, 1873-09-15
THE NATIONAL ALuNDEA.

It will surprise no one who has studied tho
effects OF tho nyatom called "protcotivo" to
1oarn that it doea not generally bonoft the cap
italist who clamora for it, and who profosacs to
desirp it only in order to secure better wages to
American lnbororH.
We have laye shown that it docs not secure
"bcttor wages, in tho true aonso to any claas
Of laborere, To the majority Of all males en-
gagged in eainful occupations, namely tho FARM
ers. 1t brings only marked reduction in tho
rewards Of their labor. 10 1,018,s97 hands out
Of 2,059,o0 employed in a1l branches Of man.
ufaoturo,-that is, more than four-hfths,--it
prpga au average Of wages actually lower in gold,
according to tho oenHus of 1870, than was paid to
tho aborers employed In the same branches in
1860. And eyon to the remaining fifth, 4s7.099
persons employed in those industries which arc
tho pets of protection it brings m increase of
wages Of only 5714 per cont, while the inoroaso
tn the cost Of living has boon 61 per cont Thus
oven thcao laborerH arq WORSE of With proteo-
toction than without 1t.
Now, It is a curious fact that capital employed
in theao samo pot branches Of manufacture
suftcr worsc, in consequence Of the protective
system, than tho capital employed in other
prancheg. For, 80 inoyitable ia tho 1aw, that no
class eau be benefited by putting noodoas
burden upon anybody, that manufacturers as l.
whole do not mako largor pronts in consequence
Of tho system which taxes tho farmers for that
purpoao But, not making larger profits, they
hAvo povertholeHs told tho laborora that
tho duties TOR protection Of cortain
industries we're solely designed to benefit thom,
aud the laborers employed in those industriea
reason that, tho duties bping in foroo, tho cap
itallsts must DO able to pay higher wager. They,
therefore, demand higher wagos, and got them.
But tho larger waecs are taken from yearly
profit scarcely larger, and, In consequence, the
capital iaYogted IN those same pot Industries
makos loss profit than 1t did before tho at
tempt to plunder others for Its benefit.
That the faots compel this conclusion may
easily be shown, The ninp branches Of indus
try, in which wages 81 por cant higher than
thoao Of 1860 are paid, namely, tho cotton man
ufsoturors tho woolen (wosntod, hosiery, and
carpets tneluded), tho slk tho IRON {ptg, rolled,
cast, h.rdware and steel includod), tho augsr,
tho Indiarrubber, the salt, tho glass, ind tho
paper manutacturers,- ,-employed, in 1850, cap-
ital Of 9174, ,490. .s25. and yoldod profit (1na-
terial and wages deducted from value Of produot)
Of $42,S16,o32. or d per cont. Part Of this, Of
courae, went for repairs, removals, and replace
1nonts not included as material, but for tloao
| purpoBoa we may suppose that tho BANJO pro-
portion Of yearly profit WAS required in 1860 aud
1870. Nov, in 1860, those aa1no branches GIN
ployed . capital Of s201,o1oo55, and tho profit
| (matoriel and wages deducted from yalue Of
produo) was $1o1, ,42o, ,442, or % per cont. Hero
IL very satisfactory increase, aud
coupled with tho fact that tho wagee
! Of labor employed in those same branches
Of manufacture Increased during the
asn,s period from s22i.72 per hsud to s24e.es
per hand, it o1plains tho highly gratifying prog
1osp Of those industries during that dooado Of
non-protovt!on and uou-lnterforepoe,
But In 1870 tho capital employed In th aae
aamo branches Was $bAa, ,863, ,o8s, and tho prot
| (material aud wages deducted from tho value o1
psoduoD was only s158, ,122, 137, or 20 por cont
Thus tho earnings Of capital were cut dow
fully 0 pqr cont In order to mako up til,
inoroaBo, which associated laborers demanded
.nd obtained from $24oG5 per hand to $500. 90
per hand, aud yot that Increase only com
penaatod tho labosor for tho creator cost o.
living, aud did not loa7o hin, any betto
OF than before. Tho inoroaso was S14o.04 pa
hand for $4,000 hands, Or so2. .52a, ,o4o aud. hat
that aum been added to tho prohtH Of capital
tlcy would have boon just 10 per cont Ihus
had thcre beon no inoroase at Ali OF wages, th'
profits Of capital, in these peoularly.tavoros
branches, would hayo boon 40 por cont
whereas in 1860 they woro 88 pc
cent, but tho manufacturer, forood Il
pay II poz cont higher wageB. did not thereb,,