New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-23
WAGES AND TARIFFS.
ton.

IAN Essay on WAGES: Discussing the
Means now employed for unfolding them, and
showing the necessity of Working Mans
Tariff, founded on the Principle Of Graduating
Import Duties in Inverse Proportion to the
Rate of Wages paid in the Manufacture of I'm
ported Goods BY Philip C. Frese," has just
been very neatly issued by Fowlers & Wells.
No 13l Nassau-st. The subject is so import.
ant yet so little understood, especially by those
most deeply interested, that we thank the Au-
thor, and still more the Publishers, for this
tract, though we cannot at all assent to it's po-
sitions nor concur in its suggestions. In our
view, all of it that is not radically false is hope
lessy impracticable.
The writer totally misapprehends both the
reasons for and the effects Of Tariff He
assumes that its necessity is caused solely by
the higher rate Of wages ruling here than in
the great manufacturing countries of Europe !;
whereas in fact, many countries wherein
wages rule far lower than with us need Pro-
tective Tariff far more than we do. Cheap
Labor, if an element of Manufacturing Capacity
at all, is so in subOrdination to many other ele-
ments. Cheap Fuel, or some other element
Of motive power Cheap Food Ores and Min
erals; Cheap Wool, Cotton, Flax, Hemp, &c.
are all conducive to the end but ample Capt.
tai, Experience, Intelligence, Energy, Invent
i've Genius, are still important. Most vital of
all is commercial position and relations
which afford the largest possible range of mar
kets throughout the non-manufacturing regions
Of the earth. Were London, with her shipping
and mercantile relations with all the known
world, transpanted bodily and spiritually to
our shores, our people could manufacture and
sell most descriptions Of Wares and Fabrics
several per cent. cheaper than we now do, for
precisely the same reason that we can sell
better newspaper for two cents than could be
afforded in any South American city for a shl-
ling-steadness and amplitude Of demand be.
ing an element of cheapness in Manufactures
TO en- extent unparalleled in Agriculture.
But let US consider Mr. Frieses panacea,
as carefully set forth by himself;
We pass then, 10 the other alternative; and we A.
se that the proper course for Government to pur
sue to regulate duties with reference 20 the wages
PAID abroad by graduating duties in inverse
non TO the rate OF wages paid in the manufacture of the
imported goods ~
ITO explain Ii foreign manufscturar will pay his
hands average American wages bis goods should come
here Tree, or at the lowest duty that our Govern
ment can afford to levy; but ii he pay lower wages
the duty on his goods should be increased On this
prncipe, high wages abroad would be followed by low
duties here and low duties there would be met here By
high duties
This L the new principle which we propose to In
Duties laid upon this principle would keep up wages
here by inducing foreign employers pay higher wages
than they do now abroad Such duties would tend 10
rdieve our workngmen in this manner from the grind
ipe competition OF paid foreign psuper labor These
ending duties which rice as foreign wages fall and
which fall a. foreign wages rise while they beneht the
miserable and starving workngmcn Of the old world
viii be sure and practical safeguard Of our working
men against their competition Fixed dufies az now irp
posed, make II the interest Of foreg msnuacturery
and indeed compel them, in the keen race Of CONNER
ela rivalry reduce the wages which they psy. AMI
every reduction Of foreign wages causes sooner or
later reduction Of own. Sliding duties on tho
other hand, such rs we propose. would make il the in
ferest Of foreign manufacturers to raise their wages
For tie higher the wages that they pay the lower viii