Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-04-05
Labor and the Tarin.

COrreopOnQeut from MhnntA NTltes lOI
information regarding the effects of the tar
in, whether low tariff is Of more benefit to
the laboring class than a high tariff, and
whether the removal of tarlff duties does not
have tendency to cheaper articles, and con-
sequently reduce the wages Of labor.
All must admit there is great diversity
of opinion upon the tariff question. Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike differing as to
methods and results. II is well known that
this country never had Al per cent. or high
tariff, until the year 1865, and that the coun-
try grew and prospered before that
date, as il has since. But is the labor
ing class as contented to-day as it was
before the high tariff? We think
not. Wages have always been higher in this
country than in the Old World, alike under
low tariffs and high tariffs, and it must be ad-
mitted that wages to-day are higher in the
non-protected than in the protected indus
tries. Iron, coal and steel, especially these
interests in Pennsylvania, were protected to
give labor higher wages. But does it? The
tariff was no sooner put on than the coal and
iron barons commenced to import pauper Ia
Dor from Europe because they could get it
much cheaper than American labor. And
the high tariff was no sooner inaugurated in
this country, than perfect stream of labor
immigration commenced, coming here and
competing with our labor. The result is,
those protected barons have become million
airs, while the laborers are on a strike half
the time to get wages enough to keep soul
and body together. Oh, yes, protection is a
good thing-for the employers! But it is a
curse to the laboring man in every instance.
1t takes money out of the pockets of the la
borer, or the consumer, to be placed into the
pockets of the rich barons or corporations, or
to be boarded up in the treasury vaults at
Washington.
In this connection the New York World
truthfully says:
"What sense is there in the cry that it will
be calamity to make sugar and clothing
cheaper and to relieve salt, lumber and fbres
and chemicals used in manufactures from
needless taxation? The enactment of the
Mills bill would leave the average duty
higher than it was under the Morrill, tariff in
1853. 1t would leave it higher than was pro-
posed by the Republican Tariff Commits
sioners in 1882. 1t will add no more to the
free list, with the exception of wool, than was
recommended by President Arthur and
Secretary Folger. The idea of running a
country by abolishing its needless taxes was
never before heard of in the history of the
world"
Will any one pretend to say that reduc-
tion of taxes in Napoleon corporation would
have tendency to reduce the wages of the
laborer or make the town less prosperousi
The contrary would be the result.
The Philadelphia Record, speaking for the
laborer, asserts that "the miner in Ohio are
paid less for mining ton of coal than are
the miners of England" The same may be
truthfully said of almost any other industry.
1t is true that wages here are nominally
higher than in England, but when the amount
of labor performed and the purchasing power
of wages paid to operatives are contrasted,
the English laborer gets the best lay. Wage
comparisons are entirely worthless which do
not show the cost of living as we'll as the
wages per day.
Between the two great political parties of
the day there are two distinct differences.
President Cleveland and the Democratic
party say take the tax off of the necessaries
of life, the things on which the poor laboring
man keeps his family. The Republican
party, headed by Blaine and Sherman, say
take the tax off of whisky and tobacco, and
thus give the poor man these necessaries (?)
free, but let his family look out for them
selves the best they can!
Now, the question resolves itself into this:
To which of the great parties is the laborer
willing to trust his interests? To his friend,
the Democratic party, or to the Republican
party, the party which for the past quarter of
a century has legislated the present condi-
| ton upon the laborer?