Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-08-22
Mckinley Wages.
New York Tribune

Another striking tariff study is offered in
our staff correspondents letter from tIloy-
ersville, the great centre of the American
glove trade We ask Democratic tariff az
Itat0rs to take up this ease 10 sift the evil
dencr AMI to let Ms know in what re-
pect the Mckinley tariff act
ha. operated badly Let It's first remind them
Of their sinister predictions when the duties
on gloves were increased two years ago
They assumed that the manufacturers
would form a trust and advance the price
of their goods that few rich men would
make millions ont of the increased tariff
rates. and that not one operative employed
in the factories would have his wages raised.
and that the poor consumer would be faxed
whenever he bought pair of gloves. Not
one of these forecasts has been justified
after the act has been in operation for two
years.
No trust has been formed for regulating
the price of gloves. There is unrestricted
competition among the manufacturers.
The increased duties have displaced large
portion of the importation, have greatly
expanded the volume of domestic manufac-
ture, and have enabled American glove
makers to compete with foreigners in
nearly all lines of gloves. The oper-
atiYes in the factories and the farmers fam
lilies who finish gloves in their own homes
have far share in the benefits of the ill.,
creased duties. Their earnings are greater
than in ls!'o; the rates for piecew0rk have
been increased the introduction of higher
grades of work has involved promotions in
mills and marked addition 10 wages: en-
ploymcnt has been constant from the be-
ginning to the end of the year. and work
has been provided for new classes of
sorkmen recruited from 4 farming
community There Is hardly an opera
tive TO be found in the industrial centre,
whence a product OF ~la,oOd, 900 Is sent to
market who * not receiving more money
week by week thah ne was earning before
the passage of the act lll- gam j. not the
consumers loss Not a single line of
gloves manufactured in tiioVcrsyille and
.Iohnstown has advanced in price The re-
vef-, is true The reduction in cost will
average : per cent. and ia many lines of
cheaper goods it i much greater.
EAt;ovprnur Campbell when he was in
khodc island hast spring on thu same plat
form with Mr.. Cleveland declared in his
shrlllest treble that not one workingman
among the millions in America had had his
wages raised in consequence of the
passage of the Mckinley act.
If he will go Ia Gloyersville he will never
repeat that cheap campaign fiction nor will
any of the low tariff advocates. after an ex-
haustive investigation of wages in the glove
trade. follow Senator Carlisle in bis argu
ment that while wages have increased in
two years in all the unprotected industries
of the country they have fallen
in protected industries. The glove in
dustry a. whole offer. conspicuous illns-
tration of the operation of the Mckinley
act in all essential respects. Wages have
been increased. prices have been reduced,
foreign importations have been displaced,
work has been given to Americans in pre-
ference to Europeans, higher grades of
manufacture have been introduced, and a
great impulse has been impaired TO an
industry emiuently adapted for farming