The record-union., 1892-06-17
THE CASE OF sHoEn1AKERs.


Labor Commissioner Waltz is conduct
ing an investigation into the formation of
the Manufacturers Association, and
from the account of the proceedings as
published in the Bulletin of June 18th,
we take the following:
Mr.. Rosie, President of the Manufacturers,
Association, being on the stand, said
"On account of the introduction of cheap
Eastern shoes, the shoe business in this city
has steadily decreased"
just previous to this Mr.. Rosie had
stated that the Manufacturers Associa-
ton was formed to crowd the Chinese
from the shoe business. He said that
prior to the formation of the Shoemakers'
Union the Chinese were largely interested
in the boot and shoe business. and that
the union was organized more to prohibit
them from monopolizing that business
than for any other object. Then follows
the statement that cheap Eastern shoes
have injured business in this State.
The whole tenor of the testimony of
Mr.. Rosie is to the conclusion that the
Eastern shoes have injured the shoe
business worse than the Chinese, The
shoemaker thus finds his strongest COM
petitor, not in the cheap foreign labor.
not by reason Of the introduction of a
servile labor, not on account of the alb
sence of protection, but because of the in
PRODUCTION of cheap Eastern shoes into
this market.
The question naturally arises, What is
the remedy? Can we keep out cheap
Eastern shoes2 Can we convince the
people of the East that they ought not to
make them? Shall we establish pro-
tective tariff between California and the
rest of the world? The questions expand
to an unlimited extent? Why are East
ern shoes cheap? How is it that shoe
can be made on the Atlantic seaboard of
this continent cheaper than on the Pacific
seaboard? Remembering that the Presi-
dent of the Shoe Manufacturers Associa-
ton says this, the statement becomes
highly significant. It reinforces the
these columns that California must
endure transition from old-time
prices and profits to an equaliza-
ton of prices and profits with the
Eastern seaboard, or it must cease to
have commercial relations with it.
The skill and genius which triumph in
the manufacturing and commercial world
is that which can produce an article for
the least money. The consumer will
purchase in the cheapest market, despite
all local or patriotic considerations. Rail-
road freights would constitute the only
means of protection against cheap East
ern shoes. If the doctrine of protection
is worth anything at all, it should be
made applicable to the industries of every
part of the country. But railroad rates
will not be raised, because they cannot
be. The shoe business cannot look for
protection in that direction. The init
macy of communication between the East
and West is fixed fact. Transportation
Will become cheaper, not dearer, and
cheap Eastern shoes will be introduced
to greater, not less extent. If. there
fore, the Introduction of these wares has
injured an industry on this coast. the
only remedy is for the boot and shoe
maker to find the means of competing
with his fellow-craftsmen of the East. It
is idle nonsense TO talk about opinion
having anything TO do with matters of
this kind, or sympathy or advocacy hav-
ing the slightest influence upon results.
1t is not question of sentiment, or opin-
ion, or wish. 1t is question of inherent
force From the standpoint of the high
est intelligence on the subject, therefore.
we have the testimony that at least one
industry is in revolt, not against cheap
Chinese labor, but against cheap Ameri-
can labor.
Moreover, the statement is an adnnis-
sion that shoes cannot be produced in
California as cheaply as in the East. If
that is the case, then the East will make