The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-16
LABOR AND THE TARIFF.

A high protection authority endeavors to
demonstrate the blessings high tariff con-
fers on the workingmen of this country.
1t says:
comparison of the situation of the Ameri-
can day laborer with that of his fellows in Eng
land or Germany would seem to leave no chance
for the introduction of political sophism, and
to raise barrier, not only against the fallacies
of free trade, but also intrench workingmen
against the insidious arguments of dema-
gogues who thrive upon the discomfort OF their
dupes.
Various grades and kinds of labor are paid
for in England in average rates less than the
lowest prices paid for corresponding work in
this country The average weekly wages as
shown by official returns, for some trades and
vocations are as follows: Briclzlayers. s768;
masons, S7.6S; carpenters, S7.66; plasterers.
$3.50; hod carriers, 1894; bakers, s6.17; black
Smiths S737; cigar makers S607; book binders
8.77; printers Sly: street railway employees,
5000; teachers, SIP for men and ST. for women;
common laborerS $40. Female labor is much
| more generally employed than in this country,
and the employment is in most instances some
| thing worse than bondage, Sl.75 to 50 week
covering the wages of majority of the wretched
| creatures. Hours Of labor range from ten to
eighteen hours day. Factory girls, between
the ages of fourteen and sixteen who work
eight hours day, get as low wages as % cents
week.
| Now, it happens that none of these
trades or occupations are protected by the
tariff How could masons or teachers be
protected? Their work must be done on
the spot, and the same with each of the
others.
| In 1856 the secretary of the treasury ap-
piled to three eminent statisticians to ascer-
tain 1.-The number of persons in the United
States engaged in gainful occupations who
are subject to foreign competition"
| WoRTHINGI on G. FORD, chief of the bu-
reau of statistics, E. B. ELLIOTT, govern
ment actuary, and Prof. SIMON NEwooMB,
superintendent of the National Almanac,
made the investigation, and presented the
following results;
BY the census of 1880 there were 1892,
0g9 wage earners in the United States.
| OF this number there were subject to for
eign competition, according to FORD, S27,-
IS4, or AZ per cent: Mr.. ELLIOTT by diff
ferent process gave AS per cent; and
Prof NEwcoMB's result was SO per cent
That is, there are 5 per cent of the
wage earners of this country protected by
the tariff and 95 per cent. not pro-
tected.
1t is notorious that wages in the pro-
tected industries are lower than in any
other industries in the country; yet the
protection argument is that the lower
wages of 5 per cent. Of the workers are
the cause of the higher wages of the
los per cent. Of the unprotected
workers.
1t is true that wages are higher in this
country than in England; and the cost OF
iliving is also higher. But wages are
higher in England than in any other
European country. In Germany, which
has high tariff, wages are lower, and very
much lower, than in England.
While the unprotected carpenter, house
painter, or railroad engineer in the United
States gets 30 day and upwards, the
protected Pennsylvania miner gets IS cent.
and upwards The slaves Of the iron or,
region of Schuylkill valley work for s,
and 80 cents day.
The linen industry is protected by
duty of from 80 to 40 per cent. According t.
the New Jersey Labor bureau report TO
1887, the average daily wages of all-men
women aud children-were just 20 cents
In silk-making, the adult young womel
who operate the Paterson mills have bee
earning on an average "a a week according
to ore authority and S. according to an
other. 1t is proposed to reduce their pa
10 per cent. for the reason that ''the Patei
, son mills have annexes in other places tina
| pay the hands $3.50 week for the sam
, work.
: Not only do the prot ed indus es ter
10 lower the average rate of wages, bu
they are the direct cause of the importatio
$ of foreign "pauper labor'' into this country
The Pennsylvania mines are being file
g with Hungarians, of whom the Congress
sionaI committee on emigration said O
January 10. 1889:
They are of a very low order Of intelligence
They do not come here with the intention of be
. coming citizens; their whole purpose being I
accumulate by parsimorious, rigid and III
, healthy economy sum of money and then L,
turn to their native land. They have bee
brought here in such numbers, and have bee
employed at such low wages, that it has n
suited in their replacing the American citizen