Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-27

scale OF wagos Ia particular country.
and while tAfl1 rates eannol DO based
directly on the difference IN ascef-
tanned wages or even IN the active
esFnins or peope IN competing coun-
trles, lt viii De readily seen that Dy the
Gale | have laid down this difference
becomes indirectly the basss upon
which duties are levied. as tariff rates
are liked by the difference Ia tue cost
or produ between competing
e0untrles asd the difference IN the
coat If production IN the nDai analy-
sis II costs Of difference IN
wages or earnings TINS rule Is rxIng
rates should only apply. however, TO
articies IN the production OF which the
tnited states las equal natural ad-
yaatAges with other countries. As .
protectiouist, | beiieye that the United
states cannot afford. having IN view
the most development of her great re-
sources 10 levy duties upon articles in
tae prod actlon of which other coun-
tries have permanent natural advsnt-
ages. such articles should be admitted
free. In the case of articles fairly en-
Titled to protection, the rule that |
have laid down, believe is the only
one that should be followed.
Causes for Criticism.
TarH rates are frequently citicised
because certain statistical reports show
tnst the so-eaiIed percentage Of labor
cost OF production IN particular arti-
cle Is less than the rate OF duty I'M
-s4d hal nd m
sumed therefore that the rates are
unnecessarily high For instance, these
reports show that the average cost of
labor III prod nclng WOODEN goods 10 from
- g. % per cent of the total eost OF the
product. and therefore il 10 argued the
rate duty should not exceed that rate.
statistics OF this nature. taking into
consideration. Only the labor employed
IN single stage IN the long process OF
manufacture may have some
value sIatistlcslly, but they have
no value Whatever In determining the
rate of duties which should be imposed
by protective tariff. For instance
knowledge OF the exact percentage In
each case which the cost of rlvetng a
blade into y pocket-knite bears To the
total cost of the knife in Sheffield or
IN soiingen. would be OF no value to a
Legislator. Protective duties are lev
led ~ equalize conditions, and u is the
total relative cost Of producing the
completed knife at these competing
points, and not the relation which the
cost OF rivetlng or polishing the blade
has To this that should determine
equalizlng rates.
Difference in Cost
All calculation In regard to percent
ages OF labor cost are therefore entirely
useless IN u discussion OF the tariff
rates. Ii 1t costs 81 to producs yard
of WOODEN cloth In Massachusetts and
60 cents in France, the natural advant-
ages of the United States being equal
To France in the production of woOlen
cloth, 1t would be necessary, In order ia
eouallze conditions, 70 levy duty OF
40 cents y yard. IL is easy for legis.
lator To ascertain differences IN the
total cost of production, but quite i'm
D sable for him to determine the math'
cmatical relation of partial costs ut diff
ferent stages. From this point ef view
much valuable time mas also been vast
ed IN the collection and discussion OF
statlstlcs IN regard to sO-called tOta
fxbor cost of production. Most of these
statistics leave out of the computation
sums paid for clerical service, for sup
erintendence, for taxes and insurance
for labor IN repairs and materials and
all the great mass of incidental expen-
ses which 20 10 make up the cost Of
q ing business and the ultimate cost o
production. These all represent labOl
services
strikes and Their Causes.
Mr.. AIdrlch referred to q statement
by John DeWitte Warner of New YorH
on strikes, from which Senator Vest
had Largely quoted. and in reply Mr.
Aldrich submitted report of the labo
bureau upon this same subject. The
number Of strikes IN this country varied
from 443 IN 1874 to l4l IN 1886, the
average number OF each year for th'
whole period being SIS. The number
reported IN 1880 Is 79s, being more thar
ten times rs many rs Mr.. Warner fol
eighteen months covered by his stats
tee, which aggregated only II. 1t car
tie said that at no time in the history o
the country has labor been so con
stantly aud protitably employed and a
such satisfactory wages as In the perloC
referred to. No person IN the United
States with the capacity and willing
pess TO work Is out OF employment. Il
IA. perhaps. proper that | should cay :
word IN regard To the condition ant
earnings of the operatives IN Rhode
Island. Instead OF working at 'starva
ton wages the working people OF m.
state are enabled, from their earnings
to live az we'll and as comfortably a
any similar class of people in thu
world. and savings, averaging nearl,
81 COO for each family, deposited IN th'
savings banks of the state. furnish tn,
best evidence of their prosperity ant
satisfactory condition. These savings
accumulated since the Inauguration ol
the protective policy of the Unite,
States, arc greater per capita, | believe
than those of any other industrial com
munity IN the world"
wool and Tin.
Wool duties were discussed by Sera
tor Aldrich. answering the effort o
Senator Vest TO prove that the dutie
WAS injurious alike To wool growers
WOODEN manufacturers and consumers
Senator Aldrich went into this question
at length. senator Aidrich said tn
trainers Of the &C, of 1890 were cont
dent tha. II would lead to the establish
ment of new industries. and this conf
dence has been justified 10y the devei
opment IN the ia plate industry slons
not to mention many others. III
quoted from the report of specls
Agent Ayers showing that IN TIA
quarter ending June 30. 1892, the pre-
ductlon OF TN plate N the tnite'
states had been S.225 .se1 pounds b
twenty slx manufacturers. "The cos
of making a hoy of l. g. coke plate u
the Tinted states - s5.32 = bon, and II
wsIes 81. .s0-the difference being II