The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-06-29
A FREE TRADE LESSON
SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAIR
AND FURNITURE FACTORIES
AT SHEBOYCAN.
How to Save the sugar rIndustry-Repub-
lic.n..m in Colleges-Mckinley Epi-
grams Maine Congressman VS.. the
Wilson Biil-Making Up for Appomat-

Very recently member of the editorial
staff Of the Chicago Inter-Ocean visited
Sheboygan, and in writing up the indus
tries of that place he deals in the follow
ing historical facts which are OF special
interest at this particular time:
''If the Congressional election could be
held now two-thirds of the voters in She
boygan City would be against the Demo
cratic party. The only reason why She
boygan has given Democratic majorities
in recent years has been from force of
habit This city was until twenty-five
years ago known as the poorest town in
America. 1t had that reputation all over
WISCONSIN. 1t was a struggling town or
1000 inhabitants and furnishing nothing
in the way of work to attract skilled me-
chanics or even provide labor for the
young men brought UP in the town. There
was no manufacturing until 1870. when
small chair factory was started with
i've men employed. This was the begin
ming OF prosperity, and in 1892 there were
5000 WAge-earners in Sheboygan, who re-
ceiyed S3,OOO.OOO in wages and turned
out more than S1O,OOO,OOO worth of prod
ucts that went into the homes of million
Aires and Wage-earners in every state in
the union. Four large chair factories and
one monster furniture factory were run
ming ten and twelve hours day the year
through. and one year after another. to
supply the demand for Sheboygan furni-
ture.
From the poorest town in America it
became one Of the most prosperous cities
IN Wisconsin, with population Of 16.350
n iS9o @ and q population of about 10000
The workingmen received S25O.OO a
month in wages, Is per cent of them
owned their homes. TOO houses were built
IN ISJ.. and much money was expended
III public improvements.
but the majority Of these people still
voted the Democratic ticket. though their
CITY had been built up under protection
and was dependent upon a protective tar
IN. They did not believe it until they had
their first experience in 1893 They gave
l:JN plurality for Cleveland in 1892. had
their earnings reduced 33 1-3 per cent. in
IS3;', and elected the first Republican
City Council in the history of the city in
April. 1894
George Mattoon. president Of the Mat
loon furniture Company. says that his
firm did 4S per cent. less work IN 1S93
than In 1892. and this at loss Of 10 per
cent. to the firm. In other words. while
keeIlng his men employed little more than
0ne-half time, and at reduced wage
scale. the company is losing 10 per cent.
on IT'S business because it has $4,000, 900
ufactured into furniture or allowed to be-
come q dead loss, and because it has
debts that it must meet or go into bank
ruptcy.
Mr.. Mattoon employed 1.O5O men in
IS.12. and they had to run extra time to
supply their orders The factory began
thirteen years ago with nine men. and
while increasing as fast as machinery
could be placed for the men, the factory
was never shut down except for few
days Tor repairs until the panic of 1893
struck the furniture trade and more than
90 per cent. of those in the business
failed. His sales in 1892 amounted to
$26,OOO month. The average earnings
were $1.3O day. Now Mr.. Mattoon has
TOO men working two-thirds the time at
reduction OF 70 per cent. in their wages,
and his pay roll amounts to about $12, 900
q month.
''Two-thirds of Mr.. Mattoon's employees
voted the Democratic ticket in 1862 be-
1t was good politics to vote against their
employers. 1t did not require many
months for them to discover that the same
blow that struck their employers struck
them, and that their interests were identi-
CAL
'yrhomas NJ. Blackstock, president and
general manager of the Phoenix Chair
Company, agrees with Mr.. Mattoon that
had its severest blow last
year and that it is still uncertain as to
the outcome. The furniture business is
not improving and Sheboygan is depend
ent upon that business. Ii the factories
60 down the city will be ruined for
there will be no work for the great num-
Der of wage-earners who have given
to the place.
1.-The year of 1892 was the most pros
porous year ever known in Sheboygan.
and the prospects were bright for the
Of the prosperity. The men
in the shops had all the extra work they
would do, and they in turn paid good
were at work on their houses. The men
were generally saving, and Mr.. Black
stock believes that in 1892 Is per cent.
Of the people in Sheboygan owned their
houses.
He says the earnings Of the men are
1892. The monthly pay roll has fallen
from $3.50, 900 to about $125,OOO
Mr.. Blackstock denied the
charge that has been made that men
were employed in Sheboygan factories at
5 cents an hour. The factories are pay
ing out more for wages and lumber than
they are receiving for their goods. Bust
ness is not improving. and Mr.. Black
stock does not believe it will improve in
the furniture trade until the threat of
Congress is removed. The
Wilson bill is only the entering wedge
for free trade, and business men will
make no venture until they know
whether this legislation is to be carried
to it's legitimate conclusion or not.
How to Save the Sugar Industry.
l am here in Norfolk. Neb., looking out
on the largest beet sugar factory in Amer
ica. Last year it made 15,OOO,OOO pounds
Of white sugar Thousands Of farmers
along the Platte Valley have contracts
for an increased acreage of beets next
year. They are now trembling for fear
Of threatened disaster. They are simply
dazed at the Knockout blow the present
Congress has given to their young but
growing sugar industry. Many Nebraska
farmers, l say. had made their contracts
for raising beets next spring for the
Grand Island and Norfolk factories.
These farmers are just beginning to
learn how to raiSe heets with r,rnfit aui