Free Republic

Final phase of trade pact may doom U.S. textiles Sunday, November 14, 2004 After decades of decline, the once vibrant textile industry that transformed North Jersey into an industrial powerhouse is facing what leaders say could be its death knell.On Jan. 1, the United States and many other countries will remove the last remaining import "quotas" protecting their textile and garment industries by limiting the flow of competing products across their borders.That will allow an unlimited number of wool, yarn, clothing, sheets and other fabric items - most made by workers earning a fraction of American wages - into the...