Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-15
AN INSANE EMULATION OVER PECK.
THE TRUE INWARDNKSS.

Great is the exultation of our Repub-
lican contemporaries, and of ye peripa-
tetic Republican orators and declaimere,
over the publication of Labor Commis-
sioner Peck's report. 1t is very appar-
ent that the highest-tariff-th that-can-pos-
sibly- be-impoeed Republicans have had
really very little confidence in their own
arguments, or they would not be so ex-
travagantly elated at the small comfort
dealt out to them by this man Peck.
That he has given partial and one
sided account of the progress of manu-
factures since the passage OF the MrKin-
ley bill, has been demonstrated most
convincingly. We are simply emphasiz-
ing the genuine hollowness of Republic
can arguments by instancing the unmis'
taxable Republican delight at the sup
posed opportune appearance OF the New
York commissioner of labor. He has
evidently relieved them of Peck OF
trouble.
Dismissing this aspect of the matter,
and getting down to the inside truth,
Labor Commissioner Peck has attempted
to generalize on statistics without the
ability to do so. His reports from lead
ing manufacturers are misleading in the
extreme, as has been demonstrated by
the painstaking efforts of the New York
World and New York Evening Post.
The capable experts sent out by those
journals have traversed the grounds os-
tensibly gone over by Peck, with the
difference that, instead of applying to
the manufacturers for their facts, they
have interviewed the employees of those
personages. The result has been that,
IN every case, where there has been any
advance in wages it is due not to the
Mckinley bill but to strikes. This am
ply disposes of the wage aspect OF the
matter--which is by no means its only
aspect-as respects the state OF New
York.
Senator Allison is one of the clearest-
headed and most reliable men on the
Republican side of the senate of the
United States. He is perhaps the fair
est thinker on that side of congress, and
| divides with John Sherman the intel
lectual leadership of that body. In q
speech in the senate Mr.. Allison said
that, after carefully collating all accessi-
BILE statistics relating to the Mckinley
bill, he had satisfied himself that it had
| resulted in an increase of three-quarters
| of one per cent in the wages OF labor
throughout the country. In other words,
q man who had been receiving $12 pei
week before its passage would now re-
joce in $500; or, to put the increase in
concrete form, he would be able to con-
gratulate himself on having the enor
nous increment of nine cents week
Thus, while the wage-earners' benefit
from the Mckinley tariff is three-quar
ters of one per cent, that OF the manu-
facturer has been, in many instances
one hundred per cent or more, notably
more, as in the case of the so-cslleo
black plate dippers, known by the cour
tesy as tin plate manufacturers.
1t never seems to Republican pundits
whether on the tripod or on the ros
trum, that the wage-earner, although
he is to be greatly considered, is moi
everything in this discussion. The con
sumner counts for something, and &c
does the constitution of the United
States. No we'll informed man of any
party would dare to say that the organic
law of this country could, under any
system Of Interpretation, be twisted
into sanctioning the imposition of i'm
mense duties OF imports, solely tt
pamper any class. The law has been 81
interpreted as to admit Of such. an i'm
position OF duties as would give Incl
dental protection to American indus
tries. But that is as far as any fair ant
intelligent man, outside of small co
terie of Republican politicians, has eve
dared to 60.
The people in 1890, by majority of
million and 6 quarter votes, showet
that they did not approve of the mon
strous and unconstitutional doctrine O
protection for protection's sake. Tha
this verdict will be affirmed this fall i
all too clearly indicated by the result O
the August election in Vermont and tn
September election in Maine. Th
ratio is enormously against our frien'
the enemy, and no amount of howlin
about the benefits of tariff, which is
considerable increase on that which car
ried us through the war, and which wa
increased in 1865, after the close of tn
war, and which the Mckinley tariff still
further increased, will change the dis
astrous current which will sweep Ha1
rieon out OF the White house.