The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-09-08
For the Laboring Man.

Those who contend for high taxes claim to
do so for the benefit of the laboring man.
The reduction proposed by the Mills bill, It'll
asserted, will result in ruin to manufactures
or eventuate in starvation wages. High taxes
are necessary, it is alleged, to cover the diff
ference in cost of labor here and in foreign
countries. Assertion may content some, who
follow party blindly, but the great mass OF
the people this year are reading and thinking,
and considering their own interests. They
want facts and figures, rather than theories or
mere assertion, and they are demanding them.
High taxes, then, say the protectonists,
are necessary in order to maintain wages.
One of the strongest points to be made against
this allegation is, that manufacturers and mo-
nopolists, trusts and pools are in favor OF high
taxes. If high taxes insured high wages, all
of these would be in favor of low taxes.
Every manufacturer and employer buys labor
Just as cheaply as possible, just as he buys
ANYTHING else. 1t is human nature to pur-
chase as cheaply and to sell as dearly as pos
sible. There may be exceptions, but every
body in business of any kind, from the day
laborer to the manufacturer, the professional
man, and all, act on this principle. And the
manufacturers and mine owners, who are not
so solicitous about the laboring man and me-
chanic, even send to Europe and import the
''cheap pauper labor" when the home laborer
wants little increase in wages. True as this
is. it is only an assertion, and we propose to
give some facts, and the tenth census fur
nishes them.
In the table below it will be seen that the
labor cost in producing carpets is about q
per cent, whereas the present tariff on i'm
portations is 47-that is t,oentyOne per cent.
for the laborer and t,centy-Sir for the manufac-
turer.
The labor cost in cotton goods is also about
81 per cent, while the tariff on foreign goods
is so per cent, thus giving the American
manufacturer his labor free, and profit of
30 per cent. besides.
1t is not necessary to 60 on through the
list, as the table shows the labor, cost and the
present tariff Now if the high tariff is solely
for the benefit of labor, labor should receive
wages equal to the protection. Buthe doesn't.
He doesn't eren receire hall, and if we take
the average per cent. of labor in all of the in
Gustries, ii amounts to less than One.toIuth.
The table below, also, shows what the pro-
posed tariff is under the Mills bill, and it will
be seen that in every instance it is largely in
excess of the labor cost Even under its
operations, if the tariffs for the benefit of
labor-to enable manufacturers to pay living
wages-wages in each industry can be largely
increased without detriment to business.
Manufacturers only claim to desire tariff
that wM corer the difference Of labor cost here
aud in Europe, and yet they are receicing
protection to tlcice the entire cost Of labor
And the Mills bill, which is termed by them
as free trade bill, still leaves them protec-
ton above the cost of labor. Not only this
but the tax is taken off most raw materials,
thus giving them additional advantages.
Here is the table:
Table compiled from Tenth Census showing