The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-12
Blaine and the Wage Farmers.

Mr.. Blaine's speech on his arrival in New
York was neither surprise nor disap-
pointment. 1t was not surprise becsuse
it was just what it was expected it would
be, and it was not disappointment be-
cause it was fully up to the standard of his
speeches He addressed himself to the
wage workers with the view of convincing
them that it was to their interest to
vote the republican ticket. His argu-
ment was the same that he had
used on many other occasions, but it
was enforced by the statement that he had
just returned from Europe, where he had
gathered facts with which to convince them
that unless such a protective tariff as the
republican party advocated was maintained
they would have to work for about the
same wages the laboring classes of England
received
1t was noticeable that Mr. Blaine did not
say word about the laboring classes of
Germany, and whyi Because Germany's
wage-earners, although they have all the
benefits of protection, receive much less
wages than ths wage-earners of England.
volume has just been issued by the state
department at Washington. which is made
up of reports from our consuls in Germany.
In this volume there is this statement with
reference to wages in Germany: THE
wages of the working people remain about
the same; in fact, they are so low that they
could not well be much lower. As it is the
laboring population of TIE empire have a
constant battle to wage against want and
misery. Hardly a man is able to earn
enough to support his family in the simplest
manner without being aided by his wife in
some way. They cat the plainest food, and
dwell in forbidding looking, overcrowded
teneIpents, and OftIimes a whole family
dwell together in one room. Meat in some
parts of the empire is luxury obtained
but once or twice a week. Long hours of
labor, scantv. food and poor compensation
Is the rule among them. Black bread and
potatoes make up the cheap diet of many
of them. They cannot live with any de-
cency on the wages they get"
Is the condition of the wage earners of Eng
land anywhere near as deplorable as that of
the wage earners of Germanya Mr.. Blaine
will hardly say it is, and yet Germany adj
heres to an almost prohibitory protective
tariff, while England's policy is that of free
trade. Is Mr.. Blaine entirely honest when
he neglects to call the attention Of wage
earners to the condition of the laboring
classes in Germany9
Mr. Blaine declared that the whole popu-
lation of England was favorable to the
election of Mr.. Cleveland, because it was
believed there that MIR. Cleveland's tariff
policy would open American markets to
British goods. Either Mr.. Blaine drew
largely upon a very vivid i'm giaation. or
the English people are greatly deceived.
An Englishman who docs not know that
the Mills bill is harmful rather than bsnef-
cial to the interests of English manufacturers
can hardly be classed as intelligent. The
London Daily Ne,0s said. few days ago,
that if England thought her manufacturing
interests would be helped By the Mills bill,
she was mistaken. The chief feature of the
bill is free wool, and free wool will enable
our manufacturers of woolens and carpets
not only to wholly supply the American
market tor such articles, which they have
never yet done, but also to compete for
trade In the markets of other countries
If the wage-workers will study the tariff
carefully, they will not be long in perceiv-
ing that their interests win be benefited by
the legislation which the tariff resormers
propose instead Of being injured by 1t.
They can easily collect facts sufficient to
answer Mr. Blaine's arguments