New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-02
GOOD FOR WATCH-MAKERS.
WHAT PROTECTION HAS DONE FOR THEN
AMERICAN WAGES PAID TO THOUSANDS WHO
BUT FOR THE TARIFF WOULD HAVE TO COM

RIFT For THE TARIFF WOULD HAVE TO COM
PETE WITH EUROPEAN PAUPER LABOR
Tho American watch industry, according 10 'ne
,os,ip,opv ~ HAYDEN w Wheeler. John FLICK Ua'iu
q Dodd ir r. 5 Hamilton and others engaged !"
the ieweiry trade its present prosperity 10 w
Republican policy of Protection ana inc J'"'n" '
that IL is the duty Of every man eheaeeu III INV '
10 vote for the party that has butt up the "o"s"S
in America and will continue to do So Inc rea..'n
Of the American watch industry to 'ar" i'i i'o
faction n told by Mr. Wheeler. who has Deen eheas'u
IN IN. trade for years points ont the benehts o ri
lection and shows how the Industry mas grown al"
thrivcd Here Is some valuable iniorma"oh "r'
Wheeler has learned concerning the trade'
AT the present time the industry Is more pf's
perous than ever before" said he, ana II Is NOR
extensive for L. 10000 movements from the annual
nrod,ct por The commercial value of this output
i hot wcen so 600 900 and $40 900 600. and the wach
factories furnish steady employment AT rehuhei"i'e
wages to thousands Of employees Not more 'nah o"e
tenth of the first OF the product can pc charseu
To raw material hence ninetenths must go 10 'h'
labor.
The history Of the growth Of the watch INDUSTRY
in the United states shows the benefits Of Protection
In 1870 I'm a small factory in Roxbury, Mass. Messrs
Dennson, Howard & Davis, began the experiment OF
fashionlng the 100 parts OF watch movement ny
machinery. II was al that time only an IDEAL pro
cess Intended to produce an ideal American "a'ch'
for its IKE had never been made, and the Whole
mechanical processes yet TO be evolved ont Of
the experiment and proved by TRIAL Years O'
patient toll and persistent New-England pluck
mastered the problem, and the American watch was
offered for sale AT the price for which an English
made watch OF Ike ,izc and quality could be I'm
ported and soii for. after paying the import du'y oil
- per cent
Iron 100 TO 1855 thi, infant Industry struggled
for existence. The market was full OF English
watcl, with which u . American composed ana when
had supplied the demand for gcntlemen' Us" from
colonial days up to that date. All efforts TO market
the small American product, or increase the capital
10 tide over the experimental period having failed.
bankruptcy followed in 1897. The industry started
up again, but the promoters found market alrcady
rccuplrd dealer. and consumers slow to realize tuat
a lincpiece made 10y machinery had merit and hence
The imported watch n the -ame cost had thr pref
crcncc. Under these conditions the home pro iuct
small rs It was had take back seat. The in
duslry had no protective tariff to aSss it In getting
on H. feet and advancement was low and financial
success impossible until lsC2'63. when gold nd
Nunced in premium. caused 10y the war. the English
Watch was thereby Increased In cost 10 the extent
II the premium on the gold AT the date Of its pur
chase. while the American product steadily kept
nj the greenback currency price. This Incidental.
though non" the les, real, additional protection.
amounted to not lc,, than an averag. Of 80 per
cent from ioG2 20 1872. giving the American watch
with the 80 per cent tariff 80 per cent protection
for u decade. and In that decade was laiI the rod
foundation for permanent growth of the watch in
du>try in America.
Between 1852 and 1872 capital and labor had
Joined hands and watch factories hat multiplied every
one Of them drawing from the parent enterprise It's
inspiration and some experience. American ingenuity
reduced the cost Of production, and year. before the
resumption OF ,pecle pay there began "A reduc
lion .h prices. which. between 1872 and 1892 aver
aged from 30 10 - per cent and The purchaser today
buys his American watch for less than hall the price
paid for similar tlm"piecr. Of English make or OF
American make, In 1872. Competition produced thu
result. and he American watch Of 592 Is much better
than the American watch OF 1872.
The movement industry Is not all that the tariff
ha, built up. The ease Industry must necessarily
keep pace with the movement Industry and II,
In dollars aud cents Of the average movement,
the annual market value Of both pr ducts represents
not lc,s than f2OOoOOoO. TN" combined lndu,t1e7
Furnish employ ment t. thousands OF men and Women
and they secure better wages than the ordinary Nlrr
can cnrneis. because NJ the deiicacy, precision
and skill necessary TO success.
II + clear that the Industry could rot build lsrl
mp with only 23 per cent protection. Without the
additional protect on furnished through the premium
Of gold from o62 10 1892 for It's upbulldng. the year
coud not possibly count It's S4ooCoOoO business,
from the American watch Industry alone. II coud
not furnish the thousands NJ stngs in healthy, we'll
equipped factories for employees who receive for their
lahorcr for the same work Of any European watch
producing country. Therefore It is not wise u
advocate 30 per cent reduction Of the price para VI
This army Of aborng men and women, for We must
not forget that Europe can make watches by IN.
American process ard whore nlnelcnthS OF the cost
l. labor II IS evident that the price pld Tor aW,I
d.,"rmincs tle cost " the product. II the cOndi
Ton, I'm the two countries were the same We shohiu
not require any tariff. But they, are different and
rrc Trade would certainly give the power 10 dittal'
European wages to American wageearners'