The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1888-10-26
WHY, AGAIN.


The main prop which republicans de-
pend upon 20 support their tariff theory i
that protection regulates and secures high
wages 10 laborcrs. II this proposition can
be dispr6ved, then their whole scheme Of
protection for projections sake" falls 10
the ground. Thatit can be disproved, friends
of revenue reform have no doubt For
the correctness Of the figures which We
give below we refer TO "First annual re.
port of the commissioner of labor" Now,
II II be true that protective tariff regulates
and secures high wages why do carders In
carpet manufacturing establishments In
Massachusetts receive but an average daily
wages of s. cents, while In New York the
average daily wages are $rs4. OF course
both states and the whole Of the nation are
under the same protective tariff law. Dyers
In Massachusetts receive SIo8 per day,
and in Conneeticut Si7s per day. Spin
ners, female, % cents In Massachusetts and
$I.o7 IN New York. Spoilers In Pennsyl-
vania IS cents, and Stzs In New York.
Helpers In blacksmith shops receive $I.7s
In Connecticut and 9s cents IN Pennsyi.
vania. Cutters In clothing establishments
receive In New York STo7, and In Penn
sylvania SIo3. Firemen In Missouri re.
Sa.3t, and In Virginia $i.o4, and In Great
Britain 81 cents. Mine bosses in Indiana
receive $3.50, and In Virginia SI.69 per
day. Beamers In GOTTEN manufacturing ca.
adjustments 10 Pennsylvania receive 81.
In Maryland ~ cents, In Virginia s. cents,
and In Great Britain 90 cents. carders re.
ceSye In New York SI.zo, Great Britain SO
lima II cents. Cloth room hands receive IN
Great Britain Sr.2o, Georgia IS cents, and
Maine oS cents. Cutters In tobacco estabi
Ishments In North Carolina receive 81 cents,
and in Missouri Sz.3s per day. In North
Carols na packers receive 90 cents, and In
Connecticut 1888 per day. Finishers in
wooIen establishments in New Jersey re-
ceive rs cents, In Great Britain 81 cents,
and In Missouri 81 per day. Wool sorters
In NeS jersey receive So cents, and In
Maryland S2.2o. Now itprotec.ion regu-
ates and secures high wages, why this
great difference In the price Of the same
kind of labor In different states all of which
are under the same protective tariff laws.
The fact that the price Of labor varies so
much In different states, and the further
fact tina. the difference in wages In many
of the states Is as great as between many OF
the states and Great Britain is conclusive
proof that protection does not affect the
price Of labor. The inexorablc truth is
that the great law Of supply and demand
regulates the price of labor rs II does the
price Of wheat when each Is free from com
bInes and trusts. Can any one mention
manufacturer. who Is beAefeiary of pro
lection. who eyer raised the wages Of his
employees simply because he was protect
ed? Notone. Manufacturers pay just such
wages as they ara compellei 70 pay and no
more. Would It be in the nature of things
to find farmers paying more for harvest
hands when wheat sells for So cents per
bushei than when Il sells for 60 centss Ger
tainly not, and protected monopolists are
not more humane, liberal or charitable
than farmers. II is beyond question that
protection has nothing to do In regulating
wages.