The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-25
LABOR AND PROTECTION.
The Underlying Cause OF the Present Labor
Troubles Clearly Defined.

The Underlying Cause OF the Present Labor
Troubles Clearly Defined.
Indiana Farmer, March 81.
The census returns of 1880 showed that there
were over 100000 people of this country VINO
worked for wages. A very large per cent of
that number, but for our tariff duties on foreign
productions, would be in competition with wage
workers of European countries whose organic
structure. landed and electoral systems, reserve
power to the few, and strike down the lights of
the many, and whose abnormal systems enable
capital to dictate wages and compel acceptance
or starvation. This is a fact inwrought in the
life, thought and fibre of the American people.
All history teaches that when o people are
brought to the apprehension of truth by
disaster and suffering, that truth becomes
part of the fibre and life Of such peo-
pie. In the ratio of increased and increasing in
telligence must this be more perceptibly true,
for the history of the times is written more and
more in the concrete. The important lesson of
protection from abnormal conditions abroad was
very palnably taught by hard experience in this
country during two noted periods of departure
from the American idea Of protection, when en-
prizes dominated and experiments were launched
on the world of industry; when the fires of in
dustry went out, and the industrial eenters dis
persed their skilled workers to unskilled pur-
suits in fields and forests to their bread,
which could not be done in competition with
free importation of foreign goods. Like the
deals endured in the wilderness of sn free trade
disasters wrought the truth into our national
lfe but again, like that ancient people, not so
strongly but empires, who profit little by the
past, may thrust plausible theories in the fore
ground and disturb the country and its indus
tries
In very large measure the existing labor agi-
tation is but protest to free-trade agitation.
This protest has its origin In the inwrought prin
ns~~ IL Is H. II.
clearly defined nor perceived by those moved by
them, and yet palpable. as by intuition. Using
the illustration in mlder form, Congress seems
to be initiating the emperor when Rome was
burning. That body seems utterly oblivious to
the cause of the deep, loud protest of labor
against breaking down the only barrier to lower
wages. None know well the workers
themselves that the reduction of duties of 10 to
20 per cent on foreign goods means lower wages
for them in this country. And manufacturers
are also deferred from venturing beyond actual
necessity while-agitation is pending in Congress.
And SO the wage workers are put on short time,
aud made less able to consume, and here the
farmers come in for their share of the hardship
by reason of lower prices on their products. and
so all suffer together by this threatened raid on
the settled conditions of the industries, for the
qualification of mere theorists in political econ
omy.
The great farming industry of this country is
otherwise involved in the question for lie the
pursuits, then does that mean such dispropor-
tionate distribution of industry to overdo
farming, and leave sparse and indifferent mar
kets lower and lower prices for farm productions
If driven from skilled industry. there is nothing
left for livelihood, and bread for the workers
but to dispense to the lands
We are not alarmists. While this is the tend
dency Of the agitation in Congress, we believe
that such men as Judge Kelley. Mr.. Samuel
Randall and their coadjutors of both the great
parties, will be able to impress the lessons of
history on their kindergarten associates as to
stay the tide Within the past few days many
intelligent wage-workers, some of whom long
since escaped the conditions of labor in Europe,
have appeared before the tariff committee of Con-
gress and given warning of the tendency of that
body to disaster. This has been fruitful,
and it is now believed that the agitation will soon
end in the signal defeat of the tinkerers and if
that shall be emphatic, then We shall soon see an
end of the labor troubles, for it will all mean a
revival of business and a proportionate increase
of pay, which always accompanies general pros
perity of all the industries. And then comes
better prices for wheat. corn, meat and all the
farm staples, because, employed and we'll paid,
eighteen millions of wage-workers will be able
to live well and pay their way, which means
largely-increased consumption.