The Iola register., 1890-10-24
arLls. BAD REASONING.


| me- Frse-Tsads Messiah from Texas
sa Makes some Wild statsments.
g In support Of his claim that this coun.
try can throw open its ports to the
manufactured goods of Europe and
,hallenge the cheap labor of that Con-
tinent to an industrial battle without
fear Of the consequences Congressman
Mills says:
We have the cheapest labor in the world. II
Is machinery, which does not eat, drink or
sleep. and it Is required TO pay no board We
make use OF 1t to q larger extent than any other
nation on earth, and when you come down to
the cost OF an article turned out Of our manu-
factories the machine does the principal part
OF the labor; therefore, 1t costs less.
1t is true that machinery is extern
sively used in this country, but the
same thing is true equally Of that
Nation - England with which the
United States would have 4 the
hardest tussle II Mills free-trade
scheme prevailed and the protective
duties were abolished. The manufact-
urers Of England and Scotland are as
quick to appreciate the importance OF
labor-saving device as those of the
United States. Many of the ma
chimes which serve as substitutes
for hand labor were invented there
and then brought over here. The
United States has done its full part in
the work Of invention, but England has
profited at once by our discoveries and
inventions. A new process may be dis
covered in Germany tomorrow, and
within a month English, French and
American manufacturers will be exper-
imenting with It and adopting it.
AS compared with England, its most
formidable rival in the use of standard
machinery. the American is under the
disadvantage that his machines and his
plant generally, having been construct
ed or built by high-paid American
labor, have cost him from so to Is per
cent more than his English rival. Each
uses. the sane kind of power-loom, or
blast furnace, or rolling-mill, or Bes-
semer procesL but the English mill is
not only run by persons working for
smaller wages, but costs much less to
build. The foreigner has a, double ad-
vantage, therefore, and would be an
easy victor in the industrial strife un-
less the American working-man could be
forced down to accept the British scale
of wages by means Of lockouts and starv-
alton. --r-r1r IL -. az
If Texas Mills thinks the Tribune is
exaggerating he has but to consult his
eminent colleague, Mr.. Flower, of New
York, who will assure him that though
the machine plays a large and the hand
q small part in the manufacture Of bind
ing twine, and though the American
manufacturer will hereafter get his raw
material shade cheaper than the En-
glishman, and though there is duty of
seven-tenths of cent pound on twine,
yet the New York manufacturer will be
unable to compete with the European
twiue mill and will have to shut up
shop or cut down wages. If this hap
pens in business like binding twine,
where the machine and materials count
for SO per cent and the laborer but 8
per cent how would it be in one like
cutlery, where the laborer counts for 80
per cent. and the machine and materials
but 20? G.. .#EE...r r,..
Once, while Lord Melbourne was
Prime Minister, the Cabinet decided to
recommend certain duty. Before the
members,lef Melbourne said to them:
whether this will advance or lower
the price makes no difference. but we
must all agree in our statements as to
what the effect will be and must stick by
it." So it might be we'll for Mills and
Flower, two Democratic leaders, both
advocates Of free trade. to get together
and decide that they will agree in their
stories as to its effects. At present they
are miles apart.-Chicago Tribune.