New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-22
INFANT INDUSTRIES
Enterprises Really Dependent OF
Protection and Skilled Labor.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: One OF the commonplace OF
Democratic political rally IL the inevitable
allusion by the orator Of the day, or nlgnt
10 our infant industries. his Intention De-
ing TO provoke the audience 10 raucous
laughter. Yet # might interest at least
the more intelligent OF the electorate IN
dulging these humorists TO learn that We
have with us, even at this late day OF our
industrial development. an infant Industry
problem which merits anything but laush-
ter. And OF even more Significance than
the fact OF It's existence Is the cause
Since your typical anti-tarin politician
will in the same breath deny the presence
in this country OF infant Industries ana
blame their existence here on the tatlH u
IL idle to search for enlightenment through
his rotund periods. particularly AZ state
ment of the truth, In this instance, as IN
most Others. would cost votes Fortu-
nately, however, the man who knows most
about these things, the hated manuiact
urer, though his audience. so far as IL re-
mains sympathetic, may be limited 10 MS
own kind, still feels II his duty 10 dag
nose the Industrial ills from which the
country suffers. w. II. Smith, OF Paw
tuck.t. II. l.. performed this service In
paper on The Importation Of Skilled
Labor which he read last week TO MS
fellow members OF the National Associ-
alton Of Cotton Manufacturers at New
London.
During the last dozen years" said ne.
"he 1.-THE writerl has had occasion to OBJ
serve closely the development Of new In
dus,ry. That this industry has not al
ready suffered complete disaster " due
only 20 tho protection OF high tarlr'
Tho production OF inferior goods has
caused useless waste Of capital. late de-
liyerles have caused an unfavornbie i'm
preston on merchants kind enough 70
place orders These meagre results are
due solely 10 the tack OF skilled labor
That such labor should have been de-
barred from entry At our ports. when Il
was really indispensable to the success Of
struggling concerns. has seemed In many
Instances nothing short Of criminal
Mr. Smith spoke OF the spinning Of cot
ton yarns IA fine counts. 4 considerable
demand had developed he said. FOR these
fine counts for use IN the insulation OF
electric wires. In the lace trade and In
other lines. Yet this Industry had not
matured here he pointed out. because
labor skilled enough 20 spin these fine
counts was not ob;alnable. TIE lace trade
itself and the manufacture OF fine woollens
and OF nne glassware were other indus
tries which he said were hopelessly han
dlcappcd in the same way. leaning upon
tho tariff with all the weight OF their utter
helplessness.
Mr.. Smith did not neglect 10 mention
Section u the Immigration act OF Feb
ruary. 1907 which reads
And. provided further, that skilled
labor may be imported II labor Of like
kind unemployed cannot BE- found In this
country"
But he found that the immigration au-
thorities had used the presumptiye evil
denco clause OF tho same act to exclude
all the skilled labor they possibly could.
acting IN concert with the desires of the
labor unions here and. incidentally, OF the
manufacturers abroad. lie presented
striking picture OF the conspiracy against
skilled immigrants on the part ~ these
three agencies--thc foreign manufactures
who tips on" the American immigration
authorities concerning the arrival of
foreign workman presumed" to be under
contract 10 an American competitor; the
American labor union. which eNerts lis 20
litcal influence In the appointment Of Inn
migration officials who will order depor-
tation on tina, presumption" and the Inn
migration commissioner. whose wilful
ignorance and political ambitions preclude
the application OF Section ..
II Is conceivable. OF course, that In the
course OF time the American manufact-
urer may train the inexperienced labor he
finds here 10 a point where II may com
pete on equal terms with the skilled work
men I'm given industry abroad. but not
without high tarifr duties to protect him
from foreign competition during all the
years OF his slow uphill climb. And nj
what cost 10 himself and the consumer!
Thanks TO the all-powertul labor union
influence In American politics. We must
all pay our share OF this price or deprive
the country OF these needful industries.
New York. Sept 20. 1912. W. W. III.
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