The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-09-28
English Testimony.

The following leading editorial taken
from the South District AdUertiser, a
government paper of Manchester, Eng
land, is hard nut for free-trade
Democracy to crack:
AT the time of the passing of the Nc
Kinley tariff, two years ago, many of
the newspapers in this country joined
in chorus of condemnation of the
measure as terrible economical blum
der, which would affect most injurious
ly the interests of the United States
They predicted that while IL few favored
capitalists might be enabled to realize
large fortunes, the great bulk of the
American consumers would find the
cost of commodities SO much increased
in consequence that they would cry out
at once for the repeal of the act. We
did not take that view, and events are
proving that we were right in not tax
ing it. So far from the prophecy being
true, the very reverse is found to be
the case. Mr.. Mckinley, the author of
the act, is perhaps the most popular
man atothiS moment in the United
States. A commission appointed to in
quire into the working of the tariff has
reported that it has had no appreciable
effect in increasing the price OF goods
to the consumer, but that, on the con
trary, the increased domestic competi-
ton it has called into existence has in
many cases lessened the prices of com
modities
But 1Uhile Americd is imprOced rather
than Impoverished, the Mckinley tdrF
has told most diSaStrOuSly on some Of oar
manufacturing industries The most
remarkable example of this is found in
winding up of the affairs of the Sir Titus
Salt Co. The mills of this company are
monument of industrial enterprise
and are among the largest in the king
dom. The Salt family not only estab-
lished the works but created town on
the banks of the Aire, to which the
name of Saltaire was given. Only a
short time ago an exhibition was held
there (opencd by the Princess Beatrice)
that attracted thousands. The visitors
were loud in their admiration of the
complete appointments and surround
ing of the industrial colony which had
sprung into being at the bidding of a
Yorkshire manufactures who had shown
that he ha heart as well as n head
for the management of his undertakings.
The secret of Sir Titus Salts success
was his quick appreciation of the value
of the hair of the alpaca. Vast quanti-
ties of that article lay in the Liverpool
warehouses unnoticed and despised.
The well known material he produced
from the hair soon secured for him both
wealth and fame.
A melancholy change has taken place
within the past two years. The bust
ness has suddenly and rapidly declined,
and now the winding up of the great
enterprise is published. The Mckinley
tariff has killed the alpaca trade. There
is still great demand in the United
States for the material manufactured
at Saltaire, but the new tariff shuts it
out. Under the protection Of that tdrlf,
moreover, factories hare been established
Dhich are already producing The goods
nearly, II not quite, as chedpty as they
can be produced here.
Saltaire is not solitary example of
the disastrous effect of the Mckinley
tariff on British manufacturing industry.
The tariff has told heavily on other
branches of production. This has been
the case in peculiar degree with the
tin-plate trade. No fewer than ten.
great factories are reported as being
closed, and 10 IS stated that 10, 900 WOrb.
men are about TO eD,igrdte TO he United
States, where the industry has sprung
in,o sudden and great importance. We
may deplore the Mckinley tariff, but
what more can we do under our present
system? We have cast away the only
weapons with which we could fight it..