The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-02

point most advantageous to himself, and the
relations between employer and employed are
no other but trade relations. Prof. Huxley
fully realizes that an employer, In fixing the
wages OF the employe, Is not guided by what
the employe can live for, only by what the en-
ploye will work for, and therefore, in addressing
himself to British employers, no admonishes
them that they must not go too low in fixing
the scale of wages: for, says the professor, when
wages get to such low degree that they can no
longer properly maintain the functions of the
human body, the laborer ceases to be human;
he becomes brutal and unreasoning, and it is
then hard to keep him from mischief.
i cite Huxley to show that he does not be-
lteve in the theory that wages are regulated by
the wants or needs of the laborer. Having
reached that stage in our argument where 1t is
clearly proved that supply and demand regu-
late wages, the next question which naturally
arises is, what regulates supply and demand.
As stated before the law of supply and demand
Is not an inexplicable, arbitrary law, it is not
something 30 mysterious that the average NOR
tai cannot understand. 1t is simply a condition
produced by organic laws; and, therefore, the
state that does its own manufacturing as well
as Its own food raising, and consequently finds
labor for all, or nearly all of its people. pro-
duces condition of supply and demand where
the two balance each other. Naturally, the
supply OF laborers not being greater than the
demand for them, the wages are high; for when
the employer goes to the market in search for
labor, he finds none there ready to compete with
each other to a ruinous degree.
No amount of sophistry can possibly change
the proposition herein stated 1t narrows itself
down to the plain query, Which are the organic
laws that will best enable q country to create
employment for all of its citizens? From prac.
teal standpoint it 10 absolutely impossible to
make general answer to that question
Theorists are ready to tell us that trade ought
to be as free as air. Theoretically that ID true.
It would be best for nations to Interchange
commodities with the least possible restraint
Such conditions are certainly desirable, for
they would tend to foster harmonious relations
between nations and would doubtless prevent
many bitter conflict
But much as such conditions are to be wished
and prayed for, they are as yet unobtainabIe:
for the simple reason that nations will not, and
in Justice to themselves cannot interchange
freely with each other until their conditions
are alike It does not follow that because free
trade ID not desirable in this country that other
countries must necessarily shun it plague.
Under certain conditions in certain countries
free trade might be blessing. but to US 1t GER
tainiy would be curse. The point may best be
illustrated by the fact that Mr.. Blaine's rec-
procity project, If suggested to this country
twenty-five years ago. would be laughed at. At
that time we were in no condition to recipro-
cate, we had no manufactured articles to
export, but today 1t 10 conceded by all, Repub-
lican and Democrat alike, that the reciprocity
law embodied in the Mckinley bill has largely
increased our commerce and has enabled us to
give employment to an increased number of
laborers and mechanics, thus increasing the
demand for labor, corresp ondingly reducing the
supply, consequently creating a.state of condi-
tons upon which both trades unions and the
law OF supply and demand can successfully
operate.
The question that we have to deal with IT,
Have we reached such stage that we can deal
with other nations upon equal terms; or, rather,
have they. the nations with whom we would
most come in competition, reached such de-
gree that they will allow US to deal with them
upon an equal basis? Without going into de-
tails, and without relying upon consular sta
tistics, which often are very misleading, let me
give you the wages paid in a few of the coun-
tries with whom We would have to compete. I
shall do 30 from actual experience. shall
only name such wages as have earned In those
countries AZ day laborer. Throughout Poland
81 cents per day is considered average pay for q
common laborer. Foregn-b born citizens who
read this aud are somewhat dubious about the
correctness of my figures will please recall to
their mind whether it is not true that 60
kreuxers per day are the going wages In Aus
TRAN Poland, and whether 1t Is not likewise
true that mark or little more are the regular
wages for the common laborer in German Po-
land, and whether 80 copecs are not the going
wages In Russian Poland, and If they will take
an exchange list and compare the values of
money they will find that my figures are cor.
rect.
These are by no means the lowest wages 60
ing in Europe. but they will do as a minimum
scale From 80 cents per day wages differ In
various other European countries until we
reach the city Of London where the high water
mark Is attained. Three shilliugs and six pence
per day equal in our money IS cents. These
ha . hat,
are confronted with is, Can We afford to deal
with them on equal termsY
anticipate no affirmative reply to the oues-
ton above propounded; especially not from n
wage Garner. do.not expect that there is any
one anxious In this country to work for 81 cents
day, the highest wages going in Furope
But we hear 1t often argued. Granted that the
tariff does increase wages, does not tho laborer
have TO pay proportionately higher price for
all articles that he needs7 Does not the tariff
foster monopolies that take from us the in.
creased wages we are earning by way of high
prices for articles that we need7 NY answer 10
both questions is that the tariff does not foster
monopoly. On the contrary, tbs ONLY indu.-
tries where trusts cannot live are the protected
industries. moments reflection will show us
that the reasons are obvious.
Capital, like labor, il always seeking to better
Its condltlon-always on the locke out 10 earn thu
most obtainabie. Thus, when the manufacture
invested an earning OF, say, IL per cent, capital
invested in other industries and earning only
or per cent will soon engage In the manufac-
turing OF protected articles, and the competition
that naturally results reduces the price OF the
protected article.
But 1t will be- claimed that the formation OF
trusts checks honest competition. Careful Oh.
servaton OF the laws that govern trusts will
soon convince us that trusts can have no effect
i've hold on manufactured articles A trust
means the combination of a number of persons
with q view to control the output OF a certain
article, and thus exact from the public
such prices for that article as the trust
may see 1t Now, 80 far as the trust can
control the source of supply so far is the trust
successful. Therefore railway trust can DO
made effective, for IL is next to impossible for
capital to duplicate all the roads OF tha trust
That fact has been recognized by the Republican
party, and therefore that party enacted both the
Sherman antitrust law and the interstate com
neree railway commission, all with q view to
check the power aud greed of trusts Whether
these laws meet the full requirements OF exist
ing conditions am not prepared TO say, nor 10
II al all gerrnane to the argument before u.s. The
same u True Of teal sssAte 4 npmbsg ei real