The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-04
VALUE OF THE MANUFA CTCRING
INDUSTRIES IN TEB GREATER
NEW YORK.
To the Editor OF the Eagle

I o the EQlt1f o. the Ea@le.
/ Sometime ago I gave your readers q
! few facts in regard to the value of the
manufacturing industries in five of the
principal cities in this country. An ex-
animation OF the manufactured pro-
| ducts is what is called Greater New
/ York" shows the immense value of these
industries to the people of this country.
The two cities of New York and Brook
lyn contain a population Of 2,32l,644;
they have IS, $50 manufacturing estab-
lishment5; the capital invested amounts
to 1854, 087, 654; the hands employed IN
these factories number 45j, 40; the
wages paid annually amount TO $3.50, jl2,-
81; the cost of the material used is
S494, 4l2, 054, and the value of the pro-
ducts is $1,000, 584, 107. These were
the statistics obtained by TIE census Of
1890. The growth of these industries
since that time under the Mckinley bill
has been greater than in any two years
in the history Of the nation.
The value OF the products Of the fac
tories in these two cities in 1890 was
$223, , -, COS, more than the total inn
ports of merchandise into the United
States Of all kinds, during that year.
The largest amount of imports to this
country in any one year was in 1891,
when they reached $S44 916, 1856. The
total value of the manufactured pro-
ducts CT the Greater New York in 1890
was S167 ,661 Gil more than the value Of
the largest imports in any one year since
the government was organized.
Again, the value Of the manufactured
products of these two cities in 1890 was
$40, 36S, 1872 more than our total exports
and imports In any one wear previous to
1872, and they were Sill 300, 1913 more
than our total exports and imports in
1876,
1t is estimated that the 455, 440 people
who are employed in the manufacturing
industries of these two cities have each
at least two persons depending upon them
for support. This makes a population
of over 1866, 900 persons who are de-
pendent upon the manufacturing indus
tries Of these two cities for livelihood.
The greater New York is located where
a reduction of duties would be more dis
astrOus to the manufacturing industries
~
the United States, for the reason that
nearly 20 per cent of the foreign goods
that are landed in this country are en-
tered at the custom house in New York.
Foreign goods can be landed here
cheaper than anywhere else in the coun-
try. The sections of country lying back
of the seaboard would not have their
manufacturing industries injured to any
Il, H.. Il, 81, ~ 81
Greater New York would be injured, for
the reason that the increased freights Ill
shipping from New York to interior sec
tons would add to the price of the arti-
cles: but foreign manufactured products
can be landed in New York at less cost
for freight than it would take to send
them from New York to Buffalo.
These cities have been under a pro-
tective system tor the last thlrty-two
years, and one can hardly conceive of
the enormous growth that has taken
place in these industries during that
tire. The rate Of wages is higher today
in this city than 1t has been at any time,
excepting it might be during two or
three years of the civil war. To reduce
the tariff on goods that are manufacture
ed in this city even 20 per cent, would
create almost a revolution here. The
American manufacturer cannot COM
pete with foreigners without protective
duties. The Democrats have committed
themselves to the repeal of the Mckinley
bill and to general reduction of duties
Oh manufactured products, and if they
carry out the pledges Of their platform,
there VIII be greater disturbance IN the
labor element than has been in its history
or IN the history of any other country.
If Cleveland carries out the Chicago
platform it will cost this country
directly or iudirectly-more than
the civil war did, and if it
does not bring on another civil war,
there will have TO be wiser heads than
those in charge Of the administration
today TO prevent 1t. 1t IS not a pleasant
task to be always prophesying evils 10
come upon the country; but certain
causes produce certain effects, and when
we find those causes in operation it is
easy to predict what the result will De.
Today this country is on a sea OF unCer-
tainty. No one knows what the policy
of the administration Is to be, or wheth-
er they viii be able TO carry out the
platform of the party. The people will
be wise if they look these matters
squareiy in the face, and prepare them
selves Tor the worst. +. Z. NJ