The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-31
American VS.. European Labor

The reports just issued from the Governments
printing office, prepared by Consals of the
United States in relation to the cotton and
wooden industries of Europe, says the Kenne-
bee journal, contain large amount of inter-
esting and important information for the
American people. The study of them would
be useful to our manufacturers in erecting
mills, providing machinery, operating the
same, and managing all parts of their business;
for they present the results of long years of
effort and experience in the production of cot
ton and wooden goods. The comparisons,
opinions and suggestions found in them in re-
gard to American and European labor, are
especially opportune and valuable, as this
question is prominently presented at this time
by the political organizations of this country.
On the subject of protective tariff in the
United States, there appears to be but one
opinion expressed by our consuls viz. that it
is a necessity for the growth and development
of our industrial interests where they come in
competition with the cheap labor OF Europe
Either we must have such tariff, or we must
reduca the wages of American laborers to the
starvation prices of Europe, or we must aban-
don the attempt to compete with European
manufacturers. One single extract, taken
from the report of the consul at Rheims
France, will suffice to show the prevailing
opinion upon this subject. He says:
do not feel that / shall have made this de-
spatch complete without calling the attention
of those interested among whom are pre-em-
iueBtly the mechanics and the laborers of the
United States, to the importance of protection
to their own welfare against the productive
industries of Europe, " hich are produced by
the bands of pauperized labor. l can see no
way in which such protection can be guaran-
teed except by high protective tariff or duty
being placed and maintained upon all import
ed goods coming in competition with like
goods manufactured in the United States A
tariff for revenue only" will not accomplish
the object as l view tie subject; but it must
be such a tariff as will preclude the poss bllity
of the manufactured products OF Il lrope being
placed on the markets of our country at less
price than they can be produced with fair
profit by our own manufacturers, who employ
we'll remunerated labor. If, by reason OF
cheap labor, articles of merchandise can be
procured in Europe at a cost much less than
they can be produced in the United States,
then such an embargo should be placed upon
foreign merchandise that when it enters our
ports it can have no advantage in competition.
In this, believe, lies the prosperity of our
country and the well-being of our people.
When the "Cobden Club" and its agents de-
nand free entry into our ports,s what equiva-
lent have they to offer or compensation to give
for the sacrifice which they ask of us? They
have simply nothing to give in return. They
make their demands only in the interests of
the manufacturers and merchants of Europe;
and not at all in the interest of the people of
the United States. To accede to their requests
would inevitably lead to the destruction
of our manufacturing industries and the pau
persm of our mechanics and laboring classes.
Their promises put one In NINA u the tempta-
ton of our Savior in which dor inion, princi-
palties and kingdoms we're promised to be Civ
on for certain performance, while at the
same time the poor tempter was not possessed
of so much as would purchase the miserable
daily pittance allowed Golden" laborer OF
the present day
1t must be remembered that ocean freights
are cheap, as cheap as are the railway freights