The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-05

RiOhs Of Labor CCAtcaqO tgOrEtnORea's Organ),
In the national election OF 1892 the
worklngmen Of the United States de-
eided that they did not want protec-
tod. OF course there is diversity OF
opinion among them on this, rs there
is on almost every question, but ma
jority Of them voted the Democratic
ticket, and their ballot carried With 1t
all that the Democratic platform ex-
pressed or implied. In arriving at that
conclusion it must be assumed that
they acted intelligently, 1t would DO
doing them an injustice to say that
they were merely attracted by abstract
theories to ignore concrete conditions.
As it is pertinently said, III the work
ingmen want free trade, why free trade
Ia what the workingmen want" and
they ought to have 1t regardless or re-
suits,
For some time prior TO 1860 the
workingmen OF the United States en-
joyed all tho benehcent results OF the
principles which, by their votes OF last
year, they decided were the correct
principles Of government Able'bodled
iourneymen machinlsts by working
twelve hours could earn as much as
ninety cents day, and flour in 1858
sold as low as ten dollars barrel. The
expenses for conducting the govern
mento an economical basis were pro-
duced by tariff laid on tea, coffee and
sugar. In consequence the cost OF
those commoditiea to the con-
sumer was so great that 1t
amounted to almo't practical prohi'
bition for the ordinary workman. A
substitute decoction made OF burnt
rye and sweetened with New Orleans
molasses was used. Nearly all articles
made OF iron, steel, or glass were i'm
ported from England, whore 1t was pro.
duced at minimum cost, the wages OF
workingmen there being much less
than in the United States. In those
days workman with q rag carpet on
his floor was regarded by his fellow
workman us an aristocrat to be envied,
and q man with piano or organ IN his
house was millionaire. This, accord
ing to tho dictnn Of our free trade
friends, was an ideal civilization and OF
course we ought to put no impeachment
in the way OF returning to il.
The protective tariff adopted shortly
after the period referred to tended to
the development Of homo industries
The wages OF our industrial population
began to increase gradually. In time
1t became matter OF comment II the
homo OF workingman was found with
out carpet on at least one floor in the
house, or IN organ or piano in the par
lor. Coffee and tea sweetened with
granulated or loaf sugar became as COM
mon as beer drinking is to-day in our
large industrial centers. It was discoy-
cred, too, that as our industries jevel-
oped the wages OF the workingmen
were increased, invention was slim
ulated, the cost Of production was re-
duced to minimum aud articles before
regarded as luxurious became 30 cheap
that every one became habituated TO
them, so that to-day he who should
hesitate to pronounce them as articles
necessary to our wsll-being would be
regarded as a lunatic. Another thing
was discovered as direct result OF this
system. The wages and standard OF
living of the English workingman In
creased almost in the same ratio as that
Of his American brother. The United
States began q competition for the mar
kets Of the world. The English artizan
was compelled by the force Of his trade
union, his master, to level up" his
wages to q par with that Of the Ameri-
can artizun. This levellng-up process
was gradual but II was sure.
After an experience Of generation
the American workman has decided
that it would be as well TO 20 back to
where we started from. That instead
Of compelling the European workman
to "leyel up" to his standard 1t s better
that he should level "down" to the
standard of,the European workman. In
this lies the whole gIst Of the tariff dis
cussion. For there is no question in
the mind OF any intelligent person that
whether 1t 10 up or down, that when
this leHeling process is completed that
free trade will be contamination de.
voutly to be wished. 1t will be an ideal
condition for the distribution Of the
products Of industry.
Perfection has noabidingplace among
men, therefore it lie not strange that the
protective tariff policy vogue in the
United States for tho phdt thirty years
should have many imperfections. 1t
has been the resultof much study, much
honesty, considerable sprinkling Of
knavery, some selllshness, and at least
little bit Of ignorance. Legislative
bodies are not always immaculate.
Witness the present legislature at
Springfield, moro corrupt yenal, vic
ious or ignorantset Of rascalH probably
never assembled under the name OF q
legislature, and yet it is the best that
tho combined wi1dom Of tho voters OF
Illinois could produce, or at least that
they cared to produce. The Congress
OF the United States 10 typical
embodiment OF tho Illinois legislature,
onlyalittle rtherremovedf from respon-
sibility TO the people. Therefore when
congress assemblies to produce q tariff
bill II must necessarily DO tho result Of
many compromises, not only OF the
interests OF tho people, but OF honor
and integrity as well. Tho representa-.
two OF the castor oil trust happens also
to DO a representative OF tho people,
and must protect tho client that paws
him best or that no can fool the least,
and 90 castor oil, which should have no
place In the procession, must DO award.
cd prominent place on tho list. The
representative Of tho qulnlne interest
occupies similar position, aud 10 II
goes with all tho various Interests, but
after all, when the bill 10 completed 1t
Is fair embodiment Of tho will, II not
Of tho wishos, Of tho people, and with