Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-05-11
FREE.TRADE AND LABOR.

Every one processes sympathy with the
laborer. But different men have different
modes Of embodying that sympathy. In this
however, as in everything else, 'the proof
Of the pudding is in the eating g."-That poll
cy which creates demand for labor Is the
best policy for the laborer. The poor mans
capital consists in his ability TO work and
what he wants is, opportunities for its steady
and profitable investment. His is altogether
sent out in thousand directions; but sinews
and muscles can only be pro6tably employed
in labor. Those, therefore, who wish to give
practical demonstrations Of the genuiueness Of
their sympathy for that laborer, can only do
so BY advocating the policy which creates
demand for labor. ea.i8r
! Now let us look at the practical effect OF
the policy Of free trade. Take by way Of H. !
lustration, the single interest Of iron in the
single state Of Pennsylvania.
In Is42, there were 213 furnaces in opera
tion, producing 15I,ss5 tons of pig from
Before the close of 1916, this number had
increased 10 3l6, producing 373,23 tons
showing an increase, in four years, Of io3 fur
naces, and 222, ,346 tons of iron.
The value of the product of 1s42 was in
the neighborhood OF s3,Ooo,ooo, and in 1s46
over $1,000, ,Ooo
Two-:hirds of this pig iron was manufac-
tured into hoops, nails, bars, boler-patc,
castings, &c in the State Of Pennsylvania,
at firiee the cost, for labor, of the pig iron it,
self. Consequently, if we add this to the
pig iron, we will have the following results
lsi2, value of iron manufactured S9,ooo,Ooo
1916, do do do 100000
ofhese sums, four-fflhs, (say three-fourths)
are expended in labor. There was, therefore
expended in labor, in this single branch of
industry, in Pennsylvania, in
1912 S6,750, 900
1916 10000, 900
1t requires no acute knowledge Of political
economy 10 perceive the benefit which the
laboring man Of Pennsylvania derived from
The policy which induced this vast increased
demand for labor. If the same policy had
continued, instead of ten millions in 1876,
the ron-workers of Pennsylvania would have
pockeled at least fifteen millions of dollars for
their labor in 1850. But that policy was su-
perceded by those who profess the most pro-
found sympathy for the poor man. And what
is The resultl Intelligent men estimate that
the product Of the present year wiil not erceed
one half that Of 1916, Consequently the
money TO be paid for labor will be reduced
-half-even though The price Of labor is
not effected by the reduced demand for it..
To place this fact distinctly befor the mind
of the reader we subjoin the figures:
1s46-Money paid TO iron labo-
rers in Pennsylvania SIC, 500, 900
ls5o-Money paid to iroh labo.
rers in Pennsylvania s5,25o, 900
Price paid per annum by the
iron-workers Of Pennsylva
MIA for free-lrade $3.50, 900
Here are five millions Of dollars taken out
Of the pockets Of the working men in a single
branch of business in a single Stale in one year !
Apply the same rule to the whole Union, and
the sum will run up to at least ten or fifteen
millions This is the iron.workers' lax for
free trade
There would be shadow OF consolation
for the lron-worker if he knew that these
millions went into the pockets Of his fellow
laborers in other branches Of business in this
country Blu, he is comforied by no such
reflection. He knows that what is taken out
Of his pocket goes into The pockets of foreign
manufacturers. .-Erehangs.