The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
WHAT OUR FATHERS
DID NOT POSSESS
Six New Industries Born in
This Generation.
COST s1,OOO,OOO,OOO A YEAR
Automobile Heads List of the New
cOmers-Rise of Moving Picture
Business from Nothing to $780,
100000 n Year-MuEicaI Appliances,
Concrete, and Aerial Navigation.

Mention was made recently OF the fact
that the present tariff debate is the first
oue within the memory Of the Oldest cor
respondent OF member OF Congress in
which the infant Industry argument has
not figured.
In this connection somebody made the
remark that the day OF the infant indus
Try had passed and that while some kinds
Of business are growing much more rap
IDLY than others. American manufactures
as a whole have reach,d settled basis
where few new lines g. inc ustrial actlv-
lty are introduced an Dre gress IS CON
fined chiefly 10 expaI &c established
enterprises.
This view seems 20 be wauerr held. but
a little deIving into the returns collected
by the Bureau OF Manufactures shows
that the people OF the United States are
spending at least a billion dollars every
year on products OF Industries that have
had almost their entire growth since the
time when the schedules OF the Dingley
bin were under discussion and that the
progress or the past ten years IN the evo-
luton Of new activities has been greater
than IN any similar period Of the eoun-
try's history, measured either by the
amount Of capital invested or by the
widespread use OF the new products.
Result of New Inventions.
70 80 happens that most Of these IN
dustries are the result OF invention or OF
new developments IN popular taste. so that
they are not greatly affected by the tar
I ~. although IN the shaping Of the Al
drieh-Payne bill g large number OF new
schedules had TO be inserted 70 provide
for articles that were either unknown or
OF no commercial Importance al the last
previous revision Of the tariff.
At the head OF this list OF industries
that have grown 10 vast proportions
within the past ten or a dozen years
must be placed the manufacture and use
OF automobiles. This Is a genuine infant
Industry. for its development hardly runs
back before the beginning OF the TWEEN
tieth century. How lusty an infant II is
may be gathered from the fact that more
than S150.O00.000 is invested IN automobile
factories in the United States and that an
expert estimate of the value Of their
products for the current year places II at
upward Of $4,000. 900.
These figures alone do not measure the
actual proportions Of the industry that
has revolutionized traffic conditions IN
the large cities and is rapidly revolution
izing them In every part OF the country.
The automobile has given rise TO several
new occupations There are between
1900 and 25.O00 chauffeurs IN New York
alone IN the various branches OF max
I ing. selling. and operating motor cars
not less than 20o.0oO persons are en-
pIoyed. receiving some 500, 10000 a year
in wages
Add this to the expenditures for cars
and automobile supplies and It VIII be
seen that the American people are ex-
pending half billion dollars or more
! each year IN connection with an industry
so young that those who are still school
| boys can remember its beginning.
Moving Pictures Important.
Next to the automobile. gauged by the
expenditure which # draws from the
! great American pocket, must be ranked.
euriously enough. the moving picture IN
dustry The making and exhibiting of
moving pictures Is primarily an amuse-
ment enterprise. although these views
are utilized IN industrial lines. IN educa-
/ tional work, and in a thousand ways that
/ the inventors OF the various systems
never dreamed OF.
Motion pictures were exhibited in con-
s-performance theaters as long ago
as the middle SOS merely as a novelty.
but the exhibition OF these views as an
/ Independent business which has far out
stripped all other forms OF theatrical en-
! tertainment has been almost wholly q
growth OF the past four or I've years
According to the latest statistics. there
are at present over 1000 theaters devoted
TO the display OF motion pictures IN Unit
ed States territory. including some IN
Alaska. the Philippines, Hawaii, and the
+ Panama Canal Zone. The making OF
views TO be displayed IN these establish
ments is a worldwide industry. giving
I employment TO thousands OF persons, and
| has even given rise 10 a trust: at least
I that IS the term applied to the associa-
ton Of leading manufacturers OF picture
/ films known as the Motion Picture Pat
/ ents Company. by those dealers who are
/ outside the association.
| The organization includes all the Amer
| ican manufacturers Of films and the more
important ones OF Europe. A million dol
I lars IS paid daily IN admission fees TO
motion picture establishments BY the
American public. and the total Volume
OF the moving picture business IS not less
than $3.50 10000 yearly.
The business has assumed such proper
tions that II has been made the subject
OF special regulations IN many cities, and
a board Of censors representing various
civic organizations has recently been or
ganized in New York 10 pass upon the
views for exhibition In order 10 eliminate