The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-09
DESERVING MASSACHUSETTS.
Bay State Manufacturers Have Been
Quietly Going Elsewhere.
THE CAUSES NOW CONSIDERED
The Legislative Investigating Commit
tee Hear Facts and Figures From
mrW. G. Lowering, of the Ark
wright Club, and Hon. T.
j. Coolidge.
by Southern Associated Press.

BY Southern Associated Press
BosToS, March S.-The Legislative
Committee on Mercantile Affairs con-
finued i'll Investigation at tho State
house to day as to causes of removal to
other States of textile corporations.
1t was tho manufacturers innings to-
day and VIM. q. Lowering, president
nf the Arkwright Club, appeared be-
fore the committee and conducted the
case for them. lie said in part:
This hearing might very properly
have tnken wider scope aud have in
c!uded other than textile industries,
for 1t is grave fact that not alone the
cotton toxtlles arc seeking other fields,
but many industries have either desert
cd the State or uro prospecting in
othor sections of our country.
lone by ono our industries have
gone from lis. What has become of
our heavy iron works? Go to South
Boston, where only few years ago
the largest castings in the world wero
turned out. Go to BridGowater where
fcme OF the heaviest forgIugs were
struck. What do you find? Where
are the great rolling mills? Where are
the great plate and nail works? Where
nre tho locomotive works that we're
Massachusetts IL score of years ago?
All gone to the mouths of the mines
end the regions of coal
"We once had large furniture facto.
rics in our State. We now bring our
furniture from Michigan. The shoe
business, ono of our largest industries
IS about taking to itself wings. 1t is
eaid that dozen years, or less, Is likely
80 sec 1t almost entirely nlieuated from
the State.
True 1t is that natural causes have
In most Instances worked this change.
al OF those industries nave. in obs.
dience to II natural law, sought the base
OF supplies.
To-day tho cotton textile manufnc-
tnrers occupy prominent place III our
Commonwealth. They have, perhaps.
more Than any other industry, taken
ihe pluce OF thone that have gone out.
What is TO take the place Of our
se1tlle Industries ii they leave us?
Have we reached tho fulness OF our
greatness Ill this department? Has tho
tide begun to ebb!
ut Is to be presumed that when this
order was drawn ii was in the minds
OF those having 1t i'll hand not only to
iook Tor the causes of the exodus of
onr cotton textile Industries, but, II
possible, npply remedial legislation.
'Gentlemen, you will pardon me for
what | am about To say There is II
feeling that business has been more in
lnred than helped by legislation. No
sooner does tho Legislature assemble
than tremor runs through the com
Mnnlty OF business. q fear lest some act
shall be done that will threaten the
existence OF our industries or further
ampair the already small margin upon
which they arc carried on"
hon. 1. Jefferson Coolidge, of Boston,
followed. ie devoted some time to u
comparison of our existing conditions
IN the North and the South for the fos.
tsring of manufactures. He said that
Tor many yenrs the South had put M
small mills IN various parts of the
country. Tho price of coal, for IN.
Ofnnce, IN the South is from 50 cents To
Gl.JO; IN Lowell it Is from ST.. 80 to
Gi.5O. On the item of coal alone, he
Gaid, the mill which he represented
you'd snyo $G0,0GJ year with coal ut
Southern prices.
"Our taxes are enormous; in fact this
country Is most heavily taxed OF any in
the world. For example. mill which
Is III Massachusetts would be taxed
900 600. would he taxed but $50, coo In
England. Then, again, the cost of liv-
jng WAS 80 per cent. lower in the South
than here.
Tho Legislature hns fostered tho
growers OF textile industries in south"
he said, "and mas exempted them from
She great burden of taxation. This
Legislature can do us great deal of
good by taxing us as little as possible"
He admitted that 1t was threateued
rather than actual labor legislation
changing the nlno hour law that would
mean destruction.
MIR. Armory Lawrence said n few
words in favor OF the contention that
there was too much adverse legislation
on the statute books.
y long statement was read by j. 4.
Baker, of Fall River, to show thnt Fall
1tiver feels keenly the effect OF the
fity-eight hour law and other labor
legislation, which puts 1T nt disad-
vantage. 1t was signed by the Cotton
Manufacturers Association.
nf