New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-17
WHAT PROTECTION is WORTN.

WHAT PROTECTION is UORTH
In this city of Ncw-Y York, according to the
census in 1850. there were employed in man
ufaclurcs 1919 adult males, 7l.79j females,
and 9,37S children in all 227,3l2 persons.
These received wages amounting to $91,OO0,-
coo yeaily The number now employed i'll
manufacturing in this city is much larger and
the wages paid in the aggregate are larger
but on the basis of the census return il may be
inferred that nearly 100000 persons are sup
ported by the labor Of those employed in man
ulacturing establishments.
According TO the latest official comparison of
the wages in tins country and in Great Britain.
viz, that made by the Massachusetts Labor
Bureau. the average rate of wages in this conn
fry is about 90 per cent higher than in Great
Britain. Hence instead of %o1.OOO.OOO paid
in.wagcs to persons employed in manufactures
in this city in 1850. there would be paid at the
British rate about 100000, 900 The number
employed at this time, and the wages paid, are
larger than in 1850. and the difference in
wages is therefore larger. But it Is sale 10 say
that the population here supported by manu-
lactuting receives ut least 37,O0OOOO moro
each year in wages than would be received at
the British rate.
1t comes to this, then, that the protective sys-
tenn, by securing to the working people of this
city American instead of British wages, bone
tits them directly to the extern, of 37.OO0,ooo
yearly. u, least. If the number thus supported
be taken M 100000 the difference il nearly
$40 for each person. The average number al
persons in n family is about five; for cacn fam
ly, therefore. in thi, city, the supply resulting
from manufacturing labor is about $50 more
than il would DC il the British instead of the
American system of taxation were III force.
Nor is this all There are here employed in
various branches of trade and transportation
40, persons, mostly male adults, and in
personal and professional service 100000
PERSONS of whom about half are male adults.
Thus we have a working population OF 220, 900
males and 10000 females in this city, not
directly employed in manufactures, but whose
wages, nevertheless are largely affected by the
wages which the protective system secures to
manufacturing workers. The reason for this is
obvious. If the 100000 persons engaged in
manufacturing labor could get only British
wages, they would at once seek employment i'll
other branches of labor in transportation, or
on the wharvcs, on the railroads, i'll the stores
or shops, or as house-servants, or in other
branches of personal or professional service. 1t
needs no argument to show that such c0mpc-
tition would at once depreSs the wages paid to
labor in all these branches to a level correspond
Ing with that OF manufacturing labor. Hence,
while no duty that can be imposed directly
affects the wages OF the fooman, or the porter,
the car-drivcr the clerk, or the common laborcr,
nevertheless, the wages Of all these are lifted
;t-f Of,
features are raised, because tho high level of
wages is secured to large portion of the
workers.
1t may be assumed that the wages of persons
employed in trade and transportation and in
personal and professional service are in proper
ton to their number about as high as the wages
paid to persons employed in manufactures.
At that rate, then, about $50, 900, 900 are now
paid in wages to those employed in trade and
transportation and in personal and professional
service. If these wages are raised By the nilu-
ence Of the protective system as much As the
wages in manufacturing cmployments, those
who now receive $4,000, 900 yearly would
receive at British rates SSO,O00,OJO yearly.
Nor does this seem an unreasonable estimate
when we compare the known wages paid here
Apparently, therefore. the entire addition to
the wages of the laborng population in this
city, by reason of the protective system, is not
less than $4,000, 900 yearly.
ltrests with the people of this city, when they
cast their votes few weeks hence, to decide
whether they wish this system broken down
and the wages Of labor in this country reduced
to the English level. A very large proportion
of these voters havc'cOmc from other countries
because they were not satisfied with the re-
wards Of labor there and desired the hi CHER re-
wards obtained in this country by voting to
sustain the Democratic party they can, if they
wish, encourage that party to propose, and eDa-
bic 1t to carry, change of tariff even more rad
cal than was proposed by Mr.. Morrison last
winter, and supported by more than iour-ilIths
IF the Democratic members Of the House. IL
Ia for the voters OF this city TO decide whether
they wish TO take OIL SS7,00O.O00 year from