The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-09
ADVERSE LEGISLATION
DRYING THE MANUFA CTURERS
OUT or MlSSA CHUSETTS.
The Advantages offered by Conditions In
the South-Cotton Textiles Seeking
the Base Of Supplies,

BOSTON, March S.-The legislative COM
mttee on Mercantile Affairs continued It's
investigation at the State House to-day
as to causes Of removal to otler States
Of textile corporations. II was the man.
ufacturers innings to-day. and William G.
Lowering. president of the Arkwright
Club, appeared before the commit ZEE and
conducted the case for them. He SAID in
part:
This hearing might very properly have
taken a wider scope, and have included
other than textile Industries, for IL IS
grave fact that not alone the cotton
textiles are seeking other fields but many
industries have either deserted the State
or are prospecting IN other sections Of
our country. One by one our Industries
have gone from us. What has become Of
our heavy iIon works? Go to south Bos-
ton, where ouly a few years ago the
largest castings In the world were
turned out Go TO Bridgswater where
scme Of the heaviest fofgings were
struck What do you fad? Where are
the great rolling mills? Where are the
great plate and nail works? Where are
the locomotive works, tina. were build
Ing engines by the hundreds I'm Massachu-
settes score OF years ago? All gone TO
the mouths Of the mines and the regions
Of coal.
SEEKING THE BASE or SUPPLIES.
We once had large furniture fac
tories IN our state. Now we bring our
furniture from Michigan. The shoe busi-
ness, one Of our largest Industries is about
taking 10 itself wings. IL is said that
Il dozen years or less is likely to see it
almost entirely alienated from the State.
True 1t is that natural causes have in
most instances, worked this change All
of those industries have. in obedience to
a natural law. sought the base OF sup
plies.
To-day the cotton textile manufac-
turers occupy a prominent place in our
Commonwealth. They have. perhaps,
more than any other industry, taken the
place of those that have gene out. What
is to take the place of our textile indus
tries if they leave us? Have we reach
ed the fulnoss of our grea tness in this
department? Has the tide begun TO
ebb? That Massachusetts, has prospered
through all the vicissitudes. is encour-
aging, but bas she prospered as she
ought to have done2 Does she occupy the
place she ought TO occupy and if not,
then, why not?
at is TO be presumed that when this
order was drawn, it was IL the minds
of those having it in hand, not only to
look for the causes Of the exodus of our
cotton textile industries, but, if possible
apply remedial legislation.
oyERBURDENED WITH LEGISLATION.
We cannot expect to bring back depart
ed industries. We can foster those that
remain. or we con drive them forth with
the others by all sorts Of petty annoy
anccs and embarrassments. Gentlemen,
yCu will pardon me for what | am about
to say. | say 1t with profound reverence
for our State government and with the
utmost respect for our Leg .siatureS but
our state is over-burdeaed with legisla-
ton.
There is a feeling that business has
been more injured than helped by lesis-
a,on. No scorer does the Legislature
assemble than tremor runs through the
business community, fear lest some act |
shall be done that will threaten the *
stence of our INDUSTRIES or further i'm |
pair the extremely small margin upon |
which they are carried on. If legislation |
we're reduced Is per cent. II is safe 10 |
say that not a single interest would suffer |
from it.
THE ADVANTAGES IN THE SOUTH.
Hon. r. jefferson Coolidge, of Boston, |
ollOwed. lie devoted some time TO a |
of our existing conditions in |
he North and South for ,ha fostering |
If manufactures. He said that for many |
'ears the South had put up small mills |
Il various parts Of the country. The |
rice of coal for instance IN the South |
S from 80 cents 20 $50. in Lowell it is |
rom $500 10 SL50 ON the item Of coal /
lone, he said, the mill which he repre-
ented would save $4,000 year with coal
L southern prices.
Our taxes are enough. In fact, this
ountry was the most heavily taxed Of
ny in the world. For example. a mill
Which is in Massachusetts would be taxed
OOJO, would be taxed bur $4,000 in
England. Then. again. the cost of living
'as 30 per cent. lower in the South than
ere.
The Legislature has fostered the growth |
textile Industries in the South ne said.
nd has exempted them from the great
urden of taxation. This Legislature
an do US a great deal of good by taxing |
as little as possible.
He admitted that it was the threatened
amer than actual labor LEGISLATION
hanging the nine hour law that would
lean destruction.
sTATEMfNTs OF OTHERS.
Mr' Amory Lawrence said a few words
iaVor OF the contention that there
as too much adverse legislation on the
-atute-bOoks.
long statement was read by J. 4
lker OF Fall River. to show that Fau
lVer feels keenly the effect of the dftv-
sht hour law ana other labor lepisla-
on which puts IL at disadvantare. II
as s:gned by the Cotton Manufacturers
ssociation.
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