صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The total quantities of cotton yarn exported from the United Kingdom to foreign countries in millions of pounds:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Value of Our Total COTTON MANUFACTURES EXPORTED IN MILLIONS.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The value of cloth exported 1885-89 over 1870-74 shows a decrease of 51 per cent. Statistics relative to our home trade in cotton goods are very meagre, but one-sixth or one-fifth part of our export trade may be somewhere about the amount. I should think the increased trade between 1870-89 will be fully equal to, or more than, our increase of population, thirty-one to thirty-eight millions, 22%1⁄2.per cent.

The number of cotton factories, etc., in the United Kingdom are given thus:

[blocks in formation]

Our total consumption of raw cotton, in all kinds, in millions of pounds:

1870-74.

1875-79. 6174 lbs.

1880-84.

7379 lbs.

1885-89. 7352 lbs.

Net import of raw cotton, 6268 lbs.
The distribution of American cotton, from the Cotton Brokers' Annual Statement,
September 23, 1890:

[blocks in formation]

1870-75-Bales,
1885-90-

[blocks in formation]

66

2,835

436

2,258

344

1,004

Increase per cent,

49.4

67.0

155.4

92.5

204.4

Last year given in 1889 abstract.

From Messrs. Ellison's Annual Review of the Cotton Trade, I take consumption of every kind of raw cotton, yearly average in millions:

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Cotton consumed in India in million pounds: 1880, 84.8 lbs.; 1890, 392.0 lbs.; increased per cent, 362.2.

Export quantities of English and Indian yarn compared in million pounds: Export of English yarn to all countries and British possessions: 1880, 215 lbs.; 1890, 252 lbs.; increase per cent, 17.2.

Export of Indian yarn to Hong Kong, China, and Japan: 1880, 25 lbs.; 1888, 113 lbs.; increase per cent, 352.0.

The following will show that Germany, as a competitor in textile goods, is not far behind, and that her progress is vastly more rapid:

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

British manufacture of woolen and silk together exported to foreign countries and A "suicidal our possessions, amounted in 1877, to £27,500,000, in 1889, to £24,500,000, while our policy." imports of the same amounted to £24,500,000, while Germany imports £5,000,000, of which £4,500,000 is for yarn. Thus we have Germany importing £500,000 to our import of £21,500,000 of manufacture in its finished state. Which mills, under these circumstances, theirs or ours, are likely to pay best, and in which will most employment be found for the work people?

The above cotton analysis shows that in spite of the increased population and increased individual requirements throughout the world, the effect of the foreign tariffs of Europe and of the United States upon our cotton trade with them has caused it steadily to go downwards, and if it had not been for our trade to the East, the cotton trade of this country would have most seriously declined. It shows the misjudgment and complete failure of Cobden and his dreams, that instead of free trade or exchange trade with these countries we to-day buy from the Continent and United States some sixty million pounds of competing manufactures (twenty-nine million pounds textile) and eighty million pounds of competing produce, while on the other hand they dole out to us the very smallest pittance of their trade, and none if they could possibly help it. Could a more suicidal policy on our part have ever been invented? If it were a fact that our free "competing" imports enabled us to produce cheaper, how is it, in

The shutting down of cotton mills.

spite of our trade in the East, that our proportion of the consumption of the world's cotton crops is so rapidly declining? I am told on the very best authority that while one-third of the mill machinery we make in this country was formerly for abroad, to-day it is two-thirds for abroad.

Regarding our textile trade with the United States and the Continent, with their high tariffs, longer hours, and the Continental cheap labor, no permanent good and full justice will be done until tariff is met by tariff of exactly the same amount. In the meantime the best we can do is to " commercially" federate our Empire. India, with its population of two hundred and sixty-three millions, takes an import from us of thirty-one million pounds, while Australia, with three and three-quarter millions, takes twenty-three million pounds. I feel sure it could not enhance prices except by its prosperous results; but all efforts in this direction, unless accompanied with the commercial aspect, are comparatively useless to our textiles. See the above cotton analysis. Australasia has increased her takings from two hundred million yards to five hundred and thirty-two million yards; while North America has declined from two hundred and fifteen to one hundred and twenty-nine millions (five years' period).

Sir Lyon Playfair, in defence of our present system, has lately said to his league constituents respecting the McKinley Tariff Bill:

If they be right in principle and successful in practice, the whole commercial policy of this country is founded on a gigantic error, and must lead to our ruin as an industrial nation.

I mention that he was never nearer the truth than when he said this, especially when we find that statistics, analyzed, from whatever point you take them, show our present policy to be so completely disastrous to our country. Has this country, or to be more correct, has the Cobden Club all the wisdom, and the United States, and the rest of the whole world put together none?

The depression in the cotton trade of Great Britain, as disclosed by the Royal Commission in 1885 and 1886, has continued until the present time. On August 30, 1889, the Fair Trade Journal published the following stubborn facts with regard to the industry.

STOPPAGE OF MACHINERY AT BLACKBURN-2500 OPERATIVES IDLE.

The serious depression in the cotton trade was made further manifest yesterday, when another series of temporary stoppage of spindles and looms, even more numerous than those recorded a week ago, took place at Blackburn. Messrs. Thomas Dugdale Brothers' two mills, one at Witton and the other at Livesey, and the Primrose and Waterfall Mills, run by Messrs. John Fish, Limited, all suspended operations for a time, in consequence of the depression. The first-named firm, Messrs. Dugdale Brothers, have altogether 86,000 spindles and 1600 looms idle, whilst Messrs. John Fish, Limited, have 74,968 spindles and 1760 looms stopped, making a total at these four mills alone of 150,968 spindles and 3360 looms. In addition to these, many other firms have looms and spindles stopped, though to a much smaller degree, and yesterday our Blackburn correspondent was officially informed that in Blackburn alone there are, at the present time, no fewer than Sooo looms standing inactive, and that in the weaving branch of the cotton trade, without reckoning the spinning, there is the large number of 2500 weavers out of employment. As regards the spinning branch of the trade, the number of spindles stopped in the town is computed at not far short of 200,000.1

1 Fair Trade Journal, Vol. IV, p. 609.

Again on September 4, 1891, the Fair Trade Journal, after an account of the losses sustained by those joint stock companies, which made reports upon their condition, said:

From which statement may be summarized that the nine companies show a loss of £14,395 during the past three months, as against a profit of £1802; or a net loss of £12,593 on the whole. Or, again, taking the first six companies-concerning which alone the whole of the particulars are given-we have the result that the working of 250,496 twist spindles and 324,582 weft spindles, together with the plant capital of £429,876 eventuated in the net loss, during a brief three months, of £9328. So much for the "companies." Private firms are, of course, under no obligation to publish their returns; but we are assured by those who know, that the results would be much the same.-Watch Cotton!

The foregoing most reliable information with reference to the leading industry of the United Kingdom, certainly makes a poor showing for free trade. While cotton manufacturing is flourishing and increasing in every locality where it is given the stimulus of a protective tariff, it is declining under free trade in England. This industry was stronger and more fitted to survive the competition of free trade than any other. The evidences of decline which we find existing during the past twenty years, are therefore more significant. Apart from the question of the effect which free imports are having on this industry, the tendency throughout the world of nations to build up home industries, give employment to their own labor and capital and provide themselves with clothing, makes it more necessary than ever that the people of the United States preserve their home market. The delusion of free traders that the people of the United States can at once capture the markets of the world, which are a subject of warfare among the strong and powerful contestants of Europe, is fully exposed by the facts which have been stated. If the cotton manufacturers of England, with their long experience, economy of production, advantages in fuel, means of transportation, efficient machinery and cheap labor, can be driven to the wall and suffer as they are suffering, from the excessive competition which is being carried on, how then can the people of the United States, who pay high wages, hope to survive such a contest even at home, to say nothing of winning a share of the markets of the world. It is a fact well known to English cotton manufacturers, that as long as the United States pays higher wages than are paid in England, it will be absolutely powerless to maintain itself under low ad valorem duties, much less under free trade. Isaac Watts, chairman of the Cotton Manufacturing Association of Manchester, states in his article on cotton, in the "Encyclopedia Britannica," "That if America be thought to possess any superiority over England in the great facility and cheapness with which the raw material may be provided, such advantage is more than counterbalanced in other respects and especially as regards labor."

1 Fair Trade Journal, Vol. VI, p. 566.

[blocks in formation]
« السابقةمتابعة »