The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-08-20
PROTECTION AND WAGES.

A high tariff exchange asks: "If protec-
ton does not maintain American wages,
why are they about twice as high as in any
other country under the SUM"
One would think that even the brRzen
protectionists would not PROFOUND such
queries. That they present questions like
the above as arguments proves they rely
upon the ignorance Of the people to carry
their case. Italy is high tariff protected
country, like our own, hence the wages
paid Italian workmen should be equal those
which Americans receive. Germany and
France are also high tariff countries; why
are not the wages there as high as in Amer
lea, if protection increases the pay of the
working classes! England is free trade
country. and according to Republican logic
the wages Of British workingmen should
be those designated as ''starvation;" yet
as matter Of fact wages in England are
higher than in France, Germany or Italy,
and they are higher because of free trade,
not because the natural resources of the
island are greater than those OF the coun-
tries named, nor because the popula-
ton is less dense In free trade
Great Britain thousands of Germans,
Frenchman and Italians are at work
They leave their own tariff protected
countries becauae free trade England pays
40 much higher wages than they can get at
home. How many English workingmen do
you suppose can be found in the countries
of the continent where, according to Re-
publican reasoning, the high protection
should make wages highs Spain enjoys the
highest protection in Europe. and her
workingmen receive the lowest wages
Nine-tenths of the Spanish laborers man
age to live on wages which a workingman
in free trade England would scorn; in fact,
the Englishman could not exist on what
the Spanlard is compelled to accept or
leave his tariff protected country.
No Republican editor thinks for mo-
ment that .protectionn makes high wages
He may say it does, and trust to the ig-
norance of the workingmen for the &C
ceptance Of his statement; but in his heart
he knows that his statement is not true.
He knows it without going abroad for
proof or illustration. He can look about
him and see that an increase Of the tariff
does not increase wages. The tariff on
wooden manufactures was recently in
creased, but where. is the worker in the
wooden industry whose wages were in
creased with the imposition OF higher
import dutyf The tariff on certain iron
manufactures was increased by the Nc
KINLEY law. but did Mr.. CARNEGIE in con-
sequence increase the wages of his
mena Instead, he reduced their pay
and as result many thousands
of his old hands are idle.
riots and bloodshed have followed the re-
duction, the commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania is being put to millions of dollars OF
expense for the maintenance of order and
men, women and children are suffering for
the necessities of life And 80 you may
run through the entire list of protected In
dustries, without finding anything to
prove that protective tariff increases wages.
Ii wages have been increased a trifie, as is
the case probably in some of the industries
it has not been due to the tariff, but tc
revival of business in those particular in
dustries. On the other hand the investi-
gator will find many instances where
wages have been reduced as the direct re-
suit OF the high tariff which has narrowed
the market, checked trade ana limited pro-
duction.
Fortunately the wage-earners of the
country are not ignoramuses. They have
and can see and reason for
themselves. 1t is also fortunate for them.
as well as for the country, that they have
the privilege Of expressing their opinion at
the polls, as they did two years ago, when
they said what they thought of protective
tariff by the election OF Congress pledged
TO repeal it. and as they viii say again next
November wien they choose tariff reform