New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-15
no TIME FOR EXPERIMENTS.

What Mr. CARLYLE used to call d" the dismal
science" would richly deserve the name, II 1t
gave any excuse for suggestions as Gallons and
cold -bloOdcd as some which are often heard IN
these DAYS of trial. Business is stagnant al
ready. it is frequently remarked by jealous ad-
yocateS Of "a change and therefore it is the
right time of all others for alterations OF the
tariff which might indeed Cause some inter
rnption Of industries if business were active
and prosperous This is as if a surgeon. find
ing patient greatly enfeebled by accident
shock and loss of blood should pronounce that
the hest time for an operation So severe that
even in state of ordinary yigor the system
ght not be able 70 endure it.
Wages are the life-bood Of the economic
system When these are full and regularly
paid the ability of the millions TO purchase
products is at its maximum, trade is most
active. industries are stimulated by the large
demand, and savings against a rainy day
accumulate. But when the amount OF wages
paid has been much diminished, when mills
and mines have been closing and workers by
the Thousand have been discharged from en-
ployment. when for four months such changes
and rapid reduction in the wages paid to
those still employed have been drawing away
the life-blood from business, until in some
great industries half and in others third Of
the productive force is idle. and the weekly
purchases Of the people have been reduced fully
4 third. then the system is weakened, the re-
sources Of companies and firms are materially
diminished. the savings of labor are IN par;
consumed for the support of the unemployed,
the confidence upon which prO,pcrlt! 50 greatly
depends has given place 10 dstu>t or de-
,pJnd,ncy. and in all respects the business
world j. in condition 10 suffer more severely
than in ordinary time, from any shock or re-
verse
II is largely question 4 bread for the
hungry Whether in good times o. in bad. the
employed labor Of the country creates the prod
ucts from which food. ncce>saric, and comforts
are drawn. not only for the wives and children
AMI the helple>, VI dependent. but fer those
VINO are unemployed and others who look -
them for support. II quarter of the workers
are unemployed and condemned - dlcnc>S, the
burden Of their support falls upon the rest, and
in some way j. added to the budenS they ordl
narly have to bear. The savings against \
rainy day are used mp. the resources Of employ
crs and capitalist, are reduced the means with
NnIfn .
in the future are diminished II is after such
a process of exhaustion has continued for four
months after II has gone 80 far that IN pig iron
the maker, of 5000 tons are IDLE. while the
makers Of only III. 900 tons have work but
generally ~ reduced wages that men declare
il wise - subject industry and trade 10 fur
Their strain The mouth, to bc fed in enforced
idlenc.s must be increased Yet more in num-
Der and the wages Of those who can get work
IT all must be- Yet reduced In ruth. il is a
strange philosophy. cruel and inhuman enough
for the ar>tOclai who once proposed that the
sans -culotteS should eat gas,
The hands that labor in this country have
weapon Of their own The ballots are not al
ways wise, but they are powerful. After many
wears Of mbro,cn prosperity. there were wage
carncrs by the thousand who wanted 10 enjoy
the luxury of voting against their employ
crS. and would not believe that
they were voting against thcm~elve, even
m IRE. They concluded that it was nothing bat
bogic Of the boSScs-thc story that Demo
cratic victory and a change Of tariff would
bring hard times. closed shops and low wages.
TO some Of them American prosperity and
American wages appeared rs immutable as the
law Of gravtation. II is sad that they We're
thus deceived by the very abundance and
pelmlncncc Of the blessings which wise pei
lev had secured. But il will be found less easy
10 deceive them when cold furnaces and silent
mills and empty factories have taught their
lesson. Especially if Democratic theorists, rs
cold Il, the fires they have cxtingui9hcd and rs
pitle>S rs the machines that aIc still insist
upon forcing tariff changes when the labor of
the country is already most Soicly tried they
must expect that the many workingm"n who
seek worl, in vain will have experiences not
easily forgotten.