Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-07
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY: FRIDAY EVENING" SEPTEMBER
Tariff Blankets.

A short time ago | saw in the pa
pers n protest from a manufacturer OF
blankets. He insisted that the Mills
bill, if it should become law, would
ruin the country and necessitate the
reduction of wages-the same old,
stale cry OF the protected manufac-
turers and their allies. | examined
into that mater. 1t is fortunate for
the people that We have governmental
statistics showing the labor cost and
the material cost and the total value
of all goods manufactured in the
United States. These statistics lave
been furnished by the manufacturers
themselves, collected by Republican
Administrati1A.sAhrsAsh-. sworn Re-
publican officials. / refer to the
United States census reports. The
" Compendium of the Tenth Census
Of the United States, 1880, part 81
covers everything pertaining to manu-
facturers in the United States in 1880.
1t would be well if farmers, mechanics,
labOrers and all others would examine
for themselves and ascertain how they
are affected by high tariff. Page
l,l96 of part 2" above mentioned
shows that the wholesale price of all |
wOOlen goods manufactured in the
United States in 1880 was $3.50, $685. |
72l. Page 1,19O shows that the entire
amount paid in wages and salaries by |
the woolen manufacturers in that year
was $25,S36,392. The entire labor
cost of the goods, therefore, was less
than II per cent. of the entire whole
sale price of the goods. The present
duty on blankets is from 63 to 70 per
cent. Mr.. Blanket-man pays in
wages less than II per cent. of the
cost of his blankets, and is favored by
tariff more than three times II per
cent! Notwithstanding this, he has
screwed down the wages OF his work
ingmen and women, and largely en-
ploys foreigners! Under the Mills
bill the blanket-men could employ
Americans and pay. advanced Ameri-
can wages, and then its 40 per cent.
protection would more than cover the
entire labor cost of dis blankets. His
business conscience, if he ever had
any, has become scared. His love for
gold has poisoned his respect for the
rights of others, and he falsely and
heartlessly says that the Mills bill, if
it should become law, would ruin
the country and necessitate the reduc-
ton of wages" He is leech, and
like the leech, cries " Give, give, give"
and yet he is Il protected pet. Every
cent added to the price of blankets by
the tariff is paid by those who buy and
use them-largely by farmers, me-
chanics and laboripg men and women.
Why should the laborers of Mr. Blank
et-man be- paid by others, and the
workmen of farmers and all unprotect-
ed industries paid by them Has
there been any mandate from ADORE
to establish and perpetuate excessive
favoritism and an aristocracy OF
wealth? All are required to pay their
laborers but the protected manufactur-
ers-theirs are all more than paid by
the tariff. Some Democratic manu-
facturers have left the party. Their
desire to rapidly accumulate great
wealth, at the sole expense Of others,
overcome their love and respect tor
equal rights. Their places Mould be
more than filled.
The names OF the Democratic man.
ufacturers who leave the party should
be given in the papers, SO that the
people may see the drift and profit by
it.
There are many Democratic manu-
more than / had supposed
until lately, and some Republican
who strongly favor the
Mills bill. Their profits under that
bill may not be as great rs under the
present tariff, but what they fail to
gain others will not lose. AS needed
revenue reductions must come through
the tariff or internal revenue, justice
and good government demand that
they should come in the interest of
the hecessaries of life. So those men
feel and act, and it will be remembered
Of them, and recorded that "they were
men,"