The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-09
FREE TRADE OR PROJECTIONS
sir Lyon Playfair Compares the British
and American Workmen.

sir lynn AlaNA SOAhBAAtb NAlb tsAoA
and American Workmen.
by the Commercial Gable to the New York Herald.
Sir Lyon Playiar delivered an address
last evening to an enormous meeting OF his
constituents at Leeds on the comparative
purchasing power and wages in England
and the United States. Sir Lyon recently
returned from America, where he made
extended investigations, and his speech on
the subject was awaited with great interest.
"Wages are higher in America than in this
country" he said, "but nominal wages
mean so many shillings and pence per
week, while real wages are necessares
which can be bought with them.
"What makes wages higher in America,
Republicans assert, is protection, which
creates industries and gives work.
"a workman does not live on work, but
works to live, therefore lac wants living at
the lowest cost. How can protection,
which taxes all comforts of life, give him
that end? In America each man rs a con-
sumner pays taxes TO himself as producer.
II protection makes more wages, where
does the more come from2
at restricts the market for commodities
10 home consumption. In consequence
there comes n glut, and many working
men have enforced idleness for third or
fourth Of the year. Ii mears seven
months pay for twelve months living
'Only in times Of grave depression IN
trade does England experience this diff
Guilty. because her export trade carries of
the excess.
perhaps You would like TO know why
such extensive emigration goes 10 America
| u protection does not keep up wages there.
| The American workman las the adyant.
| age over wofkmen Of other protected coun-
tries because his territory il sparscly set
tied and undeyeloped. The chief cmigia-
ton TO America is from protected European
| countries. Chinese workmen swarncd 10
the Pacific coast until their influx was pro-
hibiicd by law. The projected countries
Germany and ltaly-send the bulk OF the
cmigrants. while England duly supplies
| III per cent, onc-thirdoi these being Irish.
aud YOU know the causes which render the
Irish Disconnected. In the last ten years
only per cent u omigrants were engaged
in projected employment, while the rest
werc farmers or wOrkmcn for unprotected
/ trades.
at must I've remembered that the
/ American workman works four or five
hours n week more than the English
workman. According 10 the American
| labor Bureau reports n Massachusetts,
workman with family Of Eve, including
the earnings Of the children, makes in q
year CLEO, while an English workman
makes clos. According to the same 10.
/ port IL costs the American eiji To live
comfortably, while At costs the English
man ElOl.
M this comparison bc true the Amer.
lean saves 60, aud the Englishman, who
works lees hours per week. O.. Proicc-
ton has led 10 all kinds Of labor disturb
anccs, aud strikes are painfully frequent.
"Uncasincss Ia the labor market led Ia
the amalgnmnlion u the labor unions into
/ o gigantic organization called the knights
/ oi labor, which ut one time had i,jOlOO0
/ members American politicians gioycIcI
/ before u power and strikes aud bOycOlis
were unsplnngly used. llStymnny nj one
time seemed almost lniolcublc. but the
/ immense number has dWindlcd 10 100000,
and few American politicians arc NJ poor
~ to do ihom reverence.
"rroicctIon leads slowly 10 socialism. II
| the State eau TAX workingmcn for the ben
cit Of manufactures, on the same princi.
pie workingmcn can say when they come
| into power Now We propose 10 tax YOU
manufacturers 30 guarantee our wages.
/ That would b. socialism approaching com
munism, but ~ il protection.
England has made moro progress In
her forty years under frye trade than she
had under protection both IN manuiact
un's and increased population. ANY nom
! iual difference In American aud English
Wages depends upon conditions which
prevail Ia q new and undcyolopcd coun.
iry. All European countries, save Bel
GUM aud Holland, unite 10 protect their
/ cheaper labor irOm goods produced IN
4 England. where wages are tom 80 10 100
per cent. higher. What the skilled En.
glish workman icau j. not low priced. In
expert labor, but high priced. expert
| work.
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