Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-03-22
DISHONEST EREE TRADE ARGU-
MENTS.

It would be difficult to imagine
any special pleading more absurd
in its inconsistency than the com.
ments OF leading free trade papers
on the recent disturbances IN the
industrial field. A week ago one
OF the largest iron and steel works
IN the country, known az the Read
lng Iron Works, failed because OF
inability to secure orders at paying
prices sufficient to enable them TO
meet their obligations. This Is
followed by the announcement OF
the failure of several smaller firms
in the iron and steel industry. The
events are chronicled by the free
trade organs under the headlines
"What Protection Does" "Protec'
ton Does not Protect" etc. Stimuli
taneously with these reports of
failures in industries protected to
some extent by tariff are other
reports of workmen in the Fall
River cotton mills and elsewhere
demanding higher wages and seek
ing 10 enforce their demands by
striking. With unblushiug impn-
dence the same free trade journals
i that chronicle the failures in one
/ industry as the result OfprOtectlon,
/ bulletin on the same page the
suike for higher wages IN another
r Industry as an illustration OF the
creed and tyranny of manniactur-
crs who "reiuse to divide with
their wOrkmen the "enOrmOus prot
its which they derive from the pro
tectlve tarin.p Thus the tariff is
held responsible for the success of
one manufacturer and the failure OF
another. In the account OF the iall-
ure the tariff Is II ade to appear as
a burden upon the manufactures,
while i'm the case of the strike Tor
higher wages it is declared robbery
of the workman who is not given
his share Of the "enOrmOus profits"
which the tariff pours into the laps
Of the manufacturers. The absurd
/ ity of this style of pleading IL sell
evident and must be held utterly
inexcusable in public journals max
ing pretense to fair treatment OF the
current issues OF the day.
The statements made by those
papers through alleged interviews
and otherwise in connection with
those industrial disturbances are as
inaccurate as the deductions are In
consistent and absurd. For in
stance, an officer of the Fall River
spinners who are striking for higher
wages, is quoted by the New York
| World as saying that the wages OF
English mule-splnners are higher
than those paid in the United
States. He is quoted as placing
the weekly wages of the English
spinners at G. Is, $3.50, while the
Americans make from So to Sl4
and have to work longer hours.
The official statistics gathered from
British sources aud published I'M
der Clevcand's Administration
place the weekly wages OF English
SINNERS at from 81 Is. to 81 IS.
Grom 500 to 5000 instead OF the
figures quoted above, and the Hon.
4 Carroll ID. Wright in his Official re-
norris places the average wages OF
American spinners at abont l3-per
cent higher than that paid their
English competitors. The fact that
the labor cost constitutes so i'm
portant an item in the total cost OF
production leaves no possible es-
cane from the logical conclusion
that the tariff alone stands as
barrier to check the increase OF
importaiions and the necessary dis
nlacement of American labor and
reduction of the wages Of Amerl-
can operatives in consequence, aud
the attempt to create an unjust
prejudice against the tariff by hold
inc il responsible for fortunes and
failures alike is calculated To work
direct injury to American wage
workers.
Besides this, every thinking and
honest citizen must in his heart
condemn these wholesale and mani
testify unjust attacks upon the man
ulacturers of the country whose
capital is invested not IN Wall
street securities, which escape tax
alton and furnish no employment,
but in active Industries which keep
the currency in rapid circulation,
build up the resources of the cOun'
try and provide remuneratlve en-
ployment for Its citizens. such
journalism NAV be good Demo
cratic politics, according TO the
| Cleveland Pre-. British code, but 1t
Is neither honest nor patriotic. III
is an incentive and encouragement
10 i'll advised and ruinous strikes.
1t is promotive OF discord and con.
hict of interests that, being mutu-
ally dependent, should be harmo'
nous. 1t is calculated TO under
NINE social order and array class
against class. 1t furnishes q text
and pretext for the ill.intormed and
INSCRIPTIONS demagOgue. 1t is
calculated to deceive unthinklng
wage.worKers to their own injury
and to play into the hands OF our
national enemies aud foreign COM
petitors. For shame's sake, II not
for love OF justice and the truth, 1t
should be observation-disclosures YORK
Irish World.
DAFT End IIEE