Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-07
TUESDAY, AUGUST !, ISIS.
a cARpENTER'S EXPERTENCE.

Inc DgDDllkS "a NA0 a A0t~NNtf- 1850
cannot be shown to better advantage
than by the many illustrations which
workingmen are constantly giving in
talking about their experience. The
editor Of the EVENING JOURNAL in
casual conversation with retired car
penter day or two ago drew out one
Of these illustrations almost after the
first remark. The man is nearly sew
enty five years old. He voted for
ssTippecanoe and Tyler too" IN 1910 but
he was not talking politics when he
gave his experience as house builder
fifty years ago. He said;
II began the pursuit Of my calling
at seventy cents aday, with living
Just as high. but not nearly 60 good as
to-day. At this rate / had employment
usually during six or seven months IN
the year. Along the year 1850 and up
to the war was getting s1.07 q day
and was idle usually during i've
or six months in the year. To he
sure during the winter / made pre-
carious living in the shop as cab
met maker. quit the trade when the
war broke out and went to farming.
But during that trouble and ever since
carpenters have averaged twice what
they did in the best days before the
war. These carpenters in this town
600 inhabitants) are getting $s.25
day or $l.75 day and their board,
while they live Just as cheaplY, barr
ing meat, as / did fifty years ago. These
men save one half easily of what they
are getting, because they have work the
whole year. There is much greater
demand for their labor than there was
for the labor OF the carpenters thirty
or forty years ago."
This illustrates precisely the condi'
ton of almost every mechanic in the
country. The protective policy, in
augurated with the war, has multi
piled the opportunities fer employ
inent SO greatly that wages rate nearly
twice to-day what they did thirty
years ago. Employment is steady now
to steady men, ana employment il
what we all want and must have,
When we have plenty of work at fair
wages we are not only willing, but
also able to pay for fair living.
The teachings Of Jefferson, Madison,
Monroa and Adams gave the country
the protective system Of 1918 and
again Of 1924 The blessings Of it fol.
lowed go rapidly that by 1880 the
whole land was at peace. Even
party feeling had almost died out. It
was the "era Of good feeling" Then
it was that Calhoun's teachings first
were heard in the land. Treason was
threatened by South Carolina because
of the tariff, ana Clay, the temporizer,
invented sliding schedule Of duties,
which fell 10 per centum yearly, and
was to reach free trade pure and sim
pie in 1912. But the crash Of 1888 80
taught the people q lesson. General
Harrison was elected President on the
protective issue alone in 1910. Then
came the tariff of 1S42 only to be
crippled by revenue reduction" legis-
lation out of fear that Calhoun
and his disciples would rent the
Democratic party. From thai
time forward until the wal
came the country and the times went
from bad to worse. SO bad, indeed
that both Pierce's and Buchanan'i
administrations had to borrow money
to pay the incidental expenses Of tn,
government. SO bad were the time
and credit Of the country that Rober
J. Walker, the high priest of fire.
trade, was compelled to accept q dis
count Of 10 per centum in the market
of Europe for American bonds OF
which he borrowed money for tn
monthly pay rolls at Washington.
Low duties Brought the Unitel
States to this pitifui condition. The
came the war, and with it the Morril
tariff. Notwithstanding the waste an,
desolation Of that war, the countr
prospered. The tariff enabled us t
pay off 81, 900, OOO,O OF debt, and in
creased Ia twenty-five years th
wealth of the nation four-fold.
made new land out Of America.
produced for the better the most NAL
velous change that was ever recorde
in the history Of humanity. And "
the free traders, for the sake Of
theory, out Of sheer wanton stubborn
ness, would like to change all thi
They would take US back TO tn
crisis Of 1888. or the pltiful povert
and makeshifts of 1858 go. The
would do all this for nothing bett,
than an idea, Calhoun's idea, balefu
rancorous, treason-stained idea.
The old carpenter whose simple stat
ment of fact is given above has mo
sense, a truer and more rational col
ception Of political economy than Ca
houn and all his deluded disciple
A workingman's experience is worl
more as a guide to right political a
tion than are the theories Of un
versity of schoolmen.
------------