New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-10
rycREASE THE DEMAND FOR LABOR.

ryCREASE THE DEMAND FOR LABOh.
Would it be of any advantage to the people
Of this country 10 secure larger foreign markets
for their products? Everybody agrees that 1t
yould Those who are most opposed to sub
sidios in any form insist that the larger foreign
trade should no secured, but by other means.
The protectioniss and the Free Traders are al
one in holding that greater foreign demand
for American products would be blessing,
though they differ as widely. las possible about
the mode of obtaining that object
But why would it be blessing? Obviously
there is lust one possible reason; the larger
foreign market would involve larger demand
for American labor. More of the people OF this
country could be employed. at satisfactory
wages. in producing the things exported. Here
again all are agreed There is NOT the slight
est dispute on this point; everybody knows that
the desired benefit and blessing would come
through the'argcr demand for American labor
If the demand should be felt in one branch OF
industry rather than another, that would make
no difference. The additional workers needed
in one branch would be taken from all Others
diFusing the increased demand for labor among
all. and the fuller employment and the better
better wages would insure larger consumption
of the products of other labor That in tu'n
would mean fuller employment and better wages
for all As the stone dropped into the smooth
water raises rpples which spread to the most
distant shore and penetrate the smallest inlet,
so the blessings resulting from larger exports
would be felt by labor in every department ana
in every corner of the land. If South and Cen
tlal America should take from us one hundred
millions in value more of products Of this coun-
try, instead of products from other countries,
that would mean work for 200, 600 more per-
sons, and better wages for millions besides, and
the 200, 900 would spend nearly their entire
earnings. and the millions their additional earn
ings mainly in the purchase Of products OF
American labor.
But this increased demand for American labor
can be secured more easily and more surely by
checking the importation of foreign goods which
Americans could produce instead. The mill
ions that are now paid to German clothmakels
and British tn-plate makers, and Australian
wool-grOwers, might far better be paid to
American laboreis for producing the cloth or
tin-plaes or wool. That also would mean adj
ditiOnal demand for home industry, and fuller
employment, and better wages and larger con-
sumption of all other products. If gaps can be
stopped, through which goods costing one hun
bred millions are now introduced and if these
goods can be made in this country by American
labor, The blessings and benefits would be even
greater than if the hundred millions should be
added to our exports to Central and South
America Al this is as plain as pikestaff and
vet it is what Free Traders refuse to see. They
waste their lives in worrying about foreign
market, when a far greater demand for Ameri-
can labor can be added by better protection.
Now that Speaker Reed has formed his Com
mttee on Ways and Means that body should
at once ascertain where improvement Of
the tariff will add a hundred millions to the
demand for Anne ican labor. 1t can add over
twenty millions by single change of duty
making production Of tin-pateS possible here.
Ii can add twenty millions more by reasonable
notifications Of the tariff on wOoen goods
which would in fact do no more than carry out
the intention of the existing law 1t can add
at least ten millions more by checking the i'm
portations of woods which compete directly with
American WOOL and ten millions more by Great
ing demand for American flax and hemp, and
fifteen millions more by building up the man.
ufacture of linen. In these few items addi-
tionaI demand can be insured for more than
seventy five millions worth of the products Of
American labor and the committee will not
have to search long for the rest