The Cairo bulletin., 1909-06-13
COTTON SCHEDULE
TARIFF OUTRAGE
INCREASED PROTECTION TO IN
DuETRY WHICH EARNED 600
PER CENT IN NINE YEARS.
WAGES 81 CTS. PER DAY
Form Of White Slavery" Practoed
In Order 10 Yield Enormous
Profits TO Mill
Owners.

| ~'PNtidA " thh L'''iCAih,
Washington June 12.-With the en-
tire country looking on helpless Il
defend itself. Senator Aldrich crack
ed the whip and the senate in sin
gle vote boosted the rates of duty Oh
eleven staple cotton cloths that ar.
used in every household in the la1d
As brazen as were these increases
they do not begin to match in eifront
cry TO public Intelligence ne reasons
given by the Aldrich following in ia
VOr OF the cotton schedale amend
ments ran the old protection argu
ment; We must advance the rates
not for the benefit of the manufac-
turers, but for the benefit OF the
American workingman. Government
statistics prove that the average EN-
ploye of the cotton manufacturing in
dustry really needs benefits from this
source, because, according to tire cen
suS OF 1905, his wage is but S304 a
year, s2533 a month 1888 week, 81
cents day. These wages, which
make it necessary Tor iatner. motn-
in the mills for a sufficient income
70 maintain the family explain why
the earnings of one cotton mill cited
by Senator Gore aggregated Coz per
cent in nine yers. or six times The
.amoun, OF the entire capital invested.
The Aldrieh plea on behalf of the
American Workingman in the cotton
manufactures comes too late to be of
any service. as the mill owners have
already supplanted the American help
in their mills with the cheapest Of
European labor.
One day when Representative An
gustus p. Gardner was speaking on
the floor Ct the house. but not on The
subject OF the tariff. he gave IA graph
ic description OF how hundreds upon
hundreds Of foreigners. unable to read
write or even understand American
ways, We're brought over to this coun-
Try as contract laborers and worked
In the cotton mills OF New England
practically as slaves.
This Indictment of the cotton mill
owners, who, by the way. donated Mr.
Aldrich his seat in the senate appears
in be Congressional Record of March
"A, 1906.
Nj Gardner. who is an expert on
he subject OF immigration. was de
mand for Syrians in the cotton mills
made Il profitable for boarding house
to import large numbers of foreigners
as contract laborers.
For example said Mr.. Gardner
suppose ! am Syrian conducting a
Syrian boarding house in the city Of
Lowell. Perhaps some mill sends to
NE for hands furnish them at a
somewhat lower rate of wages than
II expected by ordinary citizen help.
(American workingmen). find re-
current opportunities 10 supply the.
.ottou mills with Syrians.
Soon ! hear that another mill is
about 10 make an extension. so say
10 myself Back there In Syria Is
quite a profitable mine for me Per
haps I 20 20 the mill treasurer and
get an advance of morcy Perhaps 4
have the money myself return to-
Syria or send some trusted agent
very likely a Syrian resident OF the
United States IN Syria a number oil
rmigrants arr gathered together. and
they come 10 America and either byI
direct OF Indirect route finally arrive
at my boarding house in the City OIL
Lowell tell them that II they 10
not pay me back the money advanced
! will have them arrested. that they
must hand over the full wages that
they get Ia the mill on penalty of i'm
Drisonment. Everyone knows how
easy it Is tor a stranger to break
he laws or the ordinances in a land
where h. does not understand the
language. and they are held in mortal
error OF the police
Meanwhile ! take an their wages
while feed them and keep them
alive just a. I would feed and keep a
morse alive that ! had imported for
use 10 a livery stable With such help
the mill owners. who are the principal
5oneflciaries OF the advanced cotton
rates. protect Amer.
can wurkingmen."