New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-18
PROSPERITY IN BRADFORD.

PrOsDc:,ty Is a pleasant thing TO contemplate
whether IL be ones own or anOthers. The an
nounccment made by The LOnGon Times or
"a great revival in a great industry VIII DC
greeted with sympathetic rejoicings even py
many who have long but vainly been Wishing
for such an occurrence in their own aHalrS
The industry In question is the MANUFACTURING
of woollcn goods in Yorkshire especially In the
Bradford district. For twenty years or more
depression and gloom had prevailed Between
1870 and 1895 nearly forty old-establlshed BRAD
ford firms disappeared altogether some IN actuai
run most Of them with much suffering ana loss
Last year, however, the full sunlight OF pros
pcrity returned Factories reopcned on every
hand, running with full force and on full time
Instead Of the towns being thrOnged, as In years
mast. with operators out OF work, 1t was difficult
to find enough working folk to supply the de-
mand Throughout the whole region there Is
today such remuneratlve activity as has not
been known for generation.
The cause Of this happy change is not con
ccaIed The protective tariff in the United
States had long acted as check upon the flood
ing OF American markets with British goods
In 1880 less than $250,0O0 worth OF Bradford
goods were sold in the United States. BY 1883
the amount had risen to about S6,oOO.OOO IN
der the Mckinley tariff 1t was materially re-
duced-tO $2,52Q00O in 1891, about S4,IOO,Ooo
each in 1899 and 1893. and less than $l,3OO,0oO
in 1894 Truly. these were hard times for Brad
ford But" says The London Times 1T was
mo slight or grudging compensation that was
"in store. Full measure, pressed down, shaken
together and running over, was the instalment
"of payment made by the world 10 Bradford
last year for her long continued troubles ana
losses The Wilson tariff. which came
into effective operation in the last month or
1881 reduced the Custom House charges upon
'the principal products of the Bradford district
| imported into the States. Thus 1t came
about that the value Of worstcd coatings I'M
ported from the Bradford district into the
| United States in the first five months OF 1870
was more than double that imported during
1.-The whole year, December 1893. TO November,
| 1891 and the value In dollars for the whole
| "of 1895 rs compared with the whole Of 1874
was 1886 O52, against S1,275626 being an
| increase Of all but COO per cent And this,
| adds The Times" was only one item in the
great development received by the rcviving In
"dustIy Of Bradford from across the Atlantic.
No wonder Bradford Is prosperous. And pros
pcrity. as we have said. IL thing 10 rejoice In.
| Perhaps there are altruran souls who not only
rejoice In the prosperity ~ others more than In
! their own. but most OF all when II Is NJ the OK
| pense of their own II is doubtful however. II
the average American has reached that stage
OF spiritual exaliaton. Those who have not
done so will be apt TO consider what condition
Of the American wool industry Is colncdenl
with this great revival In England. II there has
been depression here while there has been pros
pcrity there. they will further consider the r.
| latlon OF the good old law Of cause and effect to
| that circumstance And thus IL may be thai
the forebodlngs Of The London Times will b,
found as true as It's rcjocings For that journal
frankly warns the Bradford manufacturers that
their prosperity may not be permanent. year
or two more will probably see the Wilson tarin
replaced by truly protective measure Whcr
the latter takes effect, says The Times" "ther,
must inevitably be heavy drop In importa
| "tlons" Those hardhcaded Britons understand
the case exactly. They pull none Of the WOO
over their own eyes, however much their fawn
Ing imitators here would pull II over the eyes OF
the American peope-lf they could.