Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-13
FIGURES FOUND IN PROOF
Of the Claim That Workingmen Are
Better Off in America,
UNDER TIE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM,
Than in the United Kingdom or Elsewhere
Under Free Trade.
SOME STATISTICS AS TO STRIKES
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, July 12.-Majo- S. G.
Brock, chief of the Bureau of Statistics,
makes an authoritative statement of the
position of the Republican party on strikes
and lockouts, with especial reference to the
Homestead trouble. Last Thursday Senator
VOORHEES,, in his speech on the Homestead
riots, boldly charged these riots and the
frequency of strikes generally to Republi-
can tariff legislation. Major Brock says
statistics are against Senator VOORHEES,.
SIN answer to your inquiry" he replied,
81 should say that such a conclusion or
statement, no matter from what source it
NAV come, is great absurdity, as any
thinking person who will free himself from
prejudice viii very soon perceive. In the
first place, it is claimed by advocates of
protection, and practically admitted by all,
that protective tariff is not only made for
that purpose, but does in fact increase the
wages of laborers, both skilled and un-
skilled 1t is well known that the work
men at Homestead in the Carnegie mills,
as well as those in similar man.
ufactories throughout the United
States, receiv. double the wages
that are paid workmen in English factories
for the same class of labor; and they receive
more than double the wages that are paid
in Belgium. the next largest iron. producing
and diron-manufacturing country. Now, is it
not very reasonable and just to conclude that
there will be less discomfort and much less
liability to strikes in a community where
wages are high than in one where they are
low? So that, in fact, so far from protec-
tive tariff, which more or less increases
wages, causing strikes, it is in fact pre-
yentive of strikes"
Figures to Uphold the Argument
"Have you any figures handy that will
uphold this view?"
"Yes," replied Major Brock, taking up a
big blue covered octave volume. "Here.
for instance, is the British report Oh the
strikes and lockouts of 1890, presented to
both Houses of Parliament BY command of
Her Majesty. This report was printed in
1891 in London. Here is large volume o!
nearly 400 pages, which is a very full and
complete analysis of the strikes and lock-
outs in the United Kingdom, France, Ger
many and the United States From this
report we learn that in 1890 there were in
the United Kingdom 1,02S strikes, affecting
1893, 9S1 persons. In the United States.
during the same year. there were 927
strikes, affecting 219,915 persons; in Ger
many is strikes, affecting 45,S00 persons,
and in France 81 strikes. affecting 9S,7
persons. You will see that there was
greater number of strikes in the United
Kingdom than in the United States, not
withstanding there is what is termed Stree
trade in the Queen IS domains
''But ii should be remembered that in
1890 the populati n of the United Kingdom
was 81, 49,, 951, while in the United States
the population was g., ,622, $50 and that the
number of strikes in proportion to the pop
ulation of Great Britain was nearly double
the number in the United States Further
more these strikes mentioned in the Brit
ish report do not include the numerous
bread riots prevalent in Europe, but un-
known in this country resulting from the
frequent suffering of the people for food.
Comparative Statements OF Strikes.
sit appears, as you will find by figuring
out the proportion, that each strike in the
United Kingdom affected on the average 3S2
persons, while each strike in this country
affected but 23T persons, so that a much
greater number of employees were involved
in labor troubles in the Kingdom of Great
Britain than in this Republic. From this
you will see that strikes prevail to greater
extent and are more disastrous in Great
Britain than they are here. There is very
much less occasion for strikes in this coun-
try, because it is an undisputed fact that the
condition of the working people of America
is far superior to the condition of the labor
ing classes in the United Kingdom. Only
little reflection is necessary to convince any
one of this fact
''As rul the working people OF tine
United States own their own homes. This
is very rarely the case in any European
country. We are told that in the CITY of
Leeds, a great manufacturing center of
England, with population of over 200 900,
not a workingmau owns the home in which
he lives; while at Homestead over GO Der
cent of the mill workers have homes of their
own. Such is largely the case in all the
manufacturing towns of the United States.
Statistics of tho Savings Banks.
"Again, what do the statistics of our saw
irgs bank deposits show? In 1890 the de-
posits in the savings banks of the United
States were 81 524 8444 506 and 4, 25S, ,625 de-
positors; the average to each depositor was
1858 04. There are less than one-fourth
this number OF depositors and one-third of
the amount of deposits in the United King
DOM
''What about the statement that the Nc
kinley tariff encouraged strikes and in
creased the profits OF the owners of these
iron and steel mills, but was oppressive to |
the workers."
''Such statements arc sheer nonsense, as
you will readily see when YOU understand |
that the Mckinley bill did not increase the |
tariff on leading manufactures of iron and |
steel. For instance, on structural iron, such |
as beams, girders, etc, the tariff under the |
recent tariff law is 9-10 OF cent per pound: |
under the old law it was IL cents per |
pound. There is reduction on boiler and |
other plate iron or steel, also on forgings of |
iron or steel. There is also a reduction on |
steel ingots, blooms, slabs, billets and bars,
ETC." MEL