Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-23
An Old Argument of the Protec
tiOnistS.

tiOnists.
The main reason advanced by the pro-
tect;onists in their arguments before the
WAYS and Means Committee in opposition
to the Morrison tariff bill is that a further
reduction of the tariff would result in a
reduction in the wages of American work
men. They have always urged, and they
urge now, a high protective tariff in order
that American workmen shall not be re-
duccd to the level of the alleged pauper
laborers of Europe. On last Wednesday,
for instance, the earthenware and glass
ware manufacturers were given a hear
ing. They repeated the old story about the
great differences in wages in this country
and Europe, and insisted that they could
not stand any further reduction without re-
ducing the wages of their wOrkmen or
Gripping their business. One importer
of glass. who was before the committee,
said that the manufacturers could very
we'll make a reduction on their wares Of
% per cent. in favor of consumers and still
make a very handsome profit. The pre-
tensions of the protectionists that they
care so much for the interests
of American wOrkmen are not worthy Of
consideration. They force labor down to
the lowest point by every means in their
power. Are not the Pennsylvania coal
mine owners importing the cheapest and
most ignorant laborers that they can find
i'm Europe: Do not the glass manufac-
turers import wOrkmen from Europe to
compete with American labor and force
down the price of it: The fact that
wOrkmen are imported in large
numbers was admitted before
the Ways and Means Committee.
1t must require considerable assurance
on the part of the prOtectionists to de-
mand protection for American labOrers
when they are doing all they can to lower
wages. 1t is an unsettled question
whether the laborers of Europe are not
about as well off as the labOrers in this
country. The New York Commercial
| Bulletin quotes some remarks of Major
Haggerty, a member Of the New York
/ Assembly, who formerly represented this
/ country abroad as Consul, on this point.
The remarks are from a speech delivered
in the Assembly few days ago, and are
as follows:
The poor are being ground down in
/ this country as they are not in any cOun-
try on the face of the earth, and don't
/ forget. | have thought of that question
very thoroughly. In the old country,
where we hear so much about starvation
lines, there are mitigatiOns. Society does
not demand as much of the labOrer in the
old country as it does here, and in my eX
perience they are better lodged. When |
went to the other side as United States
Consul. in 1869. | received instruc-
tions from my government to give them a
report of the wages paid TO the artisans,
with view of making a comparison be-
tween the wages paid here and there, and,
to my utter establishment, l found l was
completely corrected in the opinion that
the American labOrer was the best paid
laborer on the face of the earth. | found
blickIavers and stOnemasOns, tailOrS and
shOemakers, if not receiving as many
shillings, yet, in rent and provisions, hay-
ing a larger income than the labOring
man of New York"
Mr.. Robert Porter throughout last sum-
mer. wrote letters to the New York Tn
bune giving the idea that the labOrers of
Europe are little better than paupers. Is
not Mai. Haggerty as good if not better
authority than Mr. Porter: The CONNER
cidl Bulletin thinks so.