The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-11-18
FACTS ABOUT WOOL.
EXAMINATION OF FREE RAW MATE
RIAL RESULTS.

Their Employees Disastrous Losses to
Treasury Depleted by s24, OO0. 900 Year.
The comparison that has been made
by the American Protective Tariff league
between the condition of American
wage earners this year and in 1892 has
brought 100 reports from manufacturers
Of wooden and worsted goods. These re-
ports show the number of hands en-
ployed in these establishments two
years after enjoyment of the protection
afforded by the Mckinley tariff-in
July, lS92-and two years after the en-
joyment Of the great free trade gift of
free wool-in July, 1896. The results
to labor compare as follows:
No. Of Hands employed. of wages paid.
con- July. July. July. July.
germs. 1892. 1885, 1892 1885,
l05 2l,75a ll.433 1923, 45s s273 7o2
Hands idle In July, lSo6-l0,a2l, OF almost 80
per cent.
Wages lost in July, ls96-s349. 600, or over SO
per cent. OF at the rate Of 81, 100. 352 year In
l05 establishments.
Average monthly wages In July 1S92-s29.
Average monthly wages In July, lS96-s24.
1t appears, then, that the Democratic
gift Of free wool, which Mr.. Bryan ad-
vocated and voted for, instead of ena-
bling our wooden manufacturers to
manufacture for wider market, has
contracted by fully one-half the market
that they used to possess in 1892, so
much so that they have been compelled
to discharge almost 80 per cent Of their
hands, to reduce the average rate Of
wages by IS a month among those who
were fortunate enough to retain their
jobs and to decrease the total pay rolls
Of the mills by SO per cent. at the rate
Of 81, 1876, 352 year in 105 factories.
The reports cover rather more than
one-sixth Of the total number of the
wage earners in the wooden mills in
1890, and also rather more than one
sixth Of the total amount of wages paid
them in the same year. Therefore, apply
ing our results to the census figures. we
find that there were over 60, work
ers in all our wooden mills idle after two
years of the free trade in wool expert
ment; also that the total annual loss of
wages aggregated at the rate of $25, 0O0,-
600 q year.
But the results are even worse than
this, because the effect of the protective
tariff of 1890 was to largely increase
largely increase the number of hands
working in the mills and to largely
widen the market for our wooden goods.
Hence the comparison with 1890 by no
means reflects proper comparison with
the total condition of the industry in
1892. 1t is perfectly safe to say that
more than go, 900 wooden workers have
been out of employment. owing to the
Democratic policy of free trade in wool,
which Bryan voted for, and that their
loss Of wages has been more than at the
rate of $50, 900, 900 year. AS far as
the wooden manufacturers are concern
ed, we have the following results of
their failures:
Nine Wooden trade failures.
months. Number. Liabilities
1894. ................... AZ sl,765, 3O5
1895. .............,..... % 625, 026
lcSo... % oA1,VB
Free wool has also reduced the farm
value of sheep by $50, TAI, $50 between
the close of 1892 and the beginning of
1896. 1t has also caused loss of $780,
600, 600 in the annual farm value of
our wool product. 1t has also caused
loss Of $S.227, 266 in the annual rev.
enue of the government through the
abolition of the protective tariff on
wool; also further loss Of $15, 1859, $50
to the national revenue since 1892
through the abolition Of the protective
tariff on American manufactured WOOL
en- goods, thus making total loss Of
upward of ga, 200. 900 year in gov
eminent revenue. In short, it has re-
suited in the disastrous loss Of millions
Of dollars to farmers, to manufacturers,
to wage earners and to the nations
treasury. We have had more than enough
Of this free trade experiment..