Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-31
4ailp &tnntbsf Journal.
Augusta. Friday Morning, Mar. 81.
The Laborer's Wages and the Cap
ftaIist's Profits.


They assert this though shipload after
shipload of emigrants from free trade
countries are coming 10 the United States,
fleeing from the starvation wages they
obtain in The former countries and seeking
the wages they obtain here under our pro-
tective system. What draws these emf
grants away from their homes to this
distant country, seeking work in our mills,
shops and factories, if they can obtain
equal wages in their own country?
They refer to the strike at the Pacific
Mills, Lawrence. as an instance showing
how laborers are oppressed and GROUND
down to pauper wages in this country,
while the corporation has been drawing
immense profits for the capital employed.
Strikes sometimes occur because of INSULT
cient wages. sometimes on account of
harsh or unjust treatment by overseers or
managers, and sometime, because of the
unreasonabeDess, folly and ignorance of
those engaged in them. Strikes are frequent
in free trade England, Of immense pro-
portions usually, and but for a standing
army would shake the kingdom. Ireland
is in perpetual strike against free trade
England. More than sixty thousand Of its
down trodden laborers came to this couEtrv
the last year looking for work and bread
In our factories. fields and cities. Work
must be cheaper in Bradford. England.
than at Lawrence even mt me reduced
Mills threaten to import laborers from
that place to take the positions vacated by
strikers. Will the Lawrence strikers 90
TO Bradford. or to any town in England
or ireland to better their wages and con-
dition? Or will they remain in America
where protection rules2 Let English and
Irish laborers answer.
As TO the profits of capitalists in manu-
featuring industries in this country. they
are grossly misrepresented and overstaied
BY free traders. They have their seasons
of large profits, also their seasons of loss.
The average profit for several years tells
the story of their gains. Perhaps the Pa
cific Mills have paid dividends of twenty
per cent. We know nothing of the facts.
but have doubts about the correctness of the
statement. II they were mqking that
profit, why shut them down? Idle fac
tories earn nothing. When the wheels
stop, dividends stop also, and money goes
out instead of coming into the pockets of
capitalists.
Senator Frye very effectnaly disposed of
assertions of this kind made by Mr. Beck in
the Senate the other day. who placed the
profits Of manufacturers at extravagant fig
ures. Mr.. Frye showed him and the Senate
wherein he had omitted large items in
the expense of industries which he
cited, the addition Of which made vast
difference in the computation of profits.
statement, which placed the matter in its
true light from practical and honest
standpoint. and left his free trade oppo-
nent wiser il not more honest advocate
Of the fallacy of democratic free trade
Mr.. Frye said:
Let me say to the distinguished Senator
from Kentucky thar | know something about
wooden mills When was boy about IL
years old my father announced TO me that I
was TO go to college. | announced to him
that was not going. He ran about the first
wooden mill in Maine. He said. Very well ;
II you are not going to college it is all right 90
But the next Monday morning when the bell
rang I've worked twelve hours day then)
found had pair ut overaIls and one of
the blue jackets the workmen wore: and
went into the mill. I went into the picker
and worked on the picker six months: then
went up and told Colonel FRYE that | was
willing to go to college; and he paid my bills
for nv work and went to college. | know
something sbogt WOODEN mills and that one
especially. II ab ut the first WOODEN
mill started in Name. 1t continued under the
hands of one agent for forty-twe years. He
was a careful. prudent agent, and understood
his business from the picker right up through
every room. He never wasted q cent.
During the forty-two wears he met with
no heavy losses of any amount He closed
up his manufacturing about four years ago,
having arrived at that time of life when it
becomes irksome To work. As n matter of
curiosity we sat down and figured out the
profits of that wooden mill. the most success
full that ever was run in the State of Maine.
the only one. think. that had not tailed. and
the most of them fail over and over again.
1t was the most successful wooden mill in my
knowledge, and the profits of that WOODEN
mill for the forty-two years were about | l
mills less than per cent per annum.
Thirty-three per cent, says the distinguished
Senator from Kentucky, is the profit of wool
en- mills. Sir lef me repeat that the cotton
manufacturers and wooden manufacturers OF
New England are entirely content to-day with
al per cent. profit. and regard it as success
full business il they make that
The Argus points to the election AT
Waterville as an Offset TO the general
sweeping success of the republicans at the
town and city elections. Next fall when
the returns 60 over the wires even this
morsel Of comfort will be taken from the
Argus, for Waierville was never more
strongly republican than at the presen,
time, and is as strongly opposed TO Gov.
Plaisted's blow at the independence of the
Judiciary as any other locality in the
State