The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-16
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"a protective tariff is preventive
and not promoter OF strikes" Major
S. G. Brock, chief of the government
bureau OF statistics, said this with en-
phasis Tuesday morning as he looked
from his busy desk upon the panorama
Of the Potomac country which his win
dow commands. 1 had called the at
tention of Major Brock to the state
ments current in the freo-trade papers
that the Homestead strike was caused
BY the Mckinley tariff then he entered
tho vigorous negative just quoted.
Continuing he said:
81 should say that such conclusion
or statement, no matter from what
source it may como, is a great absurdity,
as any thinking person who will free
himself from prejudice will soon per-
ceive. In the first place, it is claimed
by advocates OF protection, and practi-
cally 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 unskilied. II
is we'll known that tho workmen at
Homestead. in the Carnegie mills, as
we'll as those in similar manufactures
throughout the United States, receive
double the wages that are paid work
men 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 pro-
ducing andiron manufacturing country.
Is it not reasonable to conclude that
there will be less discomfort and much
less liability to strikes in community
whore wages are high than in one
where they are low? A protective tariff
which increases wages is a preventive,
and not promoter Of strikes"
FIGURES SUSTAIN THE STATEMENT.
"Haye you any figures that will sus-
tain this vicw?" was asked.
EYES," replied Major Brock, taking
up big blue covered octave volume.
"Here, for instance, is the British re.
ports on the strikes and iock-outs oil
1890, presented to both houses OF par
lament by command OF her majesty
This report was printed in 1891 in Lon
don. Here is large volume OF nearly
400 pages, which is a very full and COM
plete analysis OF the strikes and lock-
outs in the United Kingdom, France,
Germany and the United States.
"Erom this report it is seen that in
1890 there were in the United ktngdo ON
1,02S strikes, affecting 392,0Sl persons.
In the United States during the same
year there were 927 strikes, affecting
2l9,Ol5 persons; in Germany 45 strikes,
affecting 45,S00 persons, and in France
81 strikes, affecting $500 persons.
You will see that there were greater
number OF strikes in the United King
dom THAI in the United States, not.
withstanding there is what is termed
free trade in the queens domains. But
it should be remembered that in 1880
the population Of the United Kingdom
was 81 ,464,95l, when IN the United
States the population was 62622, 250,
and that the number OF strikes in pro-
portion to the population OF Great
Britain was nearly double the number
in the United States. Furthermore,
these strikes mentioned in the British
report do not include the numerous
bread riots prevalent in Europe. but
unknown to this country, resulting
from the frequent suffering OF the peo-
pie for food.