The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-27
A rRER.TRADERs QUESTIONS.


thereon:
First-Do you not honestly think that with
free trade in this country it would better the
condition of the laboring man, inasmuch as,
if our home manufacturers do not see proper
to sell us their products at a reasonably low
figure, they can keep them while foreign
countries supply us with goods at low prices?
Second-Isnt competition the life of trade,
and would not the invasion of other countries
have the effect to lower the prices Of products
in this country2
Third-If we had free trade in America to-
day, do you or any other man suppose for
moment that England would have any pau
pers to spare to send over here and underwolk
our home mechanics? In other words, would
not England need all of her present so-called
pauper labor at home to enable her to compete
with our own manufacturers
Fourth-Does not our high protective tariff
system compel foreigners to pay tariff that,
in turn, eompels them to sell goods at a much
higher figure than they otherwise would, thus
enabling our home manufacturers to sell their
goods at ruinously high figure for the la
borer, and yet make fearful big profit on
their salesG
Fifth-What is the meaning of number
Of our iron foundries starting up just at the
present time and will they not shut down
again just after the electiong Also, who fur
nishes the capital to run these iron mills for
the next thirty days2
Sixth-Why is it that hundreds of families of
both political parties have been compelled to
move from their respective wards in the last
fifteen days, some of them even leaving the
city, for want of work, thus losing their votes
under the present infamous Claw" compelling
a residence of a certain time in order to voter
FREE-TRADER.
Without questioning the sincerity of Free
trader, we will briefly reply to mis- intemoga-
tories, and in a manner that we hope may be
satisfactory.
l. So far from thinking that free trade
would better the condition of the laboring
man, we are quite sure that it would work
incalculable harm and hardship to him. Your
question inferentially admits that by free
trade very material reduction in the price of
manufactured articles would be compelled by
the introduction of imported articles made by
what is paid for the same service in
the United States Do you imagine that the
price of American products can be reduced
to the same level without reducing wages to
the same rate as is paid thereY Do you think
American manufacturers can afford to con
duct business on a narrower margin than
those of England9 If not, and if he is to be
obliged to sell at English prices, does not the
logic of necessity compel reduction of wages
to the British Standard You, in common
with most free-traders seem to forget that
when you propose to freeze out the American
manufacturer by leaving his "high- priced"
goods on his hands, that by so doing you
leave on his hands the goods upon
the sale of which the American labor
ing man depends for employment;
and, if you compel him to sell at Brit
ish figures you likewise oblige him in self-de-
Tense to cut his wages to the same low level.
Hytisio pertinent here to quote the words of
Henry Darling, superintendent Of the Encaus-
tic Tile Works, himself an Englishman but
three years in this country. He said, speak
ing of work in similar establishments in Eng
land:
II have seen women in those factories car
filled with tile for burning, doing this work
as unsuited to a woman as carrying bod
would be-when well advanced in pregnancy
within three weeks Of confinement"
Continuing, he said:
'FWomen doing the heaviest work only get
what in your money would be So a week, and
lads and girls only get from 81 to 81. 80.
Take off the tariff, which in this
case is strictly protection to American
industry and this factory would close up.
You couldn't make tile in this country.
Work for which in this place we pay 81. %
and $3.50 day to man is done in Eng
land for So week by woman"
Do you honestly think the condition of the
employees of the Encaustic Tile Works would
be bettered by free trade, which, in the opin-
ion Of one who knows, would instantly close
up the works here9
2. Competition is the life of trade, and the
protective tariff has induced just such compe-
tition. An example will illustrate. 1t was
only few years ago that we paid England
1857 per ton for steel rails The tariff enabled
Americans to establish steel mill plants, and
the competition brought about thereby has
resulted in such a marked reduction in price
that steel rails made by American men are
sold at $29 ton-a reduction of more than
rs per cent They can be made more cheaply
in one way only-by reducing the wages Of
the workingmen.
g. You mistake the term ''pauper labor"
in general use. British labor compared with
our own, is all pauper labor, because of such
beggarly wages, as shown by Mr.. Darling, who
worked side by side with women who did
mems work for So week. Free trade will
better Englands industries only at the expense