The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-05-21

The Philadelphia Telegraph is a
strong protectionist:: Journal but it
can not go the KcKinley bill. 1t
says:
"Onr coal mines and iron works
are filed with Hungarians,n Poles,
and Italians, who have driven out
of employment in these industries
the unskilled- labor-of other coun-
tries, intending our own, They
have not only reduced the previous
wage standard by accepting wages
which no American would accept
or could live upon, but they have
inaugurated a slothfnl, abject man
ner of living which is wholly for.
eignFand obnoxious to this country"
If this be true, what becomes of
the fayorite theory OF, the Protec-
tionists that it is the. tariff which
makes wages higher in America
than in Europe? This illustration
Of the actual lowering of the stan.
dard of wages in that State of the
Union which has been the most
clamorous for protection ought to
make, clear to the dullest mind the
inefficiency of a tariff to maintain
wages. Yet we have the Intelligent
Ger and own George w. and horde
of other lightweight journalists and
statesmen bowling continually about
our high tariff making high wages.
1t is quite possible for a high tar
iff to increase, rather than decrease,
importation of some goods. Our
present duty on wool has undoubt-
eddy increased the. importation of
of woelens by rendering. American
wooden mills unablel to compete
with foreign rivals. A duty on
hides would certainly affect the
leather. industry,in a similar man.
ner. This is, however, aside from
the question, since there is no rea-
son to believe that wages are affec-
ted one way or the, other, by. such
SAe%AsSNNNSACAtS. 'HtffNHaHF q rHaHFlNr II Ffffa
Wages have always been higher
in America than in Europe, as tru-
ly under low tariff as under, a
high tariff. 1t never occurred to
anybody to assign the difference to
Protection until 1910, when the
"pauper labor" argument u was in
vented raIta ITs1He., ,tfT .3Hsss-q
Wages as everybody is aware, are
higher in England than anywhere
else in Europe So far. as we know,
an explanation that will explain
why altariff makes wages higher in,
America, but makes them lower on
the continent of Europe has yet to
be evolved. The continental manu-
facturers themselves assert that
they need a high tariff to enable
them to compete with the highly
paid wage, earners of free trade
England. -. =,
II protection does result in higher
wages they should be higher in the
United States than in free trade
Australia, where sheep shearers car
earn s5 a day. They should also
be higher in Victoria, which has a
low protective tariff, than in New
South Wales, which has a revenue
tariff. 1t there is really any differ.
ence it is in favor of New South
Wales. Moreover the enforcement
of the same, tariff laws all over the
United States does not cause unifor-
nifty of wages.
There is not the slightest ground
for believing that tariff affects
wages in any way except by lower
ing their purchasing power and by
turning industry into profitable
channels. In a new country, where
land is cheap and unemployed men
can easily become farmers, the ten
dency of wages is to be, high; ii
workmen are intelligent, ingenious
and ambitious, that is another cause
of high wages, and if trade is brisk
and commerce with other countries
large and, profitable, the, demand
for labor will add still another.
But to believe that wage. workers
increase their resources by the sim
pie expedieht Of paying Increased