The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-10-04
Fifth Article.

Fifth Article.
Every large industry in New Jersey
Is an object lesson of tariff protection,
for every one of them grew up and
prospered under the protecting and fos.
tering wing of the tariff policy which
was inaugurated by the Republican
party and steadfastly maintained for
half century.
Prior to that time American indus
tries, such as then existed, were small,
and we depended for nearly all our sta
pie goods upon English, French and
German manufacturers. Even the
Christmas toys Of the children were
imported from Germany All our silks
came from France, for there were no
silk mills ut Paterson. We got our
pottery chiefly from England. Our cot
ton thread came from Scotland, and il
cost double and treble what American
thread does now. Our railroads bought
their rails and cars and engines most
~ In Europe for there were no large
American plants. All our clothing OF
the better sort was imported. SO were
all our linen and most OF our cotton
goods, although we grew the raw cot
ton for the British mills to turn into
sheetings.
Newark is known as the Birmingham
of America. IL got that name under
the protective tariff. Before the pro
tective tariff system was adopted New
ark was n struggling village. 1t did
not contain single large factory, and
what II manufactured was of the
cheaper grade of goods that could with
stand foreign competition. At that
time what is now known as the Eighth
ward wns n wilderness OF fields and
vacant lots.
In most OF this section no streets had
yet been laid ont. Mount Pleasant
cemetery was out In the country. This
great section now Is solidly built up
aud the cemetery is in its center. The
population is about 25o00 and the prop
erty valuation Is enormous.
1t was to this then appropriated sec
ton that the Clnrks came soon after
the Morrell tariff was enacted to es-
tablish n factory for the manufacture
OF cotton thread. They came from
Paisley, Scotland, and the reason for
their coming was that they had TO es-
tabllsh their industry here or evcntu-
ally go out of business. They brought
a few skilled operatives as teachers for
American labor and some machinery.
Then they began business on the cheap
site they purchased In what is now the
Eighth ward.
You can walk for hours through
miles of Intricate machinery In the
great mills of the Clarks on both sides
of the Passalc today, and you will
know that all that machinery was
made IN American machine shops by
American machlnlsts. You can look at
these vast factories and be told that
they We're put up by American build
ers. But that was the least of the
benefits brought to Newark by the
Clark thread industry.
The infant industry grew and ex-
banded, aud as 1t grew so did the fac
tory buildings and the number of the
employed From hundreds the Clark
payroll ran into the thousands, and MS
the industry grew the neighborhood
grew and expanded.
Dwellings began to grow up to house
the operatives. Streets We're laid out
and paved. Stores were erected, for
the operatives must buy their neces-
saries. Houses and stores multiplied,
and churches and public schools came
In. The once great stretch of fields
and vacant lots was undergoing n
marvellous transformation. There was
no section of Newark that exhibited
such II remarkable prosperity, and 1t
continued undated except for few
temporary checks. One was the VIII
son tariff, the shadow of which
brought OH the panic Of 1898,
fhe Eighth ward of Newark is
known us the banner Republican ward.
1t always gives large Republican ma
jorites, and there is II reason for II,
In the great Clark thread works, the
creator of all the material prosperity
of the ward. the voters see Il Repuh-
lcan tariff object lesson. 1t is always
before their eyes. nj the Eighth ward
is credited with having the highest
city ut Newark,
When Mr.. blaine visited Newark ON
his presidential campaign In 1884 he
was the guest overnight of the late
George A. Halsey. He was billed to
speak ut Camden at 10 a. m. the next
day. A Newark newspaper man in
conversation with Mr.. Blaine In Hal
sey's parlor said TO the great Repub-
lican champion:
Mr. Blaine. | think you would find
Il great tariff object lesson in the
Clark's thread mills in this city. You
should visit the mills" He proceeded
to explain his reasons,
Mr.. Blaine listened, interested He
was struck by the suggestion. Turn
ing to Mr. Halsey he remarked that as
he was due at Camden at 10 O'clock he
would have no time. Finally he de
cided TO accompany Mr.. Halsey to the
mills the following morning and cut
out his speech nj Camden. Mr.. Blaine
spent two aours at the mills, and came
away with his object lesson, which he
used with telling effect in all the
speeches he made on his speaking tour.
The payroll of the Clark thread mills
Is one important factor In the local
trade of Newark. Many thousands of
dollars. paid weekly to the great army
of workers, go directly into the this
of the shopkeeper and by helping TO
sustain many kinds of business, give
employment TO clerks and statesmen
The deposits Of the company In the