New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-10-17
Protection mud Labor


hmsy DO unwise 20 take for granted any prop
.,,on ths. some one is Interested IN disPUting,
Al, does seem needless TO argue that where the
,.Aocts OF two nations OF communities are easily
,odly and chesply interchangeable, the price Of
AMOR 10 those two countries or communities 1ehos
.tiy and irresstibly to an equation, and tapoint
,,y much nearer the lower than the higher start
-fpoint. For instance, let US suppose that two
,uiop, have long been prevented by Tariffs or 9th
s,sise from exchanging those products which each
ssd make for itself with no considerable waste
aL,bor-say cloths, silks, and wares generally
Ia At length the impediments are removed, and
coda NAV be transmitted by steam from one 70
d other IN few days at a scarcely perceptlble
Il. Bat while they were kept apart it has hap
.aed that the average wages OF manual labor /"
e Of these nations has ranged very near seventy
re cents per day, while Ia the other the average
sxad Of similar labor does not exceed twenty
| I've cents Now, the mpediments being removed
| a the intelcOmmunlcstIon untaxed, rapid sad
uy, thereis natural, inevitable tendency toward
q soaalization of the reward OF Labor IN those
20 countries. 1t may not take place By any formal,
,eeipitate movement yet come 1t must. Agrl-
lure, stone. quarrying, burning brick, building
uses, improving lands &c. will Sill 80 on In both
e necessity therefor being common and the bulk
as and inaptitude for transportation Of the pro
Eta forbidding transfer of those branches OF
,,ostrv from the soil whereon their fruits are 10
Isrelired. But cloth making, siik-growing, and
rsry other pursuit whereof the product Is OF small
,iive bulk in proportion 10 its value, VIII gfadu'
| ay glide away from the country in which Labor
com parativey deaf TO take up their soode IN
au " here il is relatively cheap. The capitalists
xhosre running factories or growing silk In the
tnsr, having machinery. mills, customers. &c.
nav cot close their doors al once and HE across
s.ocean but they will stop building or extend
IL, and whenever mill gives out or manufsc
l.,sr fails (which will be rather often) bis share
business will die out on that side Of the ocean
lithero will be . corresponding expansion on
IL other. This expansion may cause slight
lhAncemeut OF prices in the chesp-abor market,
IL to nothirg like the extent Of the depression IN
Il other All new adventures in Manufacturing
gin anything else requiring much work to pro-
ice little bulk and weight no matter OF which
tan,ry native, will unsvoidably establish them
Ives in the country of cheap labor in preference
llthst where il is dearer. The inevitable result
hat very soon the chesp.lsbor country supplies
| other with these expensive fabrics, drawing
lmi, its inventive talent its raw, bulky staples
lSiis cash or promises to pay, IN exchange Tor
Ixcostler products of Manufacture. There are
lac exceptions arising from special causes, but
l,vho does not admit that the disparity Of wages
lis to this result may as reasonably deny that
ksr 90 tends to run down hill that two ponds
Esscted a, bottom by gigantic syphon will
l;rximate a common level.
nOse. therefore. who advocate Free Trade be-
l'.sn this country and Europe must either mean
ave our Labor reduced TO the average re-
Es.rstion OF European Labor, or to have Manu-
lasrlng suppressed and driven out oil the country,
hey mean nothing in particular sud do not
l'sFrehend what they are doing.
ncss who dc study and think I'VE speak Of the
stsrs) generally expect and desire serious
l,:sion of wages. Most OF them are slave
>ss, like Calhoun and Howell Cobb, 10 whom
zssges Of Labor are immstsrisi, since they own
o Iaborers and employ them only In pursuits
+ which Europe Is debsrred by soil, climate,
They argue that It matters not whether q
~ work Is called worth two shilhngs or a
A. the material question being How much
II buyr But an American artisan could
lay purchase those necets~s. 8, including Tea,
'.s and other untsxed imports, which would
Icy be cheapened at all by reduction OF the
sci our own Labor. These men say, Free
ss and two .hillings day for Labor would
sEsly reduce the pee OF our Cotton Rice, &c.
tars now mainly 81, i' Europe, while the
iason in the price, ~ .abor and is pro-
lawOuld be so mu, ~'ee- la to US. These
ssoold like not.- e than a reduction
q eagsent wsgss @ sisans, &c. to the
sqsan stsndaFd.
hAe sauna effect Senator Buchanan, late Sec
goi State, argued IN lsio' The radical diff
with our Manufactures, said he IN sub.
lea i. the imitation Of our Currency aud
"a Because OF this inaationl piece OF cloth
@here costs handred dollars which may bs
eh Germany Ter fifty dollars Let Us bang
'1sAing down to the specie standard ana Se
'aAe such piece OF cloth for fifty dollars
las defy Foreign nyslry snd dispense with
ss,ioni
sShen John Davis came to cross-exsmine
<ery, and say. Mr.. Buchanan, you mean that
ssple shall grow wool and spin It, and weave
seloth. At such rates Of wages as are paid
snan workers, and proceeded TO show that
'Nld be injurious to our laborers, Mr. B. at
nnplained that his argument had been
4 y miGsPrcsspsdi Yet whoever thinks
sNze tia. the hundred dOiiss paid Tor
81 orosdciosh is MANLY paid for the Labor
'sd 10 rearing DO -hsep, growing the WOOL
Sss earding, s. ,s and weaving it
~ argues th, zee OF cloth ought to
ssn produced dollars argues that
s~ y has sbs ,ss tohsvs been paid
IL high wsf ID in money IS 1t
4 sssly recei, as. mean that or
ssnsrd rec iges TO the Faro
saGd btirg disclaiued by ne