The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-07
SPEECH TO LUMBERMEN.
What Protection Has Done for One of
the Big Lake Cities.

To the lumbermen of Buffalo and Tona-
wanda county Mr.. Mckinley said:
My Fellow-citzens- am very much
honored to have this visit from the lumber
great Empire State. No one can know bet
ter than the men engaged in your occupa-
general prosperity. No one can know bet
ter than you the effect upon your business
of the waves of depression and those of
prosperity, and receive the assurances so
feelingly given me by your spokesman
with a grateful heart, and return to you
all my sincere thanks
This is year, as your spokesman has
well said, that party ties are not strong
enough to hold any patriot within it who
resent the highest and best interests of our
glorious Republic. (Applauseo l do not
think we appreciate the great industry
which you represent and of which you are
a part-one of the greatest in the country.
The number of establishments engaged in
the manufacture of lumber and other mill
products, from logs, bolts, etc, 21,011: the
capital invested is the enormous sum of
The capital invested in them is sl2o, ri. 4iO,
and the cost of material used is 1886, ASP, 452,
and the value of the annual product is
wages-or used to be-Qaughter and ap-
plalse) the sum of $136, 754 513.
1--WE are honored here to-day in having
with US these enterprsing business men
who represent the great lumber interests
of Buffalo and Tonawanda- These, I be-
lieve constitute one market and handle, as
your spokesman has said one thousand
millions of feet of lumber per annum, worth
nearly quite thirty millions of dollars
In 1890 the lake trade in lumber at Buffalo
was over 2s2. 000. 900 feet and at Tonawanda
Der provisions of the present tariff law the
trade of Buffalo has since decreased, I'M
til in 1895 it was 81 100000 feet less than in
1890. while that of Tonawanda has shrunk
in the same period more than 296. 900, 900
feet. Canadian free lumber has been en-
faro IF hn ~ Vnrx am
all the other States of the American I'm
ion l may be pardoned. gentlemen. if say
in this presence that | believe in the 20 icy
that gives preference to Buffalo and Tone
wanda rather than to Montreal and Toron-
to. Like all the other features of free
trade. it has helped to make us poor for
the advantage of other people living within
another jurisdiction and who owe no allie
glance to our flag.
the number of manufacturing establish
ments in Buffalo which always afford, I'M
prosperity have increased from ! 1888 in 1890
to 1853 in 1890; that the value of her man
ufactures increased from si3 coo 600 in 1880
to s96 100000 in 1880. The number of her en-
poyes in factories increased from 5000 in
1880 to 200 in 1890, and the wages paid
them from S7,500o00 in 1880 to $500 900 in
Gould anything more clearly demon
strete the wisdom of encourage and pro-
which in a single decade could add 900
inha bitants and all this wealth to a single
city? But there may De some VINO
claim that protection had nothing to
do with this prosperity. Well. if protection
did not aid in building up our internal
commerce and our marvellous rail and Wa
ter TRANSFORMATION and vast manufacturing
Industries I would like to know what 9TH
err agency did more
There is nothing in our progress more
marvellous than the growth of our internal
commerce: and / have a comparative state
ment of vessel tonnage, entrance and clear
ances. which certainly conclusiVely proves
that it ought to be the policy of this gov
eminent to constantly build IL up by every
means at its disposal This table shows
that the tonnage, entrance and clear
ances for our Pacific coast in 1880 for $50
davs was A. PSI $50 tons; for the Suez canal
all nations 365 days. $3.50 094 tons: for the
port of Liverpool. 800 days. 1852 .421 tons;
for the port of London, $50 days % s02 Sid
tons The total tonnage for our Atlantic
coast 365 days. 22,49T, 81 tons-more than
the entire tonnage of either Liverpool Or
London: and the tonnage of Lake Erie and
the great lakes United States and Can
ada 22S DAYS. was Is, 991 $50 tons. the great
est water commerce OF the world. There
ping interests in every proper and suita
BILE way and am in favor of the restoFa-
ton of tariff system which builds up
home factories home markets and home
internal commerce possible. We know by
experience in the last three years that
there is nothing we could exchange IL for
and not be wofully cheated in the bargain
mo one knows better than you the Of
feet upon your business as well rs upon
the general business of the country al
having all our industrial enterprise at
work and constantly at work manned
ycu business is when the work'ngmen are
steadily employed at good wages and they
buy lots and build houses. and you know
the effect ii had u0on the magnificent