Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-05-17
is THIS PROSPERITY? ?
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES THAT
INDUCE CONSIDERATION.

The Claim Of Universal Prosperity Myth
Production Resulting from Prosperity
of Capital, and Under. Consumption, from In
creasins Poverty of the Masses Largely Re-
sponsibIe-The Ghost Will Not Down at the
Bidding of the Employer.
The Philadelphia North American in
Il recent issue gives a discouraging de-
scription OF the depression which pre-
walls in the textile trade. The facts
and causes are condensed by it into
the following brief statement:
Total number textile employees in
Phlladelphla. 1000
Number at steady work .. 30, 900
Number on half or three
quarter time ..35 900
NuiliDer luie o,oOO
Number unaccounted for. ......... 5000
CAUSES OF DEPRESSION.
/. Overproduction during prosperity.
2. Under-consumption due to low
wages.
,. The war in China.
m odties.
5. Change in styles.
&. Change in centres of textile indus
try
If We had low tariff the protec-
tionists would recommend a high tar
itf as a remedy; if we had bimetallism
the gold standard would be proposed
as panacea, but as we have high
tariff and gold standard this depres-
sion will be explained as one of those
natural and necessary conditions
which carnot be prevented by fore.
sight or remedied by legislation. 1t
comes, too, at a time when the stock
markets are booming and when the
spectators are boasting that railroad
stocks have gained more than five
hundred millions 10 market value
within few months.
The North american gives interviews
with employers and employees. Here
is sample from each side. John
Hamilton, proprietor OF Montgomery
Carpet Mills, says:
This thing is all scare. The busi-
ness is bad for some, and other manu-
facturers are running about the same as
usual. We are running short-handed,
but that is because it is the end of our
season. The talk about people starving
is only the vaporing of labor agitators.
There is no necessity for people starving
If they can't find work in the textile
trades, let them 60 to work at something
else. l have no reason to offer for the
depression because there is no depres-
siOn."
Mr.. Hamilton is not worried about
the lack of employment or the lack
of food complained of by some OF the
Others. 1t is evident that his salary is
still paid regularly.
Edward Thornton, business agent of
the Allied Textile Trades is quoted as
saying:
"The busy season, so long expected,
has not come. Since November there
has been no season at all. In the up
holstery trade not seventy-five per cent.
of the thirty-two mills are running on
anything like full time. A weaver in
this line OF work could make $13 week,
but now the most skillful barely average
IS week. The weavers can make
fair wage as long as there is work, but
the periods of idleness are disastrous.
There has been a great over-production
and tendency to lower the quality of
the goods manufactured. The tariff on
wool has played havoc with the ingram
trade and has created field for Japan
ese and Chinese mattings. In fact, peo-
pie are not buying carpets as they did at
one time. AS yet there have been few
appeals for help, but this will come la
ter if the depression continues. Our
men are living on credit to a great ex-
tent, but this is bound to end"
The North american is Republi-
can paper and is owned by a son of
x-Postmaster General Wanamaker.
Its portrayal of the industrial situa-
ton in one OF the great trade centers
will be profitable reading for these
Republicans who believe that univer-
sal prosperity is the constant and nec-
essary attendant of Republican ad-
ministration.