New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-27
THE WOOLLEN INDUSTRY
Not Backward or Inefficient, Says
Representative CT Manufacturers.

20 The Edition 81 rne Tribune.
Sir. Has the old Republican New YORK.
Tribune suddenly gone Democratic ?
How otherwise IS 10 possible 10 explain
this iteration and Endorsement loo your
own editorial columns - the traditional
Democratic charges against the American
woolicu industry?
IN times past The Tribune has man
fully rebuned every one II these accuse
lions 49, the invention of PARTISAN malice
or ignorance They are just * false now
as they We're then. This Industry. which
has not Hourished. mas. az matter Of
fact increased It's invested capital from
$3s.1uou In 10, 10 t05.o.lO"O in 1919 and
tine value OF IT, product from $4,000" 10
SD $4,000 the gain ia the hair decade
from lsni to ie" having oeen ihe greatest
Of all. coz. To- quote IN" lcdcrIl census re-
port. far greater than That of any decade
prior to 1890 in the history Of the indus
try" Scarcely any form ~ American
manufacturing has had an equal growth.
In 1850 more than one-haif Of all the
woollen clothing OF the American people
and iu quality the better half-was i'm
ported from Europe To-day the imports
represent no lIlOlF iildu . PEI ffiil 40
"backWard' or inefficient or artificial
Industry could ever achieve this. Wha'
The Tribune is now cditorialy asserting
Is simply what the free traders of 1861 ~
were accustomed To argue and predict -
and every one Of their prophecies mas
been utterly COMPOUNDED lbs experience.
The Tribune will search the Tarin Boarj
report i'm vain for any justification of its
present charge of inefficient conditions
low wages and methods OF manufacture
more 81 less out Of date There Is not
one word I'm the report that will confirm
this. The Tarin Board prints official fig
ures showing that the low wages are
fully twice the best English rates. The
report does say that because many of the
workers are foreign born. wh" nave Ia be-
taught the business ahor as whole is
no more efficient here than in Europe
but all the more honor. then to the men
higher up the skilled American citizens
who conduct the industry-Ihat they can
instruct and organize these people and
get highly efficient results. To quote the
Tariff Board:
I'm the United States considerable
skilled immigrants. with no previous cX-
perlence in manufacture. and in certain
centres this population il Il very huct-
uating kind. and the manufacturer is
Obliged continually 10 break In "A new set
of inexperienced operatives
But the manufacturer. his superintend-
ents and his overseers do II. triUmphing
over obstacles which heir foreign rivals
do not have to meet. - this cause for
censure or congratulation? As the Tariff
Board further says:
"On certain specialties the largest and
most efficient American mills are able by
skilful organization materially Ia reduce
the difference In cost"
This enthusiastically American skill
ful organization which the Tarin Board
commends does not mean backward ness
or ineificiency or out-of-date methods
What The Tribune really has in mind IL
not the report Of the Tariff Board but a
stump speech. purporting to he based on
that report, delivered by the Hon William