The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-11-01
Ninth Article.

lNlltli IA llGlGs
Among the industries Of the state
that Of patent leather in Newark is no
table. There are thirty principal fac
tories In Newark for the manufacture
of patent and enameled leather. and
there are factories in Camden, Eliza
beth and Hackettstown. In Newark
also there are large factories for other
kinds OF leather, including twelve for
bookbnders', pocketbook and bag
leather, five for alligator and other
fancy feathers, three for sole leather,
three for leather uppers. Grouped with
these factories in Newark are bixtxeen
factories for the manufacture Of leath-
er fancy goods and scores of other fac
tories for making articles of leather Of
all kinds. There are seven large shoe
factories, two OF which are famous for
the quality of their make and sell
largely abroad. There are six large
trunk factories and seven travelling
ba gand suit case factories also using
leather aud seven tanning establish
ments.
The goods produced by these factor
les go all over the world. Patent leath-
err, Newark made, is sold In regions as
remote as Van Dieman's Land and
throughout Oceanica.
Seyen-eighths of the American pro-
duction of patent leather Is in Newark
The industry Is of all most distinctive
ly a Newark industry.
Prior to the war Newark's charac-
teristic industries were carriage max
ing and clothing, for which the city
had very extensive trade in the south
The war broke up that trade. The en-
actment OF the Morrill, tariff compensat
ed Newark, 1t opened the way for the
introduction of new Industries, and one
of the earliest was that of patent leath
er, which was the invention Of Seth
Boyden, Newark inventor
There could have been no monopoly
of manufacture for Newark. Foreign
capital was ready and cheap foreign
labor was available for 1t. There
would have been little chance of New
ark to profit by the invention but fo,
tho Morrill, tariff and its protective
duty.
Under the fostering wing OF that tar.
iff factories began TO multiply as the
demand for patent leather grew. II
was introduced into carriage making
and shoemaklng and other industries
and stimulated them. 1t brought new
industries into existence to make re.
munerative labor and give opportuni.
ties to capital.
by the census of 1910 for the year
1909 the total product of leather In
New Jersey was SOS, 430, 1855, as against
$2t, 1852 in 1901 and $13,747, 1855 In
1899, an increase of more than 100 per
cent in ten years under the protective
tariff In 1909 the product was ST per
cent of the total In the United States.
The largest increase was during the
last half decade.
As matter of detail 1t may be stated
that In 1909 the census showed 523, 495
sides of patent and enameled upper
leather, 1901 900 tanned and finished
sheepskins and 6.3io,o38 tanned and
finished goatsklns. In 1909 carriage,
automobile and furniture leather was
the product of greatest value, being
3l.1 per cent of the total products of
the state, The value was $S,S36, TAO. or
more than double the product In 1890
Patent and enameled leather increased
Its product In the same time about 100
per cent, tanned aud finished sheep
skins nearly COO per cent, tanned goat
skins more than 100 per cent and other
feathers In nearly as great proper.
tions,
The question with every man who Is
interested In the various forms of leath-
er industry, whether in the making Of
the leather or the making of the goods
out of leather, and who sees this won.
derful progress under tariff protection,
is this.
Shall we change our national pol.
Icy? Shall we abolish tariff protection
and adopt the free trade policy of a
tariff for revenue only? Shall we elect
Woodrow Wilson president with "A
democratic congress back Of him. 20
carry out the program which the Dem
ocratic party adopted at Baltimore and
which Mr. Wilson is advertising in his
speeches.
Or shall the nation hold fast TO the
sheet anchor of tariff protection by
sustaining President Taft, the cham
pion of the great protective principle.
and eleeting him and "A Republican
congress TO preserve what has been
built up In the last fifty years. the
magnificent prosperity that makes our
nation the envy of the world.