Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-05

tensively continued as the source of the
governments income; and in a readjust'
ment OF our tariff the interests of American
labor engaged in manufactures should be
carefully considered as well as the pre-
servation of our manufacturers. 1t may
be called protection " or by any other
name, but relief from the hardships and
dangers of our present tariff laws should
against imperiling the existence of our
manufacturing interests. But this ex-
istence should not mean a condition,
which, without regard to the public vel
fare or a national exigency, must always
insure the realization of immense profits
instead of moderately profitable returns.
As the volume and diversity of our national
activities increase, new recruits are added
to those who desire a continuation of the
advantages which they conceive the pres
ent system of tariff taxation directly
affords them So stubbornlv have all
efforts to reform the present condition
been resisted by those of our fellow
citizens thus engaged, that they can hardly
complain of the suspicion, entertained to
certain extent, that there exists an
organized combination all along the line
to MAINTAIN their advantage.
THE INFANT INDUSTRY CRY.
We are i'll the midst of centennial cele-
brations, and with becoming pride we re-
ioice in American skill and ingenuity, in
American energy and enterprise and in
the wonderful national advantages and
resources developed by century's ma
tional growth. Yet when an attempt is
L.
tax to be laid upon every consumer in the
land for the benefit of our manufacturers,
quite beyond a reasonable demand for
governmental regard, it suits the purposes
of advocacy to call our manufactures
infant industries" still needing the
highest and greatest degree of favor and
fostering care that can be wrung from
federal legislation. 1t is also said that
the increase in the price of domestic
manufacturers, resulting from the present
tariff, is necessary i'll order that higher
wages may be paid to our workingmen
employed in manufactures than are paid
for what Is called al the pauper labor of
Europe" All will acknowledge the
force of an argument which involves the
welfare and liberal compensation of our
laboring people Our labor is honrable
in the eyes of every American citizen ;
and as it lies at the foundation of our
development ard progress, it is entitled
without affectation or hypocrisy, to the
utmost regard. The standard of our
laborers' lives should not be measured by
that of any other country less favored,
and they are entitled to their full share of
all our advantages.
INDUSTRIAL FACTS AND FIGURES.
BY the last census it is made to appear
that of the 1880, oo9 of our population
engaged in all kinds of industries :. 1870
493 are employed in agriculture, 4,o74,-
23S in professional and personal service,
(2,e34, SO of whom are domestic servants
and laborersI, while 1870, $50 are EN-
ployed in trade and transportation and
3,S37,I4I are Classed as employed in
manufacturing and mining. For present
purposes, however, the last number given
should be considerably reduced. Without
attempting to enumerate all, it will be con-
coded that there should be deducted from
those which it includes .375, T43 carpenters
and lolners, 2S5,4OI milliners, dress
makers and seamstresses, I72, 726 black
smiths, 1875 tailOrs and tailoresses,
Io2,473 masons, 70, 24I butchers, Al 300
bakers, 22,oS5 plasterers, and 4,S9I ell
gagged i'll manufacturing agricultural I'M
plements, amounting i'll the aggregate to
l, PA, OPS, leaving 2,624oS9 persons ell
ployed i'll such manufacturing industries
as are claimed to be benefited by a high
tariff. To these the appeal is made to
save their employment and maintain their
wages by resisting a change. There
should be no disposition to answer such
suggestions by the allegation that they
are in minority among those who labor
and therefore should forego an advantage
i'll the interest of low prices for the ma
Iority their compensation as it may be
by the operation of tariff laws
should at all times be scrupulouslv kept
in view and yet with slight reflection
they will not overlook the fact that they
are consumers with the rest that they
too, have their own wants and those of
their families to supply from their earn
lngs, and that the price of the ueCessarieS
of life, as well as the amount of their
wages, will regulate the measure of their
welfare and comfort. But the reduction
oftaxation demanded should be so matured
as not to necessiate or Justify either the
loss of employment by the workingman
or the lessing of his wages and the pro-
fits still remaining to the manufacturer
after a necessary readjustment, should
furnish no excuse for the sacrifice of the
interests of his employees either in their
opportunity to work or in the elimination
of their compensation.
HOW HIGH TARIFF HITS THE WORKER
Nor can the worker in manufactures
fail to understand that while high tariff
is claimed to be necessary to allow pay
ment of renluuerative wages. it certainly
results in very large increase in the
price of nearly all sorts of manufactures,
which, in almost countless forms, he
needs for the use of himself and his
family. He receives at the desk of his
his wages, and perhaps before
he reaches his home is obliged, in a
purchase for family use of an article
which embraces his own labor, to return
in the payment of the increase in price,
which the tariff permits, the hard earned
compensation of many DAYS of toll. The
farmer and the agriculturist who man
ufaCtures nothing, but who pays the in
creased price which the tariff imposes
upon every agricultural implement, upon
all he wears and upon all he uses and
owns, except the increase of his focks
and herds and such things as his hus-
handry produces from the soil, is invited
to aid in maintaining the present situa-
ton and he is told that high duty on
wool is necessary for the benefit