The daily gazette., 1879-08-30

1nders0ll foreign manufactures we eau
not enlarge our foreign market. The
aud workinginen Ii that
the days OF sudden fortunes and double
Y ages are gone.
1--WE must realize the fact that ocean
steam cOmmupicsuon has annilnlatud
distances and brought the nations face
TO face. This drawing together OF the
nations means eqsalizatton in trade,
profits, wages, etc., the advantage being
with those who soonest accept tho sitna-
tor, and show the most sensible conttn-
uity in the new paths Of success. The
Consul at Newcastle-upon-Tyns shows
that city 10 commercially nearer to New
York than to London. II steam commu-
uiCatloH can thus bring one of the lead
ing cities of small island like England
nearer 10 New York than to its own capi
taI, 1t can work equal wonders with the
leading seaport citles Of oil Europe In
their commercial intercourse with tho
seaport clties OF the United States. This
is question Of great Importance to both
laborer snd capitalist, for it must revo-
lutiOnize oil past theories Of trade and
cOmmerce. W establishing international
equaliz stion.
'In the near future the workingman
OF New York cannot expect twice or
thrice the wages of his fellow-worker In
Europe, while all other things food,
rent, cl.ithing, etc.-are on the quality;
nor can the coal miner of Pennsylvania
expect twice the wages of the NOrthum-
berland Miner, while coal from North
umbe rland mines oan be landed in New
York at less than the price Of Pennsyl-
venia coal"
In Que point Mr.. Evarts Is correct I've
need to create a greater foreign demand
for manufacturer, but be makes serious
mistake In assuming that the way TO do
this is to sut down our w0rkmen's wages
to an eQnahty with those Of Europe. We
have already secured an entry into for
eiRn markets and furnish goods to com
pete successfully In price and quality
with anything turned out in Erope.
What has given us this entry and the
wonderfully rapid increase of foreign
demand for American manufactures
Clearly, not low wages, for these consu-
lar reports show our home wages to be
at least double those paid in Europe. We
must look for some other reason for our
remarkably successful and growing trade
abroad. Yet our worthy Secretary of
State would have us understand that
lower wages is the great desideratum to
enable our home manufacturers to COM
pete favorably with those of Europe. If
he had made a pilgrimage through the
shops and mills Of any of our great
manufacturing districts. with careful
observation he might have discovered
the cause Of our successful competition
abroad. 1t erists In the ,oOrkmen them
seiues, and IS dereloped by the American
system Of freaodrding labor and inuention.
Let us compare the workmen Of Europe
with those of America. The former, as
a class, are pretty clearly shown by the
consular reports to be mere drudges, but
are "happy and contented," having small
hopes of bettering their condition. They
are kept d,wn by the meanest wages to
such a condition of perpetual poverty
that they are enabled to obtain scarcely
anything beyond the plainesJ food, cloth
ing and shelter. The foreign skilled
workmen read books and newspapers
very little, least of all those devoted to
mechanical subjects. To such state of
msnial servitude have they been reduced
they feel scarcely spark Of ambition or
encouragement 10 adapt special means
to an end, or to improve methods of
manufacture. They plod along in the
old beaten track 'shappy and contented''
and, as Mr.. Evarts might say, off igno-
rance is bliss it's folly to be wise."
Right here is where the American
workmen rise head and shoulders above
transatlantic members of their craft.
They do not exist in abject squalor, nor
maintain constant struggle for the bare
necessaries of life, but have means to
beautify their homes, dress wei, educate
their children, and to obtain and read
books and newspapers, thus acquiring in
telligence and information to advance
themselves in their occupations.
Would our Secretary of State wish to
reduce American workmen to the level
of the ill-paid, ill-clad, and scantily-fed
drudges of EuropeP We are very
strongly of the opinion that the equali-
zation of wages he expects to see will
never be effected. A large number Of
American mechanics read, study, and
experiment outside OF working hours.
If it is desired to improve the manufac-
ture of some article, or to produce it
more cheaply or quickly, the progressive
ra ling and thinking American mechan-
ic, knowing that his successful efforts
will be fairly rewarded, goes to work
devis"s and builds a special machine to
do the work required. This machine is
is more or less automatic. The finished
product finds its way to Europe, and ex-
citing the envy and admiration of their
best artisans, and the wonder of all
classes how it can be male so cheaply,
and so perfectly, in this land Of ruinous-
ly high priced labor! An American
horse-nail machine was recently exhibit
ed In England, and, judging from the
notices we see in our British exchanges,
1t will take them six months longer to
get over their astonishment at the work
ing of this creation of Yankee genius.
Temperance Meeting.