The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-25
FACTS ABOUT WAGES.

VIZ Articles Manufaetured in Europe
United States. r.
Belgium Cor. Cleveland Leader
The other day went into the iron
works here. The owner employs 200
menmaking steel wagon springs. They
are shipped to France, England and
America.
When l asked the splendid workmen
what they were getting day for their
skilled labor at the forge, they said:
Seventy cents (3k francs) day, sir. !"
but how can you live on that ?" l
asked, Tor | see you eat American -four
and American bacon, which cost more
here in Belgium than in America" lsf-s
"Weu, we don't eat so much as they
do in America" they said. eve never
think of having meat oftener than twice a
week. We live on soups and vegetables.
We live about as badly as the Chinese.
We wear cotton clothes only. Our stom-
aehs are accustomed to famine. Dry
black bread tastes good to US. They say
you had a DR.. Tanner in America who
lived forty days on water. We do a
good deal as DR.. Tanner did"
| What the man said was true, for this
seventy cents would not buy so much
food in Belgium as it will in Cleveland.
From the workmen went to the mill
owner. He lived in nice house and
kept carriage He was nice Christian
man, who loved his men. He had been
forge-man once himself.
''Why do you not pay your men higher
wages p 1 asked. ''Such men get 50 80
| in Cleveland, Ohio"
F'The reason is this" he said II ship
my wagon springs to America. have
to pay $40 on every 500 worth of springs
sent there. That $40 comes off my men s
wages. II it came off of me would be
ruined in a day.
''But they pay 50 so a day in America, P"
suggested.
Eyes, but they are protected there.
The manufacturer gets $40 more for
every 500 worth of his springs than l do.
That $40 enables him to pay these high
wages. His men get every cent of it.
But suppose they should reduce the
tariff in America, as Congressman Frank
Hurd and the Democratic party generally
want them to-" l asked.
"Well the price of wagon springs
would fall forty per cent. We would
ship our springs there if springs were
higher than in Belgium and fill the
market. You do not think the Yankees
could pay 50 80 per day for labor and
make springs as cheaply as we can and
pay men seventy cents, do your
"Would a production of the tariff in
America break up their iron works ?"
asked.
ENC" said the Belgian. cit wouldn't
break them up, but they would have to
| shut down for while"
"Well, how long?"
''Why, until the American workman
was starved down into working for sew
enty cents day Then they'd start up
again. Then Belgium and the United
States would be alike Both would have
the same priced labor. America is now
the only nation on the globe that pays
50 30 day for labor. She does it be-
cause she has tariff 3"
Then why don't you go over there
and start mandatory p asked
Because | would be no better off than
here. My men would get almost four
| times as much wages as here; but /, as a
mill owner, would make no more money.
make as much money here as could in
| AmGElCd. lou SEE live Ill d uICC HOuoC'
| could do no more in America. 1t is the
laboring man in America that is benefited
by the tariff, not the mill owner "
''But there is Congressman in Ohio,
Frank Hurd," l said, 'who advocates
taking off this tariff
There isl"
eyes; he advocates it publicly"
'And laboring men listen to him p
eyes"
And don't know that this Hurd would
take the bread out of their children's
mouths; yes, starve them down to sew
enty cents day p
"Oh," | said, suppose he fools some
of them"
well, he said, I'm an old man.
I've worked at the forge for fifty cents a
day myself and say feelingly that a
man so ignorant and wicked as to in
jure the workmen of America-why
these workmen ought to rise up in theiI
indignation and sweep him from the earth.
He isn't fit to receive the votes of a free
people. !"