The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-05
THE TARIFF AND LABOR.
How Free Trade Would Affect the
Steel Workers.
Chicago Tribune.I

SUcei DllleUS nave UeeH Sciilng at
s22. so per ton. That is equiva-
lent to a cent and tenth a pound.
The duty on imported steel costing
more than cent a pound is half a
cent a pound or SO ton. That
is quite sufficient to protect the
American against foreign competi-
ton.
Being well aware of these facts,
Mr.. Carneigie's workmen say:
"You have a protection of $40 a
ton and you also have the protec-
ton Of ocean and railroad freights.
Being thus effectually sheltered
from English, French, German
and Belgian competition you can
afford to pay us the old wages. 1t
is not fair to charge the consumer
that $40 and pocket the proceeds
yourselves, as our Democratic
statesmen tell us you are doing.
The reply of the company is:
1--WE admit that We are not trou-
bled by our foreign rivals, but you
lose sight Of the fact that domectic
competition has driven down prices
so much that the consumer is not
charged nearly all of that ten doll
ars you speak Of. The American
steel he buys does not cost him the
foreign price with ten dollars a ton
added, but only three or four dol
lars a ton above the foreign price.
More steel is being made in this
country than there are purchasers
for. Many establishments, being
in need of money, put their pro-
duct on the markets at cut rates
and have forced down prices. There
will be no change for the better
till some of those competing con-
Germs go to smash OF shut down
and the increased demand clears
the market of surplus stocks. Then
prices will advance and wages can
go up. Or improvements and
economies may be introduced in
the manufacture which viii enable
better wages to be paid though the
price of the product docs not adj
vance" This, in effect, is the re-
ply of the employer to his men.
There is no question that domes-
tic competition has forced prices
down till steel sells for six dollars a
ton below the protection of the tar
iff rate, or for only four dollars
more than it docs in Europe. But
assuming that at price of $22.50
per ton the steel manufacturers
could afford to continue paying the
old wages, and that the workmen
are justified in fighting against
cut, who is ready to assert that the
former could continue to pay the
old wages if the protective duties
were repealed, and steel costing SIS
ton in England were sent here to
compete with Pennsylvania steel?
If the American manufacturers
had to ask rs per cent. less than
they do now III order to meet for
eign competition, how long could
they keep on paving the present wa
ges.
1t is clear that domestic compc-
tition has gone so far that if it does
not Justify cut in wages it is on
the verge of doing so. Evidently
the result of foreign competition, if
it were given free scope, would be a
heavy reduction in wages. And in
view of the stubberness with which
steel manufacturers refuse to keep
on paying the old wages when they
get but $3.50 a ton for their steel
it is easy to see how fixed their de-
termination wculd be not to pay
the present wages if they get but
about SIS a hon.
If the present fight over COM
paratively small reduction is so
serious in its nature imagine the
gravity of the situation when the
removal of protection demanded
by a Democratic platform called
imperatively for a much heavier re-
duction. And if a small reduction
in the wages of few thousand men
IN one trade causes so a great a
commotion, imagine the effect of a
great cut first IN the pay of millions
of men engaged in all the protected
Industries Of the United States,
and second in that of the multi
tudes of men employed in building
trades, transportation and other
businesses The Homestead mill
trouble would be as a mole hin to
Mount Nesuvius in an erup5ion.