The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-15
raRIEP ANn WAGES.
Protection has BsHsrsd the Condition OF
rhs WorEinEnsu-soms Facts Of His

tie worErsgmsu-ssms Facts of His
tory.
Blf,5E c1g7nsr:i1l BuE1ta
The "Reminiscences OF aged persons re-
earding the condition OF the working
people Of the country in the days when
they we're young, bear striking evidence
OF the different conditions which pre-
val! to-day. Food and raimen., COM
forts and necessaries OF life we're higher
then than they are nov and work
scarcer. while wages were only irac-
ton OF what they are at present. A
ride through the comntry gave evidence
Of the poverty and dAstIiution that pre-
vailed. Imprinted and diiapidated
dwellings, with leaky roofs and broken
windows stuffed with old hats we're ire
quent, while the physical condition OF
the people was in keeping with their
surround ings.
This picture Of the good old free trade
times is not often referred TO by tariff
reiormers. They prefer to indulge in
glittering platitudes regarding the bene-
fcent results that will follow the sweep
ing away OF the protective heresy. They
have no heart to discuss the actual con-
dition OF things which has prevailed
under every revenue tariff that this
country has seen. In the infrequent
intervals that the protectionists gained
power, the industries OF the country ex-
panded and prosperity increased only
10 be thrown down in ruin and despair,
BIZ the elimination OF the protective
features from the tariff, as IN lS33 and
1916.
At that time it must be remembered
that wages were not very much above
the English standard The prevailing
rate Of wages would be thought siarva.
ton pay to-day. Besides which, the
hours Of labor were much longer; in
many cases twelve to fifteen hours.
Even as late as Just before the war, q
dollar day was full pay for unskiiled
labor, and masonsand carpenters earned
the muuifcent sum OF 81 % 10 81 30
per day in the towns and cities.
In the country things were naturally
oil lower scale. In New Hamsphire,
for example, q dollar looked bigger than
a cart-wheel and was scarcer. Half
century ago the ordinary dar laborer in
Massachusetts worked for 10 cents per
day; cotton spinners on hand mules
rarely averaged a dollar for fourteen
hours labor; weaYers received about
6Gf Gets on the average. Native Ameri-
can help at that. Trade at that time
was largely carried on by barter, even
in the suburbs OF Boston.
Our free trade friends tell US that the
reason wages are higher in this coun-
try, lie because the population is more
scant than in Europe, that we have
possessed an abundance OF free or
cheap lands, that the growth OF the
country caused an unusual demand for
labor But the two first OF these con-
ditions prevailed at their maximum in
those good old times OF which We write.
let wages were almost on the European
level and the condition OF the laborer
not much above it; work was not over
and above plenty and the development
OF the country slow. In this compare
son of the wage earners' condition ac-
count must be taken OF the fact that
practically everything ne bought cost
materially in excess OF its price to-day.
The free traders can only draw on
their Imagination to explain the great
increase in wages on any other basis
than that the policy of protection by
stimulating industry and the develop.
ment of the country's resources and
providing great opportunities Tor en-
ployment which the vast tide oil lmmi-
grafton could not oyerbear, has been
the cause Of the great advance in wages
and in the condition OF the working
people, which has far exceeded the gain
in Great Britain or elsewhere. The
facts OF history support this statement
Will our wage earners be foolish
enough TO overthrow the barrier which
protects them from the competition OF
the poorer paid laoor OF Europe and see
their wages go down in consequence, as
water seeks its level? We think them
too intelligent for that.