The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-07-15
The Pauper-Labor Cheat.

the radical pauper LABOR cheat OF the men,
orable campaign of 1880, is manlfestlng itself in
disastrous manner to all concerned, in the in.
Vulnerable trades union strikes now prevail
ing throughout the country. This is the well
grounded belief of the best minds of the Ma
ton with big Il if you please, and is the lie,
gltimate result of the radical campaign decla
ration that high tariff meant high wages"
and low tariff, or tariff for revenue merely
low wages for labor BY such misrepresen
tatlons thousands of laboring people whose
procivities We're naturally democratic were
induced to vote for the republicans, trusting
that the increased profits of their employers
would be divided with them in the shape of
higher wages. Two years of patient toll on
poor pay has unmarked the fraud, and the
wage laborer is left the alternative of working
away at poor house prices or going on strike
that does not promise to be advantageous to
them for long and weary anxious weeks, If
not months, and mayhap never. The radicals
who are now figuring for an increased tariff
tax forget that our farmers send grain and our
mlllers send flour to the markets OF Europe,
though their wages are greater than those re-
celved in the same employments by the labor
ers of any country there. They forget also
that the existence OF high wages in England,
compared with those in France or Germany,
does not prevent the former country from CON-
petIng in the departments OF manufacture
with the latter. The supporters of our system
OF licensed spollation do indeed forget, or ig-
more, those facts. 1t Is a fact that IN the
European markets grain grown in India,
where labor costs only seven cents day,
comes in direct competition with grain grown
IN this country, where farm hands earn fifty
or twenty times as much. The American
farmer has no protection against the pauper
labor of India, which is pauper labor with a
vengeance nor Is it possible for him to have
any such protection in the European market.
And yet he Is able to compete, and to pay
American high wages and lay up some money,
notwithstanding the heavy taxes laid upon
HIM for the purpose Of protecting pet indus.
tries against the comparatively well paid labor
of England. II is fact as stated, that wages
are lower on the continent OF Europe than
they are IN England and yet England success
fully completes with the continent IN most
branches of manufacture, and ls more pros.
porous than any other European country. In
answer to a senate resolution, MIR. Nlmmo, Of
the bureau of statistics, recently reported that
in America tanners earn more than 1879 per
cent. more than III England 5415 per cent
more than in France, and 51l5 per cent. more
than IN Germany, and IN the case OF curriers'
the difference is nearly twice as great. Mr.
NImmo also states, upon the authority OF Mr.
William c. Wyckof, that 1.-The wages IN the
silk manufacture are twice greater here than
In England, three times greater than in France
and Germany, and four times greater than IN
italy" Taking these figures as representing
substantially the truth respecting wages gen.
orally in the countries named, 1t follows, upon
the protection theory, that We need great
deal more protection against France and
Germany than against. England, and still
France and Germany. And yet the advocates
of the spoliston system are forever shouting
against England, and assuring US that 1t Is
against British pauper labor that our prince
labor needs most protection. According to
Mr.. Nimmo and Mr.. Wyckoff, England stands
much more in need of protection against the
pauper labor OF Italy than America does Of
protection against the pauDer labor of Eng
land Less than forty years ago there was
great outcry made in England against the at