Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-25
WHY PHILADELPHIA is FOR
PROTECTION


ONE of the frst protective duties levied
~ by Congress was adopted on the rec
ommendation OF Alexander Hamilton for
the purpose of developing a Philadelphia
industry.
William sprague. local weaver. made
Turkish and Administer carpets here as
early as 1891. He made n tufted carpet
for the Senate Chamber In Independence
Hall. IL was 80 we'll done that II at
tracted Hamilton's attention. and he per-
suaded Congress to levy duty OF from
five and one-half to seven per cent on
similar carpets in the belief that new
industry could be created to give EN-
ployment TO American workmen. The
outcome vindicated his judgment. This
city became the leading carpet manu-
featuring town in the country. and It still
holds that place The census of 1910
shows that we produced s22,e2s,ooo worth
OF carpets.
The prosperity of the industry has been
dependent on the degree of protection
which IL has received. It has languished
during the free trade and revenue tariff
eras and doomed during the period of pro-
tective duties. The changing taste in
floor coverings which has made ingram
carpets unpopular has not been able TO
destroy the ingram carpet industry. The
mill owners have adjusted themselves to
new conditions and are still prosperous.
The textile industries, properly so
called, have had the same history. They
are dependent on a protective duty. 1t
has developed them to such an extent that
we produce s12O, 100000 worth Of textiles
every year and give employment to tens
of thousands of hands.
not known In America q quarter Of cen
tury ago. The tariff made their manu-
facture possible, and the FIRST lace curtain
factory in this country was opened here
The same thing is true Of cotton tapes
tries. The Philadelphia mills began to
weave them as soon as the tariff made
It profitable. and new industry has been
developed. benefting American workmen
Instead of sending our money abroad
to pay for tapestries and laces and to
support European workmen, we keep the
money at home and get just as good
goods at just as low prices as before.
Every textile worker and every car
pet weaver who votes for Wilson votes
for the manning OF the industry in which
he earns his daily bread. for Wilson and
the Democratic party are committed to
a revenue tariff from which the last YES.
tige OF protection is to be removed.
The total manufactures of the city
amounted to s74e.O75,OOO for the year
covered by the last Federal census. This
was six years ago. Tt is certain that last
year we produced more than $3.50, 900, 900
worth 80 manufactured goods, as the war
has nullified the free trade features OF
the Underwood tariff. Nine-tenths OF
these goods are directly protected. and the
sale of the other tenth depends on the
prosperity in the country at large which
follows the protection of American in.
dustry.
These facts explain why this is a Re
publican city. The voters know on which
side their bread is buttered. These facts
explain also why Mr.. Hughes will poll
this year as large a vote as ever was
cast for any Republican candidate for the
presidency since the party was organ
lied. The voters have not forgotten the
business stagnation that followed the
passage Of the Underwood law and con.
tinued until its effects were overcome by
the war. They know that a vote for
Hughes is a vote for protection and a
full pay envelope, and no Democratic
sophistry can convince them otherwise.