West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-09-11


production in over aooo establishments was a Is
and that in 1850 4 was only so.2S. decrcase OF
Il IS equally true that in considering the value
Of labor we should take into consideration its sf-
eieney or in other words. its capacity 10 increase
A superficial examination OF the reiative cost OF
labor per day in America and EngiSnd would at
is much higher in this country than abroad; but
when we take iuto consideration the efficiency of
value Ia prise. measured BY the value OF the pro
duct OF the two. we az orce realize that there Is
little AZ any difference.
: Mr.. fsvaIts then Secretary Of state In present..
ing to Congress the reports ot the United States
eonsu,s in relation the state ofiabor in EUROPE
IN letter dated MAY n. 1879. sums up the Dtor-
nation embJdied in these numerous reports and
IN referrtug 20 the relative value Of work per
sofinea oy the American and European workmen'
''rhe average American workman performs
from ono aud half 10 twice as much work In a
given time the average European workman.
THIS A. 80 important poiut IN connection with
lectures of europe. aud 1t seems. ON hrst thought
80 strange. that will trouble YOU with somewhat
leagthy quotations .rom the reports in support
Aud on page " he suggests the reasons for this
difference in efficiency in favor OF the American
There is something In the Republic which
gives an individuality to the people of the United
degree our inventive genius In mnechsniSsi ap.
planes n original. aud At least twenty-five years
are prenared s1s 4, sy psnI,esnsep Euponesn.
| do not. Ore work man IA the United States,
as will be seen from the foregoing extracts, does
as much work as two wofkm-n in most OF the
countries Of Europe; even the immigrant from
Europe attains this progressive spirit by few
have oppressed and stupid peassntry, little
more Intelligent than the tools they handle, All
Mr.. blaine, while oco Dying the same position
In Transmitting similar reports to Congress refers
to the subject Of wages In the cotton factories in
'Undoubtediy the inequsiitie. In the wages oil
Ensiish and American operatives are more than
equalired by the greater efficiency of the latter
add their longer hours OF labor. IL this should
| prove 10 be fact in practice, as II seems TO be
proven from official statistics, II would be very
| important element in the establishment OF our
| ability 10 compete with England for our share OF
| the cotton goods trade of the world.
Mr.. FfeiiuGhuysen, in transmitting similar
report In referring TO the cost OF labor for weav
ing and printing cloths in England. remarks:
Your readers will gather frofu the hgures
given in the foregoing table OF costs that In the
| matter Of wages, America is as cheap as Eng
The correctness OF the conclusions reached BY
an analysis Of the reports Of our cousuls IN
| estimates as TO the number OF hands employed
| In the manufacturing industries In England Rnt
America. and the value of the product turned ou
by them:
United States. Great Britain
| hanos employed S7So.ooo S,t4o oo'
Value Of product 5000 100000 s4,ooo,ooo, oo'
The u,teranees upon this subject to which
| have referred are the mature Judgment OF leaders
| OF the Republican party AFTER careful investiga
ton Of the facts and made In their official CHI ar
sarily cutter into its consideration in framing leg
islation bearing upon these economic questions
no element that eomPoses our great popnla
alton to the effect of the tariff wages than tn,
| lsboring masses. The organizations which hav,
tended to educate those directly interested in tn,
subject in the practical effects Of its operation
The day has passed when the American aborei
can be misled by the catch-words, Protection fol
American labor"
Reform Association Of Philadelphia TO the work
| men OF the United States shows a keen apprecia
ton OF their relations to high tariff. aud boldly
procaims who IN fact are the benehciaries of thi,
| legislation. II declares;
| "LABoR's SHARE.
"The wages OF labor in the manufactures ar,
but little more than ~ per cent Of the product
In other words, the amount that falls TO labor ou
Of the total value OF the products In only 81 out
every 500. now, does Ct not stand to reason that
II tariff be at all necessary average tariff dut,
| Of ~ per cent. would be amply sufficient 10 pro
| teet American labor against foreign labor, even |
| the latter got no wages at ail Yet the aversge o
tariff duties now is ~ per cent, although the dit
1 ference in the wages between this and other coun
tries is not per cent. calculated upon the reativ
| productiveness of labor Why. then, Is this extrI
| 20 per cent. put onl We see II cannot protect la
Dor. II does protect the manufacturers not merely
|
against all our efforts to compel them TO treat u
justly 1t Is this 80 per cent extra that secures e
them all the benefit from protection and makes
Impossible for to even wiring from them shar
| oft. IT makes them free from competition aus
foriihes them against our just demands aud Il We
leaves them free to draw their labor freely from
| the markets OF the world and the inevitable an,
natural result Is cheap labor and dear goods"
Mr.. President. manufacturers should not pre-
sent themselves to the public as rhilanihropists
II they do, the facts OF history would overthrow
the claim. Until Democratic House originate
| law which prohibited -, they hesitated not e
import the pauper labor OF Europe by contract
made abroad with mortgages upon its future
earnings. place IL side by side with the Aineres,
labor, with no other purpose in view than TO re
duce its value.
Before the passage Of this law. strikes were IA
more numerous Than now Then, the iaborei
| was in the power Of the capitalist; he could b.
turned out OF employment, his family reduced I,
ton of desperation that would make him Weld 4
the demand Of his employer; for u he refused I,
were open. and they could be drawn on to suppl,
his place. Thanks 10 Democratic House o
Representatives, THIS can no longer be done, aut
! labor may now treat with capital upon a NOR,
1 equal footing
The information furnished rs by the Govern
ment shows that the view taken by the Working
mems Tariff Reform Association as TO the pei
| cent Of labor Ia the protected manufactures I,
true; and those statistics further show a seriou.
depression IN tie value OF labor under the protec
ton given 20 the manufactured commodities sine,
the war.
afacturcd product Of this country in 1860 was 8 i
SIS s6f.65o and the wages paid TO produce those
commodities amounted 10 7S,858 go or 20 pet
cent. Of the product. We learn from the same
authority that in 1880 the value Of the mauufac
tured products was $500 90 100. and the value oil
the wages paid was S9f79fo 67f a fraction over ~
per cent, after twenty years q high protection
The wages in 100 under Of the lowest tarfg.
this country has ever known, IL being lower than
the rates fixed by the revenue tariff Of $50 reach
iuR only SO on the 500. 3 per cent. higher
than those paid daring the period 81 twenty year.
when high protective tariff was in force the
low tariff during that time enabling the nianufac
turers to keen wages AT the higher 6gure
~ considering the value Of wages iOr workm en-
/ ia Ebgiaud and America. the question rs sug.
Rcsted whether the higher prices paid FOR labor I'M
/ this country are not neuiraized BY the increased
cost Of living caused BY tic enhanced prices gwen
TO articles OF universal by the high duties i'm.
posed upon their production or importation by the
We must not forget. cir, that the iaborcr Is a
consumer and ono Of the iargeat class Of cousut.
ers Of those commodities which are highly pro
tected. BE consequently paws his fuii share Of
/ Federal taxation. and far beyond his equilabie
proportion Of the bountics 10 the manufacturers
Every article Of clothing purchased by him or 81
MS iaiuiy, whether - consists Of gooilcn or cot
ton goods, the tools Of his trade the china crock
/ cry ana glassware used ia his kitchen or placed
on his table, his knives and forks the stove or
wnicn ne cooks ms meals the skilel- and foia la
which thcy are prepared, the tiu bucket iu which
is carries his dinner every article that adds %