, 1873-06-17

inevitable result of such o competition, tho
wages paid relatively decreased; In mons CLOTH
Ing tho aum paid "a wngos wps 2l11 por cont Of
tho yaluo OF tho product in 1860, and
only 2o1S per cont In 1870, vlllo in
vomon's clothing tho avcrago por hand in 1860
was $207.8 .88 In gold, md in 1870 only S21608 In
currency. THUS In oaoh branch tho wagos paid
to 1aborcrs increased loss thau tho cost Of tho
material used by them, md less than tho prioo Of
tho product oreatcd by their labor, and far loss
than tho average inoroaso In gonoral priceH and
In tho cost Of living. but II those have been tho
cfreota upon labor in tho strong establish
ments whore machinery is used, what must have
boon tho offoot upon tho employment md aver
ago earnings Of tho 900 tailorB and aoam-
ssrcsses not omployedin auch establishments7
To thcm, the deoroaso in tho consumption Of
clothing Ia fatal. II has forced four persons
to battlo with each other for tho
work that sufIlcoa for only throo. II
this ia protecting American labor, thon tho loss
no have of 1t the bettor for tho poor seam
atroaacs, who work for loss wageB In gold than
thoy rocofvod In 1860, aud yot number moro
than all tho roraons employed In wooden and
worstod manufacture aud tho less Of It the bet
tor for tho clothing establishments, which onl-
ploy fewer handa then they did thirteen years
ago, and yot employ moro than al tho woolcn
and worsted mills together.
Out OF forty millions Of consumera injured by
tho increased cost Of cloth, 1t already appears
that only those who mako oloth--leas than =
quarter Of millon-can havo boon helped.
To bleBs country by taxing ono hundred and
sixty persons for tho bonofit Of ono Is tho
theory Of Protection; lot us look 1T the practice.
Tho avorago Of wages per hand in tho cotton
manufacture, as shown by tho conHus Of 1870,
was e288, but In 1850 1t Was 1868, so that tho
inoroase has boon 47 por cont But the price Of
cotton cloth bus increased ovor 60 por cont, and
In 1860 tho cost Of tho material was 40 por cent
OF the value Of tho product, aud in 1870 63 4-5
per cont. 30 that wages have increased far less
than tho cost Of the material or the price Of tho
goods made. The Average Of wages por hand in
the woolen manufacture In 1860 WAS 92ss.87,
and in 1870 1t WAS s342.21, tho increase being A
per cont. But tho price OF woolon gooda has
increased GA per cent, and tho cost Of all nato-
rlnls in 1850 was 50 71o por cent Of tho value Of
all products, and in 1870 1t was O. ITO per cent
Whilo the number Of yards mado (of woolons
only Increased Is per cent. and the wages Of
hands A per cent, tho value Of products In
creased 1es per cont. Tho average OF wages
paid In the silk manufacture in 1860
| WAS 910507, and In 1870 1t was
e292.11; increase, 80 7-10 per cont. But the
prico Of goods increased 60 per cent and tho
cost Of materials in 1860 was 80, and In 1870 It
was 64 per cont Of tho product. Thus. In every
branch, tho wages increased loss than tho cost Of
| articles used by tho labor On tho ono hand or
tho price Of articles mndo by tho labor on tho
other. Tho average increase Of wages Was 43
por cent, and 1t Is not necessary to toll anybody
that s14o in currency would not go as far in pay
ing expenses OF family In 1870 Oh e100 In gold
in 1850. But it ia nttlo hard that tho very
people who mako cloth should be nblo to buy
loss Of It with their wages than thoy could be
foro they woro protectodl Tho workman wht
earned 800 in 1860 IN woolen mills, md now earn
| Sl4t ny "Eu9 6Aut AAuOE, Gpu4A kuG1
buy with hia wagos 100 yarls Of tho YER,
cloth ho produces whore tho wages for th'
samo labor will now buy him only eighty-fy.
yards Of tho same cloth. Tho highly beuevolon
manufacturer has not only "proteoted us ou
Of Hixtyeight millions in tho cost Of woolen ant
woratod goods, but has also "protectod" Iii
own workmon out OF about one-sixth Of tht
wages ho usod to pay, measured In tho yer,
cloth which those workmon make. Verify, thil
is "protocting" American labor with ven
goancel To rob forty millions Of people, ant
deprive quarter Of million Of tailors ant
soamstrossoa Of one-tourth Of their employment
under pretence Of protecting 242,a46 persons
engaged in cloth-makiug, aud then to pay thon
go little TINT they cannot live aa well as they die
before, moi. even buy ns much cloth Of their Owl
make-if this is not a swindlo, and q very mesr
ono, what is it7