Daily Republican., 1885-05-12
Eng,ish Raj iroaas and PrOtoctiO

mg ltAh k01 1rOo0o ana frOtoctlOm'
Robert P. Porter, an ex-member Of
the tariff commission, who has done
good work for the cause Of protectio n
by comparing labor, labor wages, and
the cause of business depression in thi 81
country and European nations in his
correspondence with the Philadelphia
Press, from Crewes, England, gives an
intelligent insight into the railway
systems Of England and the wages
paid for railroad employees. Mr.. Por-
ter says that in spite Of paying their
employees only about half the rates paid
for similar labor in the U. S. and OBJ
tanning their iron and steel at aless cost
than we do, English railways are enabled
wiring from the people higher rates of
passenger fares and higher ch argos for
freight than any other European coun-
tries, Turkey excepted. Such a sys-
ten must be very lucrative to stock
holders, but the people have to foot the
bills, and lack of sympathy with the
working classes and admiration for
moneyed monopolies in England by
the ruling classes, prevents any redress
for the extortion.
AS we have been met so often by the
free traders assertion that the tariff on
steel rails makes travel dear in this
country, and is a tax on the poor man,
how can they reconcile this with the
ascertained fact that in the United
States travel costs on the average l d.
per mile, while in England it costs l I'D
Per mile ?
But by far the most interesting por
tion of Mr.. Porter's letter relates to tn
comparative wages paid railroad mel
in the two countries.
Railroad employees in this countr,
think their wages full low enough, bu
how would they like to have thei
wages cut in two, or what woul
American conductors think Of gettin
but s. and 81 per week. Yet these ar
the salaries of the English railwa
guard. The engine drivers on Ameri
can railways would also think thi
theless, that three-fourths of the entiI
number employed in various capacitie
AZ porters, brakesmen, pointsmen, etc
are paid even less wages than this, "
rying from 81, and even 50 81 per wee
to S..
But we are told that men could n
live in this country on such wages.
Very true neither can they live {
such wages in England. How do the
live, then, we are asked? Mr.. Port
has the answer. They live by doles
few soppers from the passengers /
shillings given for unla wful purpose
20 20
one carriage by himself, perhaps throul
the night, and to stuff six other hum
beings into the fetid atmosphere OF
single compartment. These men Ii
by the. sacrifice of independence d
honesty.
They become mendicants and be
gars instead of the neatly dressed,
dependent and polite railroad emplo,
of America. This is what free-tr
does for railroad men in England, a
this is what it will do for railroad m
in the United States when the prin
Piles of Morrison, Carlisle and HUI
leaders of tie free-trade Democracy
the country ARE given full sway.
1t should be noticed that the diff
ence in the price of steel and other II
fOAu maIorldl, auu Tue uluorenCe IN
cost of labor does not go into the pc
cts of the masses of the people of
gland, but into the capacious nav
monopolists who have grown thri
and wealthy while the poor have
come still more impoverished.
And this is sample of the practi
working of free-trade which so ma
of our countrymen boast about, a
which 30 many of our people are try
TO introduce into the United States.
Is strange indeed that while in Engls
we see and hear the murmurings Of
pressed labor, and see the muster
hosts of the people enlisting to fl
this free-trade monopoly, thousa
upon thousands of workmen in
United States are working and vot
to establish the same system oflabor
this country. Free-trade has sap
away the vitals of England and
people are gradually awaking to
fact. To attempt to fasten such
nicious system of labor in this couI
would undermine our industrial edi
aud destroy what generation Of so
protection would be unable to restor