St. Landry democrat., 1888-10-13
THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF AND
y WAGES.

About the only plausible reason given
for AN excessive tariff, is that it tends to
maintain good wages for working peo-
pie this is what speaker Carlisle says
on this point:
1t is said, gentlemen, that even if it
does impose enormous burdens on the
consumers OF the country, the wages OF
our la burers must be maintained, there
tore high rates of taxation must c"nti-
nue.. 1t | had the time think l could
show To the satisfaction of every lnteli-
gent and candid man within the sound
of my voice that the wages of labor are
no more affected by the rates of duties
upon Imported goods than the yield OF
corn to the acre on Your farm is affected
by it. (Appiause.)
And ole of the chief benefits of the
system, III the estimation of MIR. Haril-
sou, is the fact that the people do not
know how much they are pay ing. When
IL mans money is taken away from him
without his knowledge, some malicious
people call it stealing. (Applanse.)
will not, however, apply that term
to the processes by which the govern
ment of the United States abstract thls
enol NOUS SUN ut money from the peck
els of the people who earn it aud puts IT
in the pubic treasury, or the pockets Ut
some one else. but / will say that it is
the mnst dangerous form of taxation
that could be devised (cleers) because
it makes the people less vigllant OF the
expenditures OF the public money, and
lulis them to sleep lille their substance
il taken away. (Applanse.)
/ have said gentlemen, that the sys-
tenn of taxation Is continued on the
ground that ii increases the rate OF
wages OF the American Iabnrer.
There are two or three facts which
shows concluslvely that the argument
ia not sound. In the first place it is con-
ceded fact that there IA as much differ
ence between the rates of wages paid in
this country TO laboreis engaged in the
same necnpation in different parts ut the
cunntiy as there is between the differ.
..nce Of the average rate at wages paid
here aud in European countries, and
yet the SAINT tariff law prevails through
out the whole United States Zap
piAuse.)
You will find by an examination of
the labor statistics that from SO to 60
and IN some eases evep as high as 100
per cent, more is paids for labor in the
in New York or Philadelphia. If the
tariff regulated wages | submit that the
rates of wages would be the same.
wnnld be uniform in the same occupa-
items throughout the United States I'M
der the same tariff. (Applausr.)
Another fact is that the greatest diff
ference between the rates of wages paid
here and the iates paid in European
countries ia found in those occupations
which, nobody pretends can be protect
ed under the tariff laws. For instance,
there is far greater difference between
the rates OF wages paid here To carpen-
ters, plasterers, Dalntrrs, stone and biIck
rnasnls, teanlsters, raiiinad employees,
sfean,t boat employees and the rates of
wages paid tD same classes of working
men in Europe than there is between
tire rates ut wages here in Your mills
aud cotton factories and the rates OF
wages paid in the same industry in Eu-
rope.
The rates of wages paid in this coun-
try, too, i'm the unprotected Industries
are larger on the average than the rates
of wages paid in this country in the pro-
tected industries. and the difference be-
tween them, in the one case, and those
paid in Europe in the other case, is still
plainer-much palmer.
Another tact il that since 1916, when
the English corn laws were repealed,
aud " hat our Republicans friends call
free trade, the rates of wages have in
creased from 80 to Is and even AS high
IA 100 per cent. in some occupations.
Cau We trace that increase IN this coun-
Try during the same time
Another fact is that the rates of wages
in the mechanical and manufacturing
industries OF the United States increas-
ed far more during what il called the
free trade period, from 1850 to 1860.
than they have ever since that time.
(cheers.)
| simply state the fact without going
into argument tn prove them. | eau
produce abundant aud overwhelming
testimony from laboting men, from
manufacturers, from testimony given
before Investigating committees in the
Honse tn prove the truth OF every state
mrnt have made upon this subject.
lApplause.l