The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-04-12
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1883.
HIGH AND LOW WAGES.

High wages and costly living usu-
ally go together, and so do low
wages and cheap living. In a coun-
try or community where labor,
skilled and unskilled, is scarce, and
therefore dear, the cost of produc-
tion must be proportionately high,
and consequently in like degree ex-
pensive to consumers. On the
other hand, where the same classes
of labor are abundant, and therefore
cheap, production is correspondingly
cheap, and the articles of produc-
tion are consequently in similar
measure Inexpensive to consumers.
Such is the general rule, to which
exceptions can only exist tempor-
arily.
Hence it is argued that high
wages are not benefit to a COM
munity, nor low wages a disadvan-
tage; because where the former rule
the recipients are in reality no bet
ter off than where the latter obtain,
seeing that the difference between
the two is swallowed up by the diff
ference in the cost of living in the
two cases. The argument looks
sound and the reasoning logical.
Theoretically they hold water or
keep out rain.
But what are the practical effects
of high and low wages upon the
wage-earners and the traders who
furnish them supplies? Are low
wages as acceptable and satisfactory
as high wages to those who work for
them? Is the condition of business
as pleasing to tradesmen when low
wages prevail as when high wages
rule? No, decidedly no, is the
answer to the last two of these ques-
tions and to the first it may be
replied, that the practical effect of
high wages is to produce content
ment among the classes that learn
their bread by the sweat of their
brow" and to keep trade in a state
gratifying to tradesmen, while low
wages cause an opposite condition.
Therefore, a community is better
with high than with low wages.
A communlty's life and pros
perity depend directly and mainly
upon its wage-earning portion. CasE
is the sanguineous fluid Which circu
lates through its arteries and veins
and the degree and vigor of life il
proportionate to the amount ant
activity of the circulating fluid. De
posted in Golfers and vaults the
fluid becomes congealed mass
utterly worthless to the economic
system. The wage-payer is tn,
reservoir, from which it is drawr
and circulated by the wage-oarner
The more is drawn, as long as it il
there to draw, the better for tn,
community. The higher the wages
the greater the amount of money il
circulation; and the greater tn
amount in circulation the healthie
the state of trade and the better tn,
condition of the whole community
Dispensers of wages do not gen
orally endorse these views. Theo
retically, perhaps yes; practically
positively no. Barring limited
number of exceptions, they pay al
little for services rendered as the,
know how. The most work at tn,
least price is their standard. This il
called Cuisines" by small-trading
proft-and-loss, one-cent-in-the-dol
lar intellects. The old book, whicl
teaches that "the workman is worth,
Of his hire" is out of date and dis
carded. Employ men at the loves
wages that they can be induced Il
work for, and enrich yourself by
their sweat and toll. That is the idea
and to Jericho with the worthy O.
hire" bosh! 1t should be added
however, that although this is the gen
eral rule the world over, exceptions
to it may be found in almost every
community, and perhaps more thar
the average percentage in Honolulu
Something may be said, too, OF
the other side, before closing. AL
the aYerice, all the selfshness, an(