, 1873-08-18
THE PETS or PROTECTION,

only, but quito as much by intorrupting tho
natural distribution Of tho rewards of manufao-
turing and mechanical labor, has tho protective
tazif proved tho encmy Of industry. Tho farmcr
and tho mechanic aro both vtotims Of Ito favorit-
ism. Both should DO tho foes Of isa iniustice,
and swoar firm sllenoo against ita cruol plum
doring.
THO world over, 1t Ia tho many who toll and psy:
But tho tendency Of a genuine civilization is
toward equalization Of burdens and rewards.
It doea not drag down tho fow. Only sanslcss
agrarinnism sooks to help tho poor by robbing
tho rich. denuino civilization helps all, by
tightening tho burdens and inoroasing tho To-
wards Of labor. It holps tho rich to become
richer, because prosperous hopeful, and In
tolligent labor will do batter work. for itself and
for capital also. A competent mechanic, having
nbuilding to raise, will put his jaek-Bcrows un-
dor tho SILL md, lifting tho bottom, raiao
the auporstructuro also. Only stupid protoc-
tioniat will try to hoist tho building by hitohng
d derrick to tho roof.
Protection is tho enomy Of genuine civillza-
tion, becauHe It tries to elevate people by on
riohing tho few who arc already rich. Evon
a inong labo1ors it haa its favoritoB and they arc
usually chosen upon tho principle. ITO him that
hnth ahnll bc givon, nnd from him that
hath not shall bo taken. oven that which he
hath" Bineo 1860, tho farmer, whose industry
ia naturally ono Of s1owor rowards than many
othors, has boon 80 oppressed that his earnings
bhroly aufflco to supply tho nocossariea OF life
while the average earnings Of manufactures, ao-
cordinB to tho oonsus Of 1860 woro s621 to
each hand employed, and $3.50 Of capital
invested, or sso8 for tho living Of oaoh person,
and SO por cont moro for capital. But among
tho manufacturing laborers thomsolves thoro ia
q discrimination equnlIy unjust. Nine indus
tries mike large profits, and have giyon to
labor considerable increase OF wagos. But tho
average wages Of all tho banda employed in all
othor brano1os Of manufacture wore actually
'Whateyor bononts protection confera 1t eavos
for nino favoritoa. THO rest, II not protected to
| death, arc worse on than thoy wers bofors.
Taking tho cotton manufacture. tho wooden
Qherein including worstod, hosiery, and carpets),
tho ailk, tho Iron 0heroin including pig, rolled,
csat. hardware, and stool the sugar. .Inda-rubbor,
salt, glass, and paper manufactures. wo find that
those industries in 1860 employed 200 ,o59 hands,
t who received s72,89o,501 yesrly wages, OF
| s249.o5 per, hand But in 1870 thoso bamo in.
dustrics employed 1877, ,099 hands, who received
| sl71 ,84s,007 yearly wages lin currency, or
s392.B9 per hand, an incroase Of 571 per cent
According to tho Superintendent Of ths
| Consus, tho increase In tho coal
OF ali products Of manufacturing and
mechanical industry has boon sc por cont
statiatics heretofore published show TINT the
| general increase in tho cost OF living has boen
about d per cent. Tho hands employed in these
favored industries, therefore, II not materially
bottor oil than thoy wero In 1860, have, OH the
whole, not materially deterioratod in condition
To them tho cost Of living has Increased only
about aa much aa tho general average Of theil
yearly wagoa.
but what Of all other manufactures The
| whole number Of hands employed In all otho'
branches Of manufacture in 1860 WAS 1,020 287
and the yoarly wagos s306, ,2s9, ,46& or $780, poi
hand. But in 1870 all other branchos OF manu-
facture employed gig, ,8o7 hands, and paid 9G0s,
9ae, $3.50 yc.rly wageH. or ss73.51 por hand in cur
rency. The lncroase, a4.44 per cent, Ia lass
than tho average premium on gold for tho conaus
year lending May 81, 1870, which, according
to Trenaury reports, was 25.a5, or, i
reduced to gold value. tho average wages POI
hand Of tho 1,6l6,807 hands employed in al
other branches Of manufacture, except tho nint
above named, wero just S297.97, Whereas in 1861
tho wages Of the hands In tho aane branches o
manufacture averaged just as00.15 per hand.
This Is somewhat ugly fact for tho protec
tioniat to consider. Only 497,0o9 hands-loa
than half million-get whatever beuoflts pro
lection has to give in the way OF increase o
wages, and oven thoso got not quito enough t.
compensate them for tho increase in cost Of iy
Ing, But all the rest, more than threo timos at
many, employed In other branches Of manufao
ture, average not only q great deal less tha.
enough to moes the Increased coat Of living bu
actually leaa in gold than they recolved bofor
protection began modelling with thom. The,
pay Gl per cont moro for living, 6l por cent NOR
for necessary expenses in tho support OF fam
ilioa, and yot receive only o. per con
moro wages. This is o1act1y tho shme az 1t the
had boon robbed Of e37 out OF eyory s101 re-
oeiyod, or nearly quartor Of thoir whole earn
ings! Their aotual earnings aro about a000, 900,
600; they have boon robbed Of s140.0oo,o00
year.
There Ia ono other ugly fact: Thoso sam
mon, employed In branches of manufaotur
other than those above named, lncroasod thei
Average wages almost 20 psr cont, undor tin
tariff OF oxtromo low dutios which til
protcctionlsts arc fond Of calling "tho BritiH
Froe-Trado tariff" In 1850, their average wago
wore s250.68, aud In 1860 thoy wore s300.15;
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