The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-09
NEW ENGLAND's WANING GLORY
The Loss OF Industries Attributed TO
Too Much Legislation.

Too Much Legislation.
Boston. March S-The legislative COM
mittee on mercantile affairs continued
its investigation at the State house to-
day as TO causes Of removal to other states
OF textile corporations. 1t was the manu-
facturers' innings to-day and William c..
Lowering. president Of the Arkwright Club.
appeared before the committee and con-
Quoted the case for them. He said in
part. This hearing might very prop~ly
have taken wider scope. and have in
cluded other than the textile industries,
for 1t is a grave fact that not alone the
cotton textiles are seeking other fields,
but that many industries have either de-
serted the state or are prospecting in
other sections of our country.
"Oue by one our Industries have gone
from us What has become Of our heavy
iron works? Go to South Boston, where
only few years ago the largest castings
in the world were turned out. Go TO
Bridgewater, where some of the heaviest
forgings were struck What do you
fnd? Where are the great plants and
nail works? Where are the great rolling
mills? Where are the locomotive works
which were building engines by the hun
dreds In Massachusetts, a score of years
ago. All are gone TO the mouth of the
mines and regions OF coal We once had a
laIgel furniture factory I'M our state.
Now we bring our furniture from Mich
igan. The shoe business one OF our larg-
est industries. is about taking to itself
wings II is said that a dozen years or
less IS likely to see It almost entirely
alienatod from the state.
True Il Is that natural causes have IN
most cases worked this change. All or
those industries have. in obedience TO "a
natural law. sought the base Of supplies.
To-day the cotton textile manutactu-
rers occupy a prominent place IN our
commonwealth They have. perhaps, more
than any other industrials taken the
place Of those that have gone out.
What is to take the place OF our tex
tile Industries If they leave us? Have
we reached the fulness OF our greatness
In this department? Has the tide begun
to ebb? That Massachusetts has pros
pered through all the vicissitudcs is en-
rouwaging, ,but has she prospend as
she ought to have done? Does she reach
the place she ought 60 occupy, and II not
then why not?
ut Is to be presumed that when this
order was drawn II was In the minds Of
those having II in hand not only TO look
for the causes of the exodus Of outgoing
of textile manufacturers. we cannot eX-
pect 10 bring back these departed indus
tries We can foster those that remain
or we can drive them forth with the
others by an sorts Of petty annoyance
and embarrassments.
Gentlemen, you viii pardon me for
what I am about to say. ] say it with
profound reverence for our state govern
ment and with the utmost respect for
our legislature, but out state Is overbur-
dened with legislation.
There is a feeling that business has
been more injured than helped by legisla-
ton. No sooner does the legislature as
semble than a tremor runs through the
business community. a fear lest some act
shall be done that will threaten the ex-
istence Of our Industries, or further i'm.
pair the extremely small margin on which
they are carried on. If legislation were
reduced 75 per cent, II Is safe to say that
not a single interest or an individual In
our commonwealth would suffer from it.
Hon. r. jefferson Coolidge Of Boston fol-
lowed He devoted some time TO a com
parison of our existing conditions in the
north and south for the fostering of man
ufacturies. He said that for many years
the south had put up small mills In va
rlous parts Of the country. The price for
coal, for instance in the south Is from 80
cents to $l.59; In Lowell It is from $3.50 to
$3.50. On the item of coal alone, he says,
the mill which he represents would save
500 600 a year with coal a southern prices.
"Our taxes are enOrmus; IN fact this
in the world. For example, mill which
IN Massachusetts would be taxed $50, 900,
would be taxed $4,000 In England. Then.
again, the cost of living was 30 per cent.
lower in the south than here.
"The legislatures have fostered the
growth Of textile Industries in the south" T."
he said. "and has exempted them from
the great burden OF taxation. This legis-
lature can do us a great deal Of good by
taxing us as little as possible" He ad-
mitted that it was threatened rather than
actual labor Legislation changing the nine
hour law that would mean destruction.
Amory Lawrence said few words In
favor Of the contention that there was
too much adverse legislation on the stat
ute books.
A long statement was read by J. A..
Baker Of FAN River to show that FAN
River feels keenly the effect Of the 58-
hour law, and other labor legislation,
which puts It at a disadvantage. 1t was
signed by the Cotton Manufacturers As
sOciafiOn.