Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-07-12
Probably Proa,iess.

Probably Pro1uess.
NJ mach incline to the opinion OF the
|Sihdelphia Record that is will be |
Iroftless for us to discuss with it the |
snestion as to whether the wages or the
worker in iron in this country ara en-
|lanced BY the duty laid on tho importa.
Ekonof manufactured iron. We are not
1nito sure that the Record denies thas
~ tariff has such effect in this case, 81
IHough ia words seem 20 have that mean.
~. TO us it seems that the very state
1nent OF the proposition that the duty
hid on iron enap.ss larger wagea 70 bo
1n 70 Theron worker, proves 81; and
ksrone who Ii net convinced by the ssif4
1y36ent fact canret lie satisfied hy aEgu-
jnei1t.
81 The HecogG IL correct IL understanding
~ 70 say that the worker in iron earns
higher wages than other crattsmen De.
eause OF tho severity and skill OF bis
labor and Che strength OF tho woTkmenn'
nnion. But 1t has no warrant foE is o.
nusnption that these are tho sole
reasons FOR the high wages ma gets. ii
She employer could not obtain price
4 from his customers that would enable
4 Eim to ottsin ct least the cost OF his
product, which includes the high wages
Z raid his workmen, snanitestly 30 could
Z not long continue hismanufacture. 1t Is
thsrefore 20 tbs fact thst the EMPLOYER
nnn get sufficient price for his product
that the workmen gets the price he de-
,uandg ior his labor which would be
: ssf.ovident to the Bunsby with whom
tSo RecoTa Is acquaint, If it is not so TO IT..
The strength OF the workmen's union
and the skill and severity OF his labor,
al combined, would not suiiico TO get him
high wages if the employer could not got
4 them returned TO hir-4 by his customer ;
on the principle that blood cannos be got
outof q turnip.
The organized iron manufacturers aue
fhs organized workmen in the West,
X ysarly, at the dull season, have talk and
Often 3 disagreement about wages. The
{ manufacturers this year have not com.
& plsined OF European competition, but OF
honns competition in the East, whore the
wages OF the iron woramen are less.
& They say they cannot compete with nillf
10 the Schnylkill valley paying e3 95 pc,
ton roT padailnT itcn, or in Philadelphis
pSying 1885, or at aagrisbprg paYini
l5.76s but Ga bnsy Fesnl 70 hsye ccAGlaae.
81 sszrs tssair works gslTl, bfsy NAY lav,
! xe <lizea tsat ts3s advantages gl9y hssve,,
- % gha.l nlarkos an8 ID cboageI
II Iya. npd RI Il slfi5, ,bal a-sc 81 Gao ;asol
6eceagsE- h4r Vgcal1laa tel t2sga
tl,ak d rsl lesion Ia 7AEes Neold dc
tnenf 10 good, Faaeo Trey would
i TTouaptly give is al. sway % Gneir custo.
I r1ees sn g0es eageruess TO secure bust.
ness and they ell understand this, and
ttaccounts fer their readiness TO YIELD
when their men are firm. All that the
msnufactuTer needs is that he shall be
placed on an equality with his fellow
manufacturer Ia his market.
The tariff leaves the home manufac-
turer In this condition. Tho foreign
manufacturer does not now disturb tais
market nor do we believe that the re.
ducti0ns made in the Mills bin are sulil-
: cient TO sensibly damage the iron manu-
featuring interest an the country.
We support it because of this be.
lief, recognizing 1t Us q measure
strongly protective Of the industrial in.
terests of the country. We represent the
policy OF the Democratic party, lately
md clearly expressed, in demanding suiii.
Ciont, and reisctiDg excessive, protection
( Tor home industries. We understand
Y that the Record likewise supports
the Democratic party and is In love
I With the Mills bill. Wherefore it Gun then
denounce the tariff as " a fraud and a
humbug "and make faces at the I,vrEL-
LIdsNcER for supporting 1t, while ap-
paauding the Democratic party for
doing the same thing, seems some
what odd. But not any odder than
charging the extortion of the Bessemer
steel monopoly wholly upon the tariff,
and forgetting what enormous prices,
entirely regardless Of tariff duties,
were charged for years by the combina q.
ton that YVES created by the Bessemer
patent, which is chiefly responsible for
the great fortunes made by the rail- men.
1t is true that the duty laid upon steel
rails was and is excessive, and that it en-.
ables the home manufacturer TO obtain
an excessive profit, when the home de-
mand exceeds the home capacity for sup
ply, as ii has in the past, but is not likely
ever 10 do in the future. The duty
il properly reduced in the Mills
Dill. IL is excessive owing 10 the
fact that Besserner steel rails, being ma
chine made in great quantities, are
made nearly as cheaply as the puddled iron
which 10 the raw material Of finished
Iron. They thus do not need tie pro.
tectionwiiich the more largely hand r9ade
ar0a requires. The American machine
works as cheaply as the European. The Re.
cord neitherrenews its denial Of our state.
ment that the Pittsburg puddltr receives
thrice the wages of the European work
man, nor apologies for its error; which
perchance was caused by a momentaay
f0rge.fulness that the puddler is not
patont machine like the Bessener con.
ysrter.
Flood Warnings.
TIM faY1aufro M Traa1 s..