The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-05-13

llNlDR III EnBlhl"' va kohuini PIN
ciples, should Judge that the difference
hitherto existing between wages In the
two countries (England and America) Ia
lessening rather than Increasing" How
coulf thls be II our present tariff was
really productive for labOrp
Let ns examine into this by q cOmpar-
ison OF the wages and tax In the pro-
ducts In the w0olen and cotton indus'
tries,
Wooden industry, 1880;
Wages IN 400 q producla, ,,.",,,,...,,.",,tl7 g
Materials IN 400 OF products, " bu
Tariff tax on materials "a 0Q
excess VI tAh over wages eh',,,,,,t,,'',',,,,,' upl
Excess OF tai over proit t,,,,,,,,u,,',',,,,,' bbO
This shows that both labor and capi
tai are cheated by this unnecessary tax,
and how II neutrallZea the great Opp0r-
tunlties our natural advantages and nn.
bounded resources offer TO labor and
capital alike.
The cost Of materala In piece Of ingram carpet 2b
yaIds) Is tB2 90,
farlf tax on sumo dy,d, 40 per cent, ...,t2l 90
Wages IN same, o cents per yard,,,",,,u,",,, 2 90
Excess Of tariff tax over wages s,,,n.,,,,,,,,o,tia 90
This tax wonld pay the wages for wea.
wing over again, the winding, wear and
tear OF machinery, and all other factory
expenses, and still leave small balance
for profit.
Yet the manufacturers OF Philadelphia
q little more ihln year ago permitted
q strike OF several months duration
agaif 8. q reduction OF | cent per yard
In the weaver's wages but said not q
word against this enormous tax, which
amounts 10 1884 cents yard, showing
on excess OF TAX over wages OF l0lG
cents.
In the iaceof these striking facts why
Ia II that the difference between Amerl'
can and European wages ls 30 constant.
ly harped upopp IL II to Impress the
American workman with the notion that
his income Ia princely compared with
that of his less fortunate fellow across
the water, and 80 far as "mlsery loves
company" persuade him TO be contented
because somebody Ia worse of than him
selfp The state Of his bank account Just
low, however, dispels that delus.
Ion most tifectnally, and no Ia awak-
enlng 10 a realization OF the Ques
tlon whether this great country does
not offer him natural opportunities TO be
still better Off, and 10 long az he Ia not,
whether there IN not something that
hampers him, and that something IL the
fault OF the lawmakers who have inter.
posed obstacles to the free expansion OF
his powers and their reward, nnd have
wldened the gap between labor and its
compensation.
The other design Of this harping evi.
IDENTIFY Is 10 keep our people under the
impression that the present tarlfl IL for
the sole purpose OF keeping up wages
here 10 o high standard, that the differ
ence In wages alone Ia what forces tho
imposition OF high tariff duties. that
there are no other causes but that djiier-
ence In wages that operate against us,
and thus to keep them blinded TO the
real cause OF the trouble out OF which
the few reap rich harvesta ut the ex-
penee OF tho many, But when they And
that manufacturers are importing cloth
In the "grease" and anlshlng II here
because II Is more profitable TO import
II ready woven than TO buy the material
and weave II here, and when they llnd
manufacturers laying on hands In their
weaving and spinning mills because
they can buy the cloth and fabric
brought from Europe as cheap as they
can buy the materials, although the
wage account In the fabric Is as great
there as elsewhere, when they lnd
manufacturers reali2lnga profit OF 20
per cent, on capital, watered stock and
all besides q large surplus, while they
pay their hands an average OF 80 cents
per day OF eleven and twelve hours, In
cludlrg The pay OF the bosses, they know
that there IL n screw loose somewhere
else than In the wage account, and that
q general revision and readjustment OF
the tariff laws IL necessary more than q
general reduction or q general Increase,
and that reform In their administration
Ia imperative. We have been taught 10 |
this by bitter experience,
Them attempt has never been made
10 protect or restrict tho labor
market II has always been and
IL free, and we are compelled 10 sell our
labor In cheap market, that ~, our EN-
ployers are free TO draw their labor from |
The markets OF tho world and there Ia no |
protection for ue against II. Numerous
instances Of the damaging effect Of this |
have recently been brought home TO US. |
On the other hand, when we 20 Into the |
market for the necessities Of life we Gnd
Il restricted and placed under the abeo
lutte control OF favored claee, ard
hence any increase OF wages wo do on
Iorce Ia taken from ua again In the In.
,reaee In the prices OF comm0dl 'lea, etc
md thus one OF the greatest objects OF |
labor Ia nulliAed,
For tho purpose, therefore, OF making |
)ur organic d efforts OF aome uto aud I
benefit 10 ua, we now demand aToadjust- |
nent OF thel avs that shall youcheafe |
70 US n falr nd equal chance In the |
-ace OF llfo--that our right 10 "life, lib
,rty and happiness" shall not continue |
10 DO clrcumecrlbed-b believing also that |
Nj h fair chance NJ the bOuntiee OF |
which our country possesses
more than any othor, we eau dare the
world 10 Guido US, that with oil reetrlc.
ions and burdeDeome leyloa remove d |
No can rival the natione OF tho world |
md take away from them tho supremacy |
IN land or eea. We fall, too, 10 zoe how |
| eystem under which colossal fortunes
have bpen accumulated In q trloe by the |
'ew, while the masses have sunk deeper
md deeper into poverty, and under
which the greatest uprlelng a labor
.he world has ever seen haa been caused,
,an DO OF any permanent benellt to up. |
Does II not stand 10 reason That this |
treat uprising which couli not have |
arisen without o cause other than in-
ierent love OF strife in tho people Ia tho |
)eet evidence that all tho benefits aria.
ng from tho eystom hae been diverted |
nto tho potseasion Of tho few while tho |
nats went empty handed, for 10 IL no |
onger necessary 10 acour Europe 10 llnd |
,auper labor. We have II here In our
ron and coal mines working Tor rs |
,ents q day, and skilled operatives IN
'ur cotton and woolen mills working !
or less than 80 centp q day, our labor. |
'rs In rolling mills being blessed with
|, IN rat nans tuaronna IN hrinU ~ than I'm