The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-24
OEE OF MIR. BYNUM,S DUPEs.

ONE OF MR.. BYNUM'S D5PES.
Saturday night Mr.. Henry spoke in
locality where Mr.. Bynum has been the
chief political teacher during the past
six years. There he has proclaimed
those heresies that he mistakes for
craftsmanship. 1t is no wonder, then.
that one of Mr.. Henry's auditors should
cry out: "It's competition. not protec-
ton, that increases wages"
This is a remarkable declaration, but
it is the basis of Mr.. Bynum's advocacy
of free trade. And q very remarkable
declaration it is; for it is nothing short
of declaration that the more labor that
can be brought into competition in one
market, the better the opportunity for
advancing wages! That is, if there is II
job for ten men in factory at 30 per
day, there will be better prospect of
getting $3.50 dYif twenty men should
bud for it, and still better prospect of
S2.75 if forty men should implore the
managers to favor them. Is there any
wage-earner in indianapolis who does
not see that this proposition is absurd?
One of the purposes of labor organiza-
tions is to bring about an eight-hour
system. One of the chief reasons for urg
ing the system is that more men may
be employed to the end that the
surplus of labor shall be absorbed and
to prevent the competition which comes
when there are 10 per cent. more work
hon al fnr York.
ten hours day. If Mr.. Bynum's dis
ciple is correct, the wisest thing all
labor associations can do is to urge labor
to come TO the cities where they exist
and work as many hours day as they
can induce any one to employ them. to
the end that there may be competition
for employment.
With one-twentieth of the population
of the earth, the United States consumes
over one-fifth OF the products of it's
varied industries outside of agriculture.
| The protective tariff has retained this
market largely for the products of the
| United States. The wages in all these
industries are double those paid in
Europe. To abolish the wall of protec-
ton would let the products of all Eu-
rOpean competitors into the American
market. VIII any one who is not
ee-trader of the Bynum variety and
those who have been deluded into the
belief that no is a statesman say that
| the prices of goods and of labor will be
advanced in this country when hundreds
| of ship-loads of the goods made by the
cheaper labor of Europe come to our
| shores where one now comes9 Compe-
| tition, which makes cheapness in goods,
| is only another name for that cUmpeti-
tion which makes cheap labor. The
| protective tariff keeps out the products
| of the cheaperlaboro of Europe. Does any
candid man believe that tho competition
! of the products of that half-paid
| with the products of the full-paid labor
| of this country will advance wages
here7 Again. the United States cannot
consume over s,000,O tons of pig-iron
and 3,6O0,0 600 tons of steel in year. Will
| it tend to increase the volume of en-
| plOyment in the industries depending
upon pig-iron and steel in the United
| States if half of this iron and steel, now
made at home. is made in England. Bel
GUM and Germany? When half the
mills are shut down, will the competi-
ton between those who have employ
ment and those who are idle tend to in
crease wagesf None but dure of the
| Bynum heresies will so contend. Com
petition under the same conditions for
/ market is serious enough, but compe-
tition with the whole world for the
worlds markets is so terrible that it led
John Ruskin to say:
Though England IS deafened with spin
| ming wheels. her people have no clothes:
| though she is black with the digging of
| fuel. they die of cold. ands though she has
sold her soul for grain. they die of hunger
The Sentinel is troubling itself a
great deal about SIR. Reid's relations
| with Typographical Union, No. 6, of
New York, and organized labor gen.
orally. There is no difficulty between
union No. and Mr.. Rcid-not parti-
Gle. Whatever differences existed be-
tween them were settled months ago to
their mutual satisfaction. But what
about General Stevensan9 What has
the Sentinel to say Of his fight against a
miners union in the coal mining COM
pany of which he is PRESIDENT What
explanation has it to make for his pres
ent attitude of hostility to organized
coal miners? And more, what explana-
tion has the Sentinel to make to the In
dianapoiis Typographical Union because
candidates on the Democratic State
ticket refused TO listen to its repre-
sentatives in regard to the selection of
a superintendent of printing and vio-