The San Francisco call., 1896-07-31
BUSINESS RUIN FOLLOWS AFTER FREE TRADE.

7 recently in San Francisco. While here
he said:
AT Morley, England. 1 saw factories
running day and night TO make goods for
the q nited States market. They were
made of cotton warps and scanned shoddy,
imported into this country as woolen
goods and sold in large quantities"
Willie at Morley Mr.. Hall succeeded,
after much trouble, in finding the prices
paid workmen there. 1t is interesting to
compare il, as a sample OF free-trade
wages, with the prices paid at Hall Bros
mills in Connecticut. The wages in Eng
land we're as follows:
Girls, running two weaving machines,
g SO 9 week; boys in card-room, s. q
week; boss weevers, 81 a day; boss
spinners, 81 20 week; mule spinners,
81 is q week; boss dyers, 81 90 day.
The American wages for the same work
were as follows: Girls, running two weav-
ing machines, 81 a week; boys in card
room, So week; boss weavers, s. a day;
boss spinners, SIS week; mule spinners,
81 to So week; boss dyers, 81 day.
1t viii be seen at a glance why the Eng
lish mills compete and why the American
laborers are idle in the great milling CEN
been heraIded with joy? In England,
where the wool industry has been stimu-
lated by the Bryan-WiIson policy of free
trade.
The following is picture from an Eng
glish viewpoint It Is from an English
trade circular issued in London BY Messrs.
Helmuth, Schwartz & Co., and it shows in
every sentence that the free-crade policy
of Mr.. Bryan has helped the Englishnen,
as it has depressed the American dealer:
The dominant factor in the past twelve
months has been the recovery and rapid de-
velopnent OF the export trade OF wool and
voolens to the United States under the stimu
lsting influence Of free wool and reduced du-
ties on goods. The improvement impatiently
expected from the American tariff reform has
thus at length been fully realized. The stats
teal returns of the export trade TO the United
States revealed every month 3 vast amount of
business, but though this kept on with undi-
ninishing force, the value of wool up to July
had hardly budged, and It was only in July,
after six months OF most splendid business
with the United States, that this incubus was
removed and lasting impression made upon
prices. The bad legacy OF heavy stocks which
1894 bequeathed has been got rid OF, and while
II may seem remarkable that one single year
should produce this fundamental change, yet
the American tariff reform and the consequent
American demand have undoubtedly accom-
plished it. Under its influence the industry
is expanding, and mills are being built or en-
larged in England and on the Continent II is
10 be hoped that fresh American tariff changes
in an adverse direction may not impair these
hopeful and healthy conditions.
That is what Organism accom- plished
for England. In contrast with this the
reader ought to study the report OF Thomas
DOlan, made at the National Association
OF Manufacturers, held at Chicago on Janu-
ary Here is what he had TO say:
In 1860 the value of the manufactured
product of the United States wes but 81 900,-
100000. This represented the total gain from
the foundation of the Government. Between
1860 and 1890 the gain was nearly 81 ,5O0,-
10000, or in thirty years about 300 per cent
more than the total gain in the seventy years
down to 1860, rising to the immense sum of
So. 300, 100000. The period OF this enormous
advance was the period in which the policy of
just protection TO American industry was en-
forced without interruption, ana confidently
/ affirm that if we are again 10 be permitted to
make such headway, we must restore to Ameri-
Can man nufacturers the measure oi protection
which will permit them to conduct their
/ operations without menace from the foreigners
/ who have conditions different from ours, and
which give 70 our rivals advantages that
should be neutralized at our own ports.
And for this havoc with the American
1 shee p-grower, wooden manufacturer and
/ laborer, what have the Democrats given
/ the country? They promised cheaper
/ goods and more prosperous times. No one
| will for a moment argue that the times are
| prosperous. Then what may be said about
! the saving to the people in the way of
cheaper clothing? That. too. is myth.
Under the Mckinley law the highest tariff
on woolens was IL cents a pound. As IL
requires but eight pounds for suit of
clothes the saving on suit is but IS cents.
The injury is hundreds of millions a year
/ in business, the idIeness of thousands of
| laborers, the silence of American mills
and the paralysis of industry throughout
the same country that prospered when
McKinley's policy was the law.