Omaha daily bee., 1892-11-06
FREE TRADES VAIL
Bngland's Factories Closed Down Because
of Americas Protective Tariff Law.
OPERATIVES COMING TO THIS SIDE
Thousands of Skilled Workmen Building
Homes in the United States.
BRITISH INSTITUTIONS CLOSING DOWN
Owners Tell of the S'aynaton in Their
Trade Sire, the Year 1890.
FIFTY THOUSAND MILL HANDS STRIKE
Their Wages Reduced Five Per Cent and
Their Work Cut Om-How the Brit
ish Workman Enjoys Exclu-
siyc FREQ Trade.
Owners Tell of the S'a ynation in Thei
Trade sirco the Year 1890.
FIFTY THOUSAND MILL HANDS STRIKE
1872 by lan,, Gordon peaae., |

Shole-Speclnl 10 LIE BEE. l-tltteen mil
lions of spindles are idle in Lancashire and
$4,000 operatives are deprived of means OF
livelihood owing to tue dispute concerning a
per cent reduction of wages. The crisis
thus involved is a direct result OF overpro-
duciion, caused by decrease in the foreign
demand arising from the protective tariffs
inevitable result.
This strike will increase emigration of all
kinds of operatives to the United States and
produce further Glut In the eastern textile
centcrs, where labor is already In abundant
supply.
l have just completed an exhaustive IN
Quiry as to the industrial situation IN the
principal manufacturing towns of England
and find everywhere an all-absorbiug desire
on the part of the working people TO emi-
CRATE to the United States. The stream of
European emigration which has pointed
steadily westward for several decades will
be appreciably increased in volume unless
stringent measures to prevent it are adopted
speedily ov he United States government.
l began my investigation at Swinton Park,
where | had an interview with Lord Masham
formerly Samuel Lister, who pointed out
that the Mckinley bill had thrown >, 900 of his
workmen into the streets. Those who had
money emgratcd Immediately ana the others
delayed only because they could not scrape
up enough money to follow their more for
tunate comrades.
Certain streets in Philadelphia said
Lord Masham, Swarm with Yorkshlremen
whose labor is employed to tho advantage of
protected manufacturers and the dotriment
OF American workingmen. Many of the
operatives formerly engaged in the English
carpet factories have been driven to the
United States.''
They are American Citizens.
On this point interviewed Mr. Harrison
the we'll known carpet factor. He said that
with one exception no Yorkshire house pos
sesseS American trade.
"What has become OF the men," asked,
"who formerly found employment Oh the
looms:"
"They are working tor the American trade
They go to Philadelphia" was the reply, "or
to he carpet centers of the New England
states. Ask ,here"
Al Manchester l learned that the migra-
tion OF cotton and linen thread trades from
this country to the ULited States with their
attendant transfer of skilled operatives is
one OF the most striking illustrations of the
manner IN which these results are brought
about. Mr.. Hoyne, the well known membe
OF the thread trade, informed ma that the
works Of j. 4 p. Coates Chadwick .S Co.,
Kerr N Co, FinlavsoD, Thomas Field and
Barbour & Co, in the United States, employ
great number Of British and Irish WORKING
men. All these firms are of English, Scotch
or Irish origin.
AT Nottingham had interviews with the
heads oi the firms of SteIdl. Lsufmann g.
Co., Pratt, Hurst * Co., and G. j. Lewis &
Co. They gave me the same answers, that
as soon as the Mckinley bill became law
a movement began, which. though slow at
first, promises to develop into a psrfect exo-
dus OF migration of certain lace plants to the
states. They said 1t would not benefit
American workingmeD, but, on the contrary.
II would merely give employment to the
skilled hands of Nottingham and Ayrshire
who are sent to work the machines.
Many Weavers Brought Over
AS an illustration of this point, | may say
that Cl"land Campbell & Go. OF Glasgow,
who have opened curtain factory in Penn
sylvania, recently took goodly number of
their Scotch hands from Clyde on the An
cnor line
Macclesfield affords one OF the most strik-
irS examples Of the fact that the protective
tariff does not protect American worKlngmen.
Nearly every mill in the town has supplied
its quota toward the emigration contingent.
Macclestield's population has been greatly
decreased during the past two wears.
what has become OF the weaversP'
asked man at NichUlson's mill
"They nave gone 10 Patterson" was the
reply, "aud most OF us would 90 tomorrow
II we could raise the passage money"
Chapman, an old hand at loom weaving,
gave me conclusive evidence that the Mac
clesfieid weavers on arriving at Patter son
had frequently secured work at the
expense OF other workingmen who were
discharged TO make room. This statement is
absolutely correct Denial may be made at
Patterson as to It's accuracy, but they will
proceed from highly prejudicial sources
The fact remains that the slackness of work
AT Macclesfeld, caused by the foreign tariffs,
has driven the skilled operatives OF the town
abroad, that Is 10 America, for English oper-
atives will only emigrate 10 English speak
Ing countries, which means that the United
States must Of necessity be the principal
dumping ground.
Ihe average wages OF the Macclesfield
weavers are from 10 tol2 shillings per week
Whole families of tin plate workers and
woolen operatives are on the point of emi-
grating. Numbers OF nonunion men are
being driven from England, owing to the
stringent measures OF the union leaders, ana
IT will no doubt astonish you to learn that
various trades unions IN the north of Eng
land allow money grants for emigration oy
their unemployed members to the United
states. Returns show increasing aDplca.
tions week by week, and this is the class of
people which the Mckinley law invites to
America.
POna 4 an Varv