Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1888-09-06
NUMBER 20.

a WRITER In the Chicago Times
learns from the census that there are
in the United states 1882 ,O99 wage
earners of whom 905,5 ,5S5 Cat the
highest estimate in 1860 are pro-
tected or work for protected indus
tries. OF these 16,4S6,514 unpro-
tected wage earners 13,SS6,504 are
working for American wages and the
American market, while 2,500,210
are working for foreign wages and a
foreign market by producing sur
plus not wanted here, which must be
sold abroad and the payment for
which must be imported. Does pro-
lection. we inquire, raise the wages
directly of the $3.50, 304 unprotect-
ed workers? We think not. Then
if protection is benefit, is it not
fact that the highly protected 905.-
$50 wage earners are about the only
bonGficiarles? 1t certainly looks
that way TO us. What Improvement
that comes from this protective sys-
TEN to the masses of laborlng men
must come from the overflow that
benefits the few or 1t does not come
at all. The same writer presents
the following facts and figures which
will do to read and study as refu@
tation Of good portion of the Re-
publican campaign thunder of the
Blame variety:
"Nothing Is known concerning these
1850 protected Industries, employ
ing the highly protected 905,5S5
workers, except what was torn out
Of them by the census. They are
permitted to blackmall every person
III the United States, to tax the peo-
pie much more in single year than
would pay all the expenses of the
government for many years; but
there is no state or federal superyis-
ion. No accounts are kept and no
reports are made. No one is per-
mitted to know how much the tax
levied by any industry or mill may
be; how much of 1t goes for wages;
how much Is lost in wasteful pro-
cesses hoG much goes into the en-
ployer's pocket that is above and
beyond a fair profit. Not protect
ed mill-owner in the United States
Will give the public single fact
concerning his wages, his profits, or
his expenses. They say, 1--WE pay
high wages" When asked how
high, they answer, That's none Of
your business. They say "Our
profits are small" When asked
what per cent, they answer, That's
none of your business. They, say,
owe charge but little more than the
British manufacturer. When asked
how much more, they answer,
That's none of your business.
They say, "Our protection is small"
eve pay more than our protection
in wages" "If not protected, there
would be nothing for wages" And
to every request for FACTS instead of
assertions, they reply, "The exact
facts are none of your business.
This was the answer, In effect, re-
turned to the secretary of the treas
ury Of the United States by ninety
SIX out of every one hundred to
whom he wrote in 1885 asking for
exact facts concerning their protect
ed mills and workshops-the wages
paid, amount of protection, and the
difference in price here and abroad
of their product. OF the 1,005 cot
ton mills but one returned reply
that was not direct evasion.
From the census alone can any
facts be obtained. That was taken
by the friends of protection and so
compiled as to hide as far as possible
the facts concerning protected In
dustrles; but enough is revealed to
the careful student of ITS tables TO
throw much light on this question of
wages. Each manufacturer was
compelled to return the average
number of workers employed during
the year aud the total amount of
wages paid during the year, and
these figures could not be united
always with others.
A general view of sixteen indus
tries, in which about so per cent. of
the 905 ,5S5 protected workers are
engaged, shows the following:
Av. Av.