San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-23
AMERICAN WORK AND WAGES.

The democratic statesman OF the
cur bstone variety is pevsr tired OF re-
iterating The tariff is tax" IL Is
generally accepted by these free trade
haranguers and their followers that
the tariff actually represents the DIFF
ference between the foreign and the
domestic prices of the articles upon
which the tariff is levied. Nothing
could be farther from the truth. You
can purchase on Grand street In New
York, where thousands of the poor
and the lower class laborers buy their
clothing, good serviceable clothings
at less price than the duties that are
levied on that class of importations.
The wool shirt that pays eighty cents
duty is there offered at sixty-nine
cents In the regular channels OF trade.
According to the Tariff is tax"
theory, that shirt should be bought
In the foreign store at the New York
price, less the duty levied. In other
words, the foreign store keeper would
have to Fay the purchaser of that shirt
eleven cents for taking the shirt, as
that would be the domestic price, less
the tariff. The purchasing power of
a days labor in this country Is far in
advance of the purchasing power OF
days labor in any other country OF
civilization, and this is the important
fact after all. There is no doubt that
much of our American labor Is uu.
derpaid, and it is so underpaid be.
cause the demand for labor is not as
great as the supply. This surplus of
labor is owing to the reckless impor-
tatlons of low class labor IN the past
and the immigration, practically un-
restricted, from the great labor ceu-
tiers OF the OLD world. This foreign
labor, unused to the wholesome con-
ditions of American labor, has
abused the relations that heretofore
existed between labor and capital in
this country, ana the result has been
an unnatural conflict between these
two partners In the industries of the
world. The only remedy that can be
found Is in restricted immigration,
and the increased intelligence of the
working classes. These facts are
realized in the industrial centers
of the east, by both capital and LABOR.
When the pressure on capital to en-
ploy labor is eased, as 1t will be under
wholesome laws for the restriction of
labor will be able to
m AXE more-equitable terms with CAPT
tai and profit sharing will be the ex-
ception IL not the rrle. The intelli-
gent workman knows that his salva.
ton depends on the preservation of
the protective policies of the republic
can party. In all large manufactur-
ing centers, as a rule, the vote Is re-
publican one, and will grow increas.
ingly 30 as the workmen are educated
to understand the situation. 1t was
and understanding Of
their interests that urged so large
body of Rhode Island workmen to the
polls In the recent election In that
state. Like causes Will produce the
same result, aud it is only question
Of time, and not very long time either,
when the protective idea will rule in
every manufacturing community in
the country. The voice of the work
man will be heard in the demand for
restricted immigration and the ex-
clusioD of coolie and monaghan labor,
capital will no longer be In danger
from the ignorance of deluded labor,
and a peaceful solution will be given
to the vexed question of the relations
of labor and capital.
NO state west of the Mississippi