Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-11-17
CHAMP QAK'SEI1R
New England Unhappy
Despite Protection.
POPULATION Is DECREASING.
Her Industries Drifting to the
Southland.
WHY SHE CANNOT HOLD HER OWN


Price of Labor and Cost of Living
Cheaper In the south-Cofton Can
BE Manufactured Cheaper Where
1t Is rown Prosperity Would
Follow Free Coinage Of silver.
Especial Washington letter.
Not long since in the Washington
Post I read an extract from a New Eng
land paper which should furnish food
for reflection to every citizen Of the re-
public.
For thirty odd years New England
has forced the policy of a high protec-
tive tariff on the rest Of the country for
her special benefit and behoof. When
good Governor Dingley fastened his bill
on the people, it was supposed that he
had made all New England happy a
clans at high tide, but he himself was
forced to admit on the floor Of the house
that the cotton spinning industry ID
leaving New England and going south.
The New England editorial quoted
by The Post made the startling decia-
ration that within IL months the popu.
Iation of Fall River, Mass, one Of the
largest manufacturing cities in the
state, had fallen of s 3-5 per cent.
Some time before that Judge James
n. Griggs Of Georgia, n of the ablest
young men in congress, in q speech in
congress gave the reasons why the cot
ton spinning industry is moving south,
just as the shoe and boot industry 10
moving TO st. Louis, just as other in
dustries will move west and south.
Prosperity still Absent.
Among other things Judge Griggs
said:
When Alexander the Great was ON
one of his campaigns in Asia, it is said
that news Of his death came to Athens,
and that the Athenians, who had suf-
fered 60 greatly from his oppression, re-
solved to have q meeting to jubilate
oyer the occurrence. Great preparations
were being made, and there was much
excitement. While this was going OH
an old Athenian, wiser than the rest,
came ont and asked the occasion of the
commotion. Upon being told that Alex
ander was dead and that they proposed
to celebrate their liberation the old
man shook his head and said: ooh. no;
Alexander Is not dead. / have not smelt
him yet. If he were dead, the stencil
would fill the universe. Besides, If he
is dead today, he will be dead tomor-
row, and it might be less embarrassing
to await the confirmation Of your news
before indulging in too much oelebra-
ton"
Just so, Mr.. Chairman, with pros.
perity. IL it were here, ws could smell
1t, feel It and know it. There would be
no need for argument from anybody in
order to show that prosperity had re-
turned. Every gentleman in this house
recognizes this truth whenever, while
he argues the presence of prosperity,
following the example of The American
Economist, the Lewiston Journal and
the gentleman from Maine, he endeavors
to account for its absence. I propose to-
day, Mr.. Chairman, to compare the in
dustrial conditions Of New England and
the south. I shall neither present the
advantages of the n in q boastfu1
spirit nor criticise the other in an un-
friendly manner, for, while we have
bur little family jars, it is a genuine
source of congratulation to all patriots
that on the first intimation of foreign
aggressions we are one people from
Maine to Texas, from He'll Gate to the
Golden Gate.
Southern Competition.
from the Bostonleost.1
What does this southern competition amour
to that the Arkwright club alleges as q pretext
for cutting down the wages Of cotton mill
operatives in Massachusetts,?
Light ia gradually breaking in through the
fog in which the club COMMITTEES left the mat
ter. "Are all these New England manufac-
turers." asks the Charleston Is. o. News and
Courier, "engaged In making coarse goods or
grades that compete with the grades made by
the southern mills7" OF course not. The
Massachusetts, mills make hne grades, alto.
gether outside the competition OF southern
manufacturers
u seems. then. that the Arkwright club gen
ffemen hold 1t to be necessary to cut the wages
OF their operatives in order to meet q competi-
ton which does not exist. Is there not a good
deal Of humbug in the e-Christmas-and
anti Christmas as INSTRUMENTATION Of the
Fall River mill ownersf
II it be true, Mr.. Chairman, that out
of the mouths of two or three witnesses
the truth is established, I might rest my
contention on the testimony Of these in
telligent and reputable gentlemen whose
knowledge, gained from long expert
enoe, entities their u~tterances to the re-
speot and consideration of all fair mind.
cd men.
They disagree on some points, but
they are unanimous on one, and that is
one Of the truths I am seeking to i'm
press on this house-that lower wages
and longer hours in the southern mills
are not the only advantages possessed by
the southern manufacturers oven their
New England brethren. Some of them
declare most positively that there is
nothing in this alleged southern COM
petition. One Of them--Mr. Amory-
instead Of charging the trouble to low
labor cost in the south and ~conceding
other advantages to that section, charges
it up mainly to abnormal labor condi-
tions in New England, to the great CON
gestion Of this industry there, and the
lack Of diyersifcation Of industry.
Nm h Path of Progress.
1t sounds strange indeed, Mr.. SPEAK
er, to hear this charge brought again