Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-08
wanted. They had some to spare 10,


the next generation.
"Coxey's army wore out many shoes,
but they replenished their wardrobe
second hand from the wayside, and did
not furnish very attractive market
for the Massachusetts shoe manufac-
turers. Industry lay dead at home and
the markets were overstocked abroad.
A walk in Life"
"The workingman's business in 1894
could not be classed as a trade. 1t
was walk in life'-in search of work.
allude to those dark days of tariff
reform only lest we forget.
"There is an old notion prevalent in
New England that whatever is disa-
greeable is probably right. This is a
feeling that should be combated. Hard
times are disagreeable, but we should
not import them
Il want today to recite for your con-
sideration few cold facts as to the.
business of the farm, the factory, and
the mine. Let us, for example, take
up single industry in the great COM
monwealth Of Massachusetts. We
have had some speeches from her del.
egation favoring the surrender of
some Of the farmers protection for the
benefit Of the manufacturer. One Of
the principal industries is that of max
ing shoes. Under the census Of 1890
and 1900 the following figures appear:
Facts As to Boots and Shoes In Mas
saehusetts.
1890
Capital $3.50. ..........$ 1851, $50
Cost Of materials ...... 63,928,1S2
Value of products 5000. 116,3S7,900
1900 ..
Capital ................ 44,5s7,7o2
Cost of materials ,.... 75,751 1854
Value OF products ...... 117115, 243
Under the illuminated Dingley law
let us look at the showing:
1904
capital ...............$ 54,604,S92
Cost of materials ...... 93,S65, 1893
Value of products ...... 154,59S,570
"And this great increase of products
is accompanied by gratifying in
crease in exports Of boots and shoes
Exports in 1897 ........... 81 ,708, 224
Exports in 1905 49,. $500. 8,057, 697
Large as the increase of exports is,
the magnitude of the home market to
the boot and shoe producers is evil
denced by the vast amount that is dis.
posed of each year in the United
States.
The Factory's Best Customer.
Massachusetts should not be jeal.
Gus OF the prosperity of the great
northwest. The west rejoices In the
advancement Of the New England
states, and prosperous farmer is the
best customer of the New England
factory
"The contrast between the condi-
lions Of this great industry under the
democratic tariff law and under the
Dingley law shows that the prosperity
of the country must be regarded as
whole. A tariff prepared to build up
a few special industries can not pro-
duce the proposed result. It must be
drawn SO as to give prosperity also
to the other industries of the country.
The repeal of the tariff law may
enable the farmers to buy some man
ufactured goods abroad cheaper than
the present prices. But If this change
puts out of employment the consum-
ers Of the farmers own products the
cheapness is too dearly bought.
Massachusetts best market is the
great west. Of her boot and shoe
products she sold last year $4,000. 900
abroad and $146,000,000 at home. II
refer to this industry because some of
her great operators complain of the
small duty on hides which are the pro-
duct of the Iowa farm.
"In the west complaint is made that
the protection to the manufacturer
works hardship upon the farmer
whose products must look to Liverpool
for their standard.
Protection and Imports.
IT wish to give some figures show.
ing how protection to the home mar.
ket has not prevented the farmer from
selling heavily abroad From 1890 to
1893, inclusive, the exports Of our
farm products averaged $677, 1916, $40
per annum From 1894 to 1898 they av-
eraged $663,638, 402. From 1899 toll
1904 the average was $S64,93O,137.
When we were seeking the worlds
markets under the Wilson tariff we
sold $200,000,000 less of farm products
abroad than we have under our ex-
panded home market under the Ding
ley law.
And how is it with our general for
eign trade? In 1894 we imported 1884,
994,622 of foreign products. Last year
we imported s1,117,512,629, an increase
Of nearly 100 per cent. Our total ex-
pprtc IN 1904 xuora 1000 I'm al