The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-10-08
OBJECT LESSON IN PROTECTION
How the National Policy Brought Clark Thread Mills to Newark
Fifth article

jorities, and there is a reason FOR it.
In the great Clark thread works. the
creator of all the material prosperity
of the ward, the voters see a Repub-
lican tariff object lesson. 1t is always
before their eyes, nd the Eighth ward
is credited with having the highest
grade of intelligence to be found in the
city OF 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 at 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. l think you would find
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 Ehe suggestion. Turn
Ing to Mr.. Halaey he remarked that as
he was due al Camden at 10 O'clock he
would have no time. Finally he de-
cided to accompany Mr.. Haley to the
mills the foTiowing morning and cut
out his speech at Camden. Mr.. Blaine
spent two hours 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
h 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 tills
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
local banks are material aids to the
financial prosperity of the city.
Fraternal, educational, social and
charitable organizations have grown up
in the Clark thread works community,
fostered by the company's policy, and
building and loan association has con
served savings to buy homesteads Out
of the ranks of the workers have
stepped many men to enter the profes-
sions or take public Office, and not
few men of solid wealth owe their
start in life to heir work in the Clark's
thread mills.
But this great industry Is taken sim
ply as an example. 1t Is a specimen
brick among hundreds of large and
prosperous industrial concerns in New
ark and thousands in the state 1t is
a concrete Illustration Of the workings
of tariff protection.
First = The Clark thread industry
was brought from Paisley, Scotland, to
Newark by tariff protection.
Second.-The industry took root in
American soil and throve under con-
tinued tariff protection.
Third.-lt taught American labor a
new employment and finally gave
work and wages to thousands.
Fourth-It aided other Industries
and promoted their labor interests,
such as machinery making, and this
stimulated American inventors. Much
of the vast network of the machinery
in the mills was of American inven-
ton.
Flfth.-It built up large section of
Newark, once barren, so that it now
contains about $4,000 population, is
solidly built and full Of prosperity.
Sixth-It created trade and business
for hundreds Of storekeepers, doctors,
dentists and others and put an i'm
menSe amount of money weekly into
the retail trade in Newark.
Seventh.-It has, directly and indi-
rectly, added at least $5O,0O0,OO0 to the
assessed valuation of Newark
Eighth.-It cheapened cotton thread
by more than one-half
Ninth.-It has been morally and in
tellectually and economically uplifting.
What would be the effect of blow
at this great industry?