Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-10-13
Dry Goods Economist

hlessrs' ". l.. GuthamS sons, copy OF |
Jacob Schoenhof's new book, entitled !
"The Economy ot High Wages" Mr.. |
Schoenhof has been known for many
years rs writer on economic questions.
He was for several years in our consular
service in England, and during his Oft
oial life was employed by the govern
ment TO investigate economic conditions
in the leading manufacturing states Of
Europe, with particular attention to the
status and effects of technical education.
In lieu of preface to his book Mr..
Schoenhof prints the following intro
ductory letter from the Hon. Il. +.
Bayard, exSecretary of State, himself
an earnest friend and advocate of tech
meal education:
WILMINGTON, Del, June 10, 1892
Jacob Schoenh9f, Esq, NeD Y0rk-MY
DEAR SIR; | am gratitied to learn that
YOU are now prepared TO lay before the
country, in compendious form, the re.
suits Of the personal examination and
intelligent study which, under instruc-
tons of the Department of State in
1887, you prosecuted in those Industrial
Centers of Europe where technical edu-
tatiou had been most highly developed
and had proved itself to be productive
of the highest economy and best re-
suits.
Impressed by necessity of a practi-
cal and thorough comprehension by our
countrymen OF the actual condition of
their foreign competitors in the arts and
manufactures, to the end that their
energies and intelligence could be sue
cessfully applied to keep them abreast
of the worlds column Of artiticrrs in
the progress of science and invention, |
considered it fortunate for the public
that | was enabled to command your es-
pecial faculties in the execution of the
task.
My only regret has been caused by
the arrestation of my work pending its
satisfactory completion, by your re.
moyal from your position in the con
suiar service, and the consequent sub
traction of that support and furthcrance
which your official position afforded.
had INDUCED the hope that the non
partisan nature of your employment,
and the signal ability you had displayed
in the execution of your consular duties,
would have constituted protection to
the public interests, and have shielded
you from the dessicating blasts of the
''spoils system."i
Nevertheless congratulate you upon
the result Of your labors as now pre-
scented to the country, and which can
not doubt will prove of great value in
the campaign of education in political
economy now happily in progress in
the United States.
The scope and purpose of your in
Vestigations We're not limited TO report.
ing mere processes of manufacture and
the bare statistics of the hours Of labor.
of 4
raw materials, utilization OF wastes, &c.
Such information, however, interest
ing and valuable, was not wholly want
ing, nor was it difficult to obtain. Your
purpose was even more important, and
its results were TO contain II higher sig
niticance, which was to indicate and cs-
tablish the power of education of the
human hand and brain, and the applica-
ton of sense and feeling III the eXpan-
sion and improvement of the products
OF human industry; 10 show how "thC
sweat of the brow is leSsened bv the
conception of the BRAIN and increased
wages accompany increased efficiency
The proof contained iii the reports Of
your investigation go far to refute the
shallow and repulSive theory that q
human being is but mere machine
and to prove that, on the contrary, true
economy and philosophy Join in de
claring that the cheapest labor is Tho
labor that is most productive, and that
the more the forces of cultivated intel
ligence, Conscientiousness ana hopeful
ness shall inLUso themselves into human
industry, the more abundautly yaluabl,
the results, the gre alter the sum Of human
happiness, and the more stable the politi
cal Institutions Of a country.
No scphistry is more dcmonstrativ,
than that contained in the phrase 9TH
labor market a phrase which CRATE
upon the ear and offends the moral sens
for 1T seems to classify men witt
inanin ate machinery and fails To tal;
into account human impulses and feel
ings, the heart and the BRAN in thci
elect upon the energy and excellence
human industry.
When Turner, the artist, was agie
with what he naked his collars II
'rowled out, "Br4ins'-and there is NJ
department VI human labor, llowcyo
mechanical, in which the enlistment I
the BRAIN and With it the heart Of lh
laborer, IS not in degree and way d
ltsown Of practical Importance.
Amid the elements OF the cost Of nrc
duction, labor is ever present and cssnf
tiat, and consequently in the fierce an
strenuous competition Of tho industria
world III True economy in labor, il
quality as well as quantity, is the que.
ton o. coutr l.tag Importance.
Before the item # profit can arise III
cost Of the various elements combine
IN any product mus be first deducted
Wages, taxes, rent, insurance, into,
est, capital, material, waste are anon
these items, and Iabori the cyrr-prescl
and essential lnlcgcr which Impair
vitality 10 tho whole.
IN increase Of any Of these item
trenches upon labor and true wistlol
instincts that labor is entitled 10 III
chief consideration and outranks all III
others in Us importance.
lhG lacts you have adduced aud vol
deductions irresistibly establish the pr,
position that low wages do not mea
cheap production, and that the best ii
structed ana best paid labor proves j
self 10 be the most productive--so tn
the rate of wages and the cost Of Dir
duction are not alternative nor equiv
lent expressions, although so frequent
and ignorantly confused
As the efficiency Of laboris Increase
prices will be lesseucd, and this Great
new demands, So that successful M
progressive industry implies neccssi
for wider markets, and minimum
artificial restriction upon exchanges
the commercial world.
Mechanical excellence is one Of n
points of technical education, ana n
command of every market follows ii
tub 1 =. 1