much. The prosperity OF the working
people in America he regards a. something
phenomenal Their Interests are protected by
thc present tariff Free Trade in This couu-
trv.r remarks Mr.. Lister, or material re-
duc,on of the present tariff is as sure to lower
the rate of wages as the sun is 10 rise To-
morrow" That is English testimony. We
ask our Democratic tariff agitator' to make a
note Of it..
Mr.. Lister also refers to the destruction OF
Irish industries ~ warning Of what will hap
pen'in America under Free Trade. lle speaks
Of the cotton, calico, flannel blanket and other
manufactures which once iiouIished III the
island and furnished employment FOR large
swarms Of operatives. but have been destroyed
by English competition. 1t is only the pro-
lection offered by the tariff which now stands
in the way Of similar overthrow OF American
industries IL is the tariff alone that enables
a manufacturer, as Mr.. Lister says, TO pay a
warp dresser $l3 30 week, and to compete
with his English rival who pays SS for the
same work. 1t is the Mckinley act alone which
has forced this great English house out Of the
trade in IIuddersicld. and is now running up
the great factories in jamestown, where Amcri-
can operatives will earn double as much as Eng
ish workers. The repeal of that act will not
ONLY close these new works. but paralyze the
manufacturing interests of the country and cut
down wages in hundreds Of factories. Is it
worth while for wagc-earners to vote this fall
with the FrceTrade party?