Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-24
CAN WE CLOSE OUR PORTS AGAINST FOREIGN
COMMERCE AND CONTINUE \ PROSPEROUS
HOME TRADE?


Germs only the writer and the parties addressed but
matter refers the allimporant question of wages
and concerns the welfare of the greater part of the
American people.
My interest in the subject at the present time is
three fold: am engaged in highly protected in
dustry and naturally anxious regarding its prosperity
am an employer of labor and not Indifferent to its
welfare And lastly, am interested in that general
prosperity of the American people, which must always
remain the foundation and support of every industry
no further for this reply is necessary
Your letter is mainly taken up with three propo-
sitions:
Ist. That The only possible way that this differ
ence of wages between our own and foreign land is
and can be maintained is by protective tariff
ID That so far from being dangerous Treas
ury surplus is blessing unparalleled"
sd. If we getting too much revenue let us leg
sate to keep out entirely the s7oooooooo of paupef
made imports from which the revenue is derived"
Let us consider these propositions in the order
given:
You say that the brethren of the American work
ngmen across the vast multitude SO steep
ed in poverty and weakness as to almost abandon
hope of better future ACROSS the sea means
England as we'll as the continent of Europe.
SldGlllClll dSSulGS llldt lIlClC 10
level of wages-a general and approximately uniform
level of poverty and Weakness" This is a stock as
sumption of protectionists Since his return Mr.
Blaine has spoken of the attempt to place wages
the low basis of the European plane" Mr. Baine's
conception of European plane" of wages is quite
natural If you have stood upon the top of some
high mountain you will remember how all below
seems like vast plane all the same level 1t is
strange that from the top of Mr.. Carnegies coach
Mr.. Blaine should conclude all Europe one vast
plane. 1t is not strange that professional politicians
should make of such terms. Misstatenent is
often their only visible means of support. But your
letter bears the stamp of sincerity Can it be possible
that you are not aware of the fact that there is
European plane" of wages? When you speak of the
wages received by the American wor<mans European
brother do you mean his English French, or German
brother? The wages of each of the brothers here
mentioned vary within very wide limits. Nj. Emlle
CheVallier in his work Wages in the Nineteenth
Century" published last year says: Great Britain
shows rate of wages higher by a. per cent. than
that of Germany, and o per cent than that OF
France" The author states that wages in the
United States are S. per cent higher than in Great
Britain, 1872 per cent. higher than in Germany and
EOS per cent. higher than in France" The Austrian,
the Italian, and the Spaniard have each different
plane of wages. But for the sake of dehniteness
and clearness shall refer only to the percentages and
planes mentioned 1t is evidently material which
of these levels" or " planes you refer to- Do you
mean that American wages will be lowered only "a per
cent or to the level of wages in England? If so what
will prevent their still further descent to the level in
Germany the still lower level in France? And
what now keeps English wages a. per cent. higher
than in Germany and O. per cent higher than in
France?
These are questions which believe you should be
able to explain to your workmen before you are
ranted i'll telling them that the only possible way that
this difference of wages between and foreign
lands and can be maintained IS, by continuing the
policy of protection to home industries" In explain
ing these questions you should not forget to say to
them that Germany and France have high protective
tariffs while England has a tariff for revenue only.
GU admit that the process may be thought slow y
by which American wOrkingmcn are lettering their
condition. In the face of the history of the past few
years, with its reduction of wages its loCkOuts and
strikes should think it might be thought slow in
deed. DO not your own WOrkmen think it IS slow ?
Does not the vast and increasing army of the
unemployed IN this country think it is slow? Is it
not Crimnally slow when its pace is guaged by the
swift and mighty strides of modern industrial pro-
gres2 Labor organizations can do but little save
here and there to defect delay the mighty and
resstless elements which determine the rewards of
labor and when they | think they fast
coming that the secret of abors slow progress
its prlVatIOnS and SuteringS-S not found in its char
acter producer of the worlds wealth. but in the
meager supply it purchase under arbitrary
system of distribution AS producer of wealth the
wages of labor governed by two conditions-both
beyond the reach of any human agency-the condi-
ton of population and of production. The condition
of population determines the supply and demand in
the labor market This is the first great factor. The
second is the producveness of labor which depends
upon its efficiency and the advantages of natural
conditions. These causes are as resstess as gravta-
ton itself and here and everywhere establish the
wages of labor Tariff laws can no more effect tn EN-
than they cause the sun to shine by day or the
stars by night 1t is only a trader, a purchaser
of the products of labor that tariff laws can affect
labor; and we all know how it does affect it. Even
you say:
1t quite probable that the paid,
products of labor faulty
share but equally the distribution
+ not lie IN reducing the share he now gets
If wages not as high as they should be why do
you not place them they should be? And if
the producer does not get his proper share why do
you now resist giving him by reducing the price
of the things he must buy? If prices are lowered he
can buy This is the very point and purpose of
the Mills Bill to enable the producer to purchase a
larger share of the products of labor 1t seeks
bind and to unburden labor it may the race
without handicap hurdle and find itself in the end
a winner of a fair share of the worlds prizes and
pleasures and not be forever its slave. Cheaper the
prices of the products of labor and will buy OF
what it Produces this will call for increased produc-
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