New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-01
WAGES AND DTTIES.

TIL re- arc many WOIkingm'n who still lmlgln"
that the Protective Tariff in no way affects
wages Two classes of persons do their utmost
ro promote this opinion among Worliingmcn
the acitators for Free Trade. and those who
are engaged in organizing or maintaining trades
unions. and who fancy that the best mode OF
inducing Workingmcn 10 support these organ
izafious +, T. persuade them that no other power
cyi,fs 10 promote their interest IL respects the
wage, paid for labor except the organizations
which they themselves may maintain. The
motive Of the Froc-Tmdc agitator is obvious
enough. Tnlc,, he can make the working
rcoplc Of this country believe that the Pro-
toctiyc system benefits them in no way he has
no chance whatever ~ obtaining 4 favorable
verdict from the people.
Intelligent protoctioniNtS have not claimed
that it was the purpose or the effect of pro-
toctiyc duties - lift wages in particular occu-
nations above the general level in this coun-
fry. They have maintained. and have album
dainty proved that the Protective system. by
encouraging the establishment Of diversified
industries and the opening of great number
If now mine, and mills furnaces and facto-
rios does provide additional employment for
a
increased demand thus c1uScd for all American
labor must of necessity result, ana does IN ia'l
result i'm a material advance IN the wages ol
labor. For a long time II was claimed that
the increase in the cost or living, which Pro-
lection was said 10 cause, moro than balanced
any increase in thc Wagc- PAID T. Wolklngmon
r. is noteworthy that in those days the Free
Trade di>puant> never ycnturcd to question
the fact that WAGES had been largely advanced
in many cmploymcnt> by the influence of Pro
lection. but sought 10 convince the working
people that the benefits thus conferred were
unreal because they were compelled To pay
more for everything they purchased with their
wages That line of reasoning has been definite
~ disposed Of by the Investigations Of the
senate Finance Committee aN to the cost of
living before the change Of duties and since
and il can no longer be claimed with a fair
prctcncc of sincerity that the additional duties
imposed by the tariff Of 1890 added anything
whatever to the cost of living. or to the retail
cost Of similar products in this country. II re-
mains for the Frcc-Tradc agtator necessity
TO claim that any advance which the working
pconlc may have secured in wages has been
due. not to the obvious increase in demand for
American labor, but to some other cause.
With the advocates Of trades unions there
need be no dispute on this subject. They urge
that the organizations have enabled tho organ
lied workers TO secure better wages than they
could otherwise have secured. II this be
granted to the fullest possible extent. it must
yet remain the fact that tho employers would
have been unable to pay the greatly increased
wages which have been paid under the opera
ton Of protective duties. had they not been
defended against foreign compctiti n. single
illustration may be taken from the experience
Of the workers at Homestead. Prior To 1890
they enjoyed the benefits of protective duties
on structural iron and steel beams, on plate
iron and steel rails and on many other products
of the works. Their strong and well main
tanned organization, it is said, enabled them
to from employers wages which they
demanded and which employers were then able
TO pay. The tariff Of 1890 reduced wages
materially on certain Of these products, par
. cent per pound. As consequence of this
and other changes. the prices Of products of
the mills declined greatly, so that the works
were no longer able TO pay tho same wages
formerly paid. If this statement of the en-
ploycrs is correct, the organization proves
powerless for the benefit Of the workers in this
case, only because the works are no longer able
to pay the wages asked. But for continued