New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-07
THE CHEAP LABOR OF THE SOUTI


The economic moes and bats who see moth
ing attribute the hesitation and hating in GER
tain industries to the new tariff. 1t has built
up so many new establishments and brought
into use and development so many new resources
previously undeveloped, they say, that the works
in the older centres OF industry are subjected TO
more harmful competition than they could
have met from foreigners under lower tariff
This has specious sound, and some imagine
that it proves Protection self-defeating.
But the great fact Of the present industrial
era is the awakening of the South. For forty
years before the War on account OF slavery that
section took no part in the manufacturing and
mining progress OF the country. During the
War and for nearly twenty years after the South
was living in the past and obstinately refused
to wake up. Sentiment had so large part in
this industrial torpor that when the signs OF
revival were seen in 1885 many seriously urged
that this was one of the blessed results OF the
election of a President in whom the South had
confidence. But before that event the sleepels
rubbed their eyes and began to claim some share
in the Nations magnificent progress. For more
than sixty years, generation of slavery and a
generation of war and its Supplying memories,
been paraIyzed. Half the country stagnant and
torpid, having to be laboriousy lugged along
by the rest, was a heavy burden. But when
the vast labor force of the South, as yet unused
to the wages obtained in the mines and manu-
features, began to be employed therein the effect
was quickly felt. More than six years ago some
of the shrewdest Northern cotton spinners had
begun to put all their surplus resources into
Southern mills. foreseeng that cheap labor there
would presently make the production of the
ooarser grades of goods at the North compare
lively Improbable. As early as 1888 iron and
coal mining and iron manufacturing in Virginia,
West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee began
to enlist largo capital and to challenge attention.
More recently wool manufactures have sprung
up. and others of countless variety. The effect
has beer to bring the cheap labor Of the South
into direct competition with the more intell-
gent and better paid labor of the North, and
nov the results are felt on a large scale, and
by thousands of workers and employers Many
hundred Northern works arc closed or waiting
now because the owners have not yet learned
on what terms to divide with the South the work
to he done.
This is a fruit of Protection, and will prove
in the end a most bountful and blessed fruit
age, but for the present some OF its effects are
unwelccme. 1t will prove beneficial in the end
because vast amount of the labor which can
be done by the less intelligent workers of the
South can thus be more cheaply done for the
whole country, while Northern establishments
with labor of higher skill will be pushed for
ward to the performance of work OF higher
grade, more profitable alike to the employers
and to the country. 1t was with wise provision
for this progressive development OF industries
that the Mckinley Tariff revised duties on many
of the products in which as yet American labor
had not seriously competed. The period of
transition is unavoidaby one of sacrifice to
many. Those who stupidity sit on their anti
quated and idle machinery, refusing to take the
steps to extend and improve their manufacture,
will fall behind in the race irretrlevably. But
the transition is advancing rapidly. In hundreds
of works at once the reorganization and recon-
struction needful for long strides in industrial
progress are going on. Northern labor is even
now as we'll employed as It has been in most OF
the recent years of general prosperity, but 1t
will soon be more fully employed, and on the
whole at better wages. For while, in the
coarser and cruder forms OF production TO which
Southern labor is adequate, there must be some
lowering of wages if the work in competition
with the South is to continue, a constantly in
creasing proportion of Northern labor will lind
EMPLOYMENT in other and higher grades OF pro-
duction. The waking OF the South is not
misfortune, but in the end blessing to the
South and North alike.