The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-16
THE GROWTH OF OUR MANUFAC-
TURING INTERESTS.
To the Editor of the Eagle:


the enormous growth in our manufac-
turing industries during the decade from
1880 to 1890. Copies of the census re-
ports giving the manufacturing Stats
tics of a number of the principal cites
of this country have been put in circula-
lion by Superintendent Porter of the
Census bureau. An examination of the
the statistics of FIVE of the largest cities
in the United States, viz, New York.
Philadelphia, Chicago, Brooklyn and
Boston, shows the number OF new man
ufacturing Industries that have been e.
tablished; the number of establishments
constructed; the amount of capital il
vested; the number of hands employed;
the amount of wages paid; the cost of
material used, and the value of the
products to be as follows:
Year. Indus Establish Capital Hands
tries re nlents con- invested. employed
ported. structed.
1850 1889 19l3 235 SO 1 g. 81 5 63 S s18
materials. products
1880 S243 3G0.e15 8 s77.580Gs9 S1.S54. 047. 40
1880 1861 Sl3 1,2Ss, ASP 80 2,417, Isl, 692
These statistics show that during the
period from ASS0'to 1890, there were in
these five cities 304 new industries start
ed, 35,3 new establishments con-
structed, $777.517, 223 new capital in
vested; 400. 726 new hands employed,
1898, III 402 more wages paid: the cost
of the new material used amounted to
$40, 500, 29l; and the value OF the manu-
featured products increased 81 ,063, 49,
237. The manufactured products, as
well as the new material, nearly doubled
in ten wears. The amount of wages
paid has more than doubled: the number
OF hands employed has nearly doubled;
the capital invested is more than twice,
and the number of establishments is
nearly twice that of 1880. and
the number of industries has greatly
Increased. In fact, during the decade
from 1880 to 1890. there was almost as
much added to the manufacturing in
dustries of these five cities as during the
whole history of the country previous to
that time, and if the census could be
taken now, it would be found that these
industries have increased during the last
two years nearly one-third more than
that reported by the census of1S90? The
Mckinley bill has been of immense value
In building up new manufacturing in
dustries; new capital by the millions has
been Invested; new factories by thous-
ands have been constructed, and there
has been an enormous increase in the
amount of new material used and in the
total value of the manufactured products,
since that bill became law. The rapid
and gigantic growth of our manufacture
ing industries is very largely due to the
productive tariff and sound currency,
established by the Republican party,
consummated in 1879, by resumption of
specie payments. Strange to say, Grover
Cleveland has been elected president on
q platform that says:
I'VE denounce Republican protection as
fraud robbery of the American people for
the benefit of the few. We declare it to be a
fundamental principle of the Democratic par
ty that the federal government has no consti-
tutional power TO impose and collect tariff
duties except fer the purposes OF revenue
only, and we demand that the collection of
such taxes shall be limited to the necessities
of the government when honestly and econom-
ically administered"
acted by the Fifty-tirSt congress- as tie culmi-
mating atrocity of class legislation; we endorse
the efforts made by the Democrats of the
present congress to modify its most oppressive
features in the direction of free raw materials
and cheaper manufactured goods that enter
into general consumption, and We promise its
repeal as one of the beuehCent results that
will follow the action of the people in intrusJ-
ing power TO the Democratic party. Since the
tariff went into operation there
have been ten reductions OF the wages OF the
labOring man to one increase. We deny that
there has been any increase of prOop erIty to
the country since that tariff went into opera
ton, ana we point to the dizziness and distress,
the wage reductions and strikes in the iron
ralp a the best SS1hIG evidence thar
such prosperity has resulted from the Nc Kin
ley act"
1t will be seen from this platform that
the Democratic party has promised the
repeal of the Mckinley bill as lone of
the beneficent results that is to follow
the action of the people in intrusting
that party in power" The repeal of the
Mckinley bili would, OF course, carry
with 1t the closing up of all the factories
that have been bulls for new industries
since that bill passed.
Again, this platform declares that
''sincs tbs Mckinley tariff went into
there have been ten reductions
Of the wages of the labOring man 20 one
increase
Now, the census statistics show that
during the ten years from 1880 10 1890
the wages of the working classes in the
city increased 103 % per cent; in the |
city of New York the percentage of in |
crease of wages was 1919; in the city
Of Chicago the increase was 1913 63: IN /
the city of Brooklyn the wages increased |
from $22. 1877 ,415 in 1880 to sol ,915, 702 in |
1890; in Boston wages increased 110.47 |
per cent.
SO we might 60 through the whole /
list Of manufacturing industries in the |
United States and we should find that !
the Increase in wages corresponds with |
the increase of industries and the in |
crease of their products.
This platform, in calling special atten- !
ton to the wages of those employed in /
ron works. refutes its own theories: for |
the Mckinley bill IN fact reduced the |
duties on many kinds of iron. Henry /
Watterson says:
The Democratic party represents at |
his moment not merely the brains, but /
.he conscience of the people. and, mind /
ful of its responsibility, it pledges itself |
to the revision and reduction OF the tariff !
1uties. 1t simply means to reverse the /
action of the engines that were driving 4
is to ruin"
Well. let the Democrats carry out the I
principles of this platform, If they dare /
They will find that by the time they get /
The engine reversed, they have plunged /
he business OF the country into ruiE, /
md it viii take some other power be
sides that of the Democratic party TO .
ret them out of the muss they will get .
nto.
Just for 4 moment contemplate tie
value Of the manufactures OF these five
titles alone. They are now turning out +
8. At, 196. 6g2 worth of manufactured
every year. They give employ