The Labor enquirer., 1886-02-06

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worth cent now his administrator
returned the amount Of his estate unde
oath as being $42. 900, GOO
Ask the bondholders who in the darl
DAYS of the republic patrioticallv tool
its bonds at 30 cents on the dollar
these men for whom we have taken q
much care to preserve the public credit
and who now come to you TO- day ant
ask you to demonetize silver and pa,
their bonds in gold. All yes, this is the
way they have made all they have
Yoyr little property today is worth
81, ,OOOln Wall Street gold, but strike out
silver and you will find that it is wortl
but $500. Why not double the value o,
your property by legislative act in.
stead of doubling the value of theirsP
Ask the railroad monopolies as to this
$43, ,OOO, 10000 Of wealth. You will find
that from beggars they have become
aristocrats. From pennies they have al
one bound gone to millions; and the
truth is, that all of this wealth has been
taken from the people without any con,
sideration paid therefore. There must
be some remedy found and applied to
this evil. If twenty-fveVears to come
shall add to the suffering Of the produc-
ing classes in the same ratio that the last
twenty-five wears havas what may we
expect. -e
This is far from being pleasant sub
ject to talk upon. Let q man word his
sentiments as he may,it sounds like
demagoguery. But when we are brought
to face these cold, relentless figures that
establish these facts as plainly as twice
two makes four, 1t will not do to attempt
to denv or palliate. 1t is far better to
honestly seek at once for some remedy.
am not 80 presunptuous as to claim
that haveaaenedy for these evils, but
wish to leave; with you few sugges-
tions:
Ofwhat benefit ls the protec ectiye tariff
to the producers?
1t is very strange indeed that upon all
questions except that of protection"
capital and labor appear to be at enmity.
But when you talk about free trade the
capitalist at once draws his sword and
swears that "free, intelligent Amer ican
labor shall be protected" L.
Now protective tariff, as to the capt.
talist means that no foreign made goods
shall enter this market to sell in oppo-
sition to his manufactures. On all i'm
ported necessaries of life there is a duty
of about 40 per cent. This presumes
that our home manufacturers may sell
these articles at 40 per cent in advance
of their value, or nearly double what
they are WORTH Vino pays that for
them? Every citizen that purchases, in
GLIDING the wage worker that works in
the factory to produce the article. He
pays nearly double what it is worth.
Now if the wage worker got the bene-
fl of 1t by increased wages, no one
would complain; but we have seen that
he does not. He is reduced to starva-
ton wages. 1t becomes necessary for
the manufacturer to allow him enough
10 keep him in working order, and that
is just about what he does allow him.
Take the difference in table living in the
cities of this country and in England,
and you will find-it much cheaper there.
Take the difference In wages paid, and
there is not so much difference; not
enough to justify our manufacturers in
in English labor; they haveto
get cheaper class. But the great diff
ference comes when we find that the
English laborer purchases his clothing
at from 40 to 60 per cent cheaper and
other necessaries at about 40 per cent
cheaper.
But it is said that the protective tariff
deyelopes our infant industries" and
protection gives competition" Our
infant industries have been thus unduly
developed until we have about twice the
amount of machinery that is necessary
to supply our people. As for "competi-
ton" you find that as soon as the inter-
ests of capital begin to clash the capi-
talists combine. You have your "gro,
GERS exchange your ''dry goods ex-
change" your Hardware exchange"
your petroleum exchange" and 80 on
without number These exchanges fix
the price at which articles shall be sold,
and the amount that shall be produced
or manufactured. But recently the
hardware exchange estimated the
number of tons of iron and steel raj l.
road rails that could be manufactured
this year ana the price at which they
should sell. -.- .#.s . E.. 9,
Competition in any of these lines is
like competition in railroading. This
confidence game will do to play on the
people until the last dollar of subsidy
has been obtained, and then when your
competing line comes to town 1t imme.
dlately goes into the pool, and the pool
commissioner raises the freights. He
finds the same amount of freights to be
shipped and an additional railroad that
must have profits on its stock. Right
here in the city of Denver with all its
competing lines freights are much
higher to-day than they were when You
only had one line (the Kansas Pacific