Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-08-12
TARIFFS, STRIKES, AND WAGES.

TARIFFS, STRIKES, AND WAGES.
The following able and compre-
hensive article from Harper's Weekly
is SO eminently sound, and in such
striking contrast to the flood of mis-
representations and false conclusions
poured out from every high tariff
source, that it should be read and re-
read by every voter in the land 1t
contains the truth and nothing but the
truth. lie who has a good under
standing of the case as below set forth
against protection is not liable to be
mislead by any false prophet who may
prophesy pleasant things for high tariff
taxation.
The labor troubles at Homestead
have started lively discussions between
protectionists and tariff reformers as to
whether the tariff had anything to do
with those disturbances. The pro-
tectionists point to the fact that labor
trouble and strikes occur in free trade
England as frequently as in protec-
zionist America, and that therefore it
cannot be said that the tariff is their
cause and free trade the remedy. This
is unquestionable correct. But in one
very important respect the answer is
not sufficient. One of the main argu-
ments constantly and vociferously
urged in favor of high protective duties
IS that they are not only to aid the
manufacturer IN making industrial pro-
ductlon profitable, but that the tariff
is especially intended to ameliorate the
condition of the American workman
beyond anything hitherto known. 1t
is to secure to him constant employ
ment and high and steady wages; it is
to enable him to own his house and
lot, to have the comforts of home
and a considerable amount of enjoy
ments of civilized society; it is to in
sure him, unless he be very imprudent,
against want and care in his old age;
it is, in short, to secure to him con-
dltions of life with which he would
have every reason to be content. Such
promises have been and are poured in
TO the ears OF Worklngmen, especially
at election times, when the labor vote
is wanted for the protectionist party.
4 large portion of the labor vote has
actually been won in that way for high
tariff policy, and it is by no means sur
prising that the working-men should
have taken the representations made
to them seriously. According to what
they have been told, they have reason
to believe that the tariff laws were
made specifically for their benefit: that
Ia the matter Of employment and
wages the American working-men are
to be much less depended upon the
state OF the labor market and upon
the ylclssltudes of business than work
lng-1nen IN free-trade countries are;
that they may claim share in the
profits made by the establishment in
which they are employed with a better
right and larger extent than NAV be
claimed by working-me not protected
by tariff. that they will be taken ex-
cellent care of somehow, whether by
their employers or by the power that
made the tariff law. 1t is easy to see
what notions of right and what expect.
ations of benefit may thus be encourag-
ed IN the minds of the credu,ous, and
how those minds are thus prepared fol
the exciting appeals of the agitator.
But the tariff laws say nothing about
wages or continuity of EMPLOYMENT
The ful6lment of the promises made
by the protectionists in behalf of thu