Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-09-22
A G COMING DOWN..


WAGES COMING DOWN.
nsnchc!aries OF MCAinlcyism Drawing :
Their Lines.
Sumo Of the principal benefciarie
OF McklnleyiSm are now threatenin,
10 reduce wages to an extent whicl
will give them a much wider margin
of profit under the new tariff tina,
they aad under the old. They threaten
To throw not only the entire reduction
of duties, but much more than the en-
tire reduction, upon wages
For instance, the manager OF thu
Aurora cotton mills in this state i,
quoted As saying: ''The Mckinley
tariff was 81 per cent. ad valorem and
the new bill is 20 per cent. a reduc.
ton OF 10 per cent. We nave reduced
wages 10 per cent, to meet this and
hope to he able 10 get along without
further reductions, but cannot tell
dntn ne come To market the goods and
strike ~batnnces." In tina case an
alleged reduction OF 10 per cent in the
tariff has already been met by a redrc-
tion of 10 per cent. in wages, aud there
is a hint at still further reduction.
1t is assumed, to begin with, that a
reduction of ten points in the rate Of
drty will bring down the price of
competing goods 10 per cent. and
force down the price OF like domestic
goods 10 per cent. This can hardly
deceive any working mar or woman
who mas had the benefit of a common
school education. The d~eception is
too transparent.
Al importer brings in cotton goods
costing 81 abroad. II the duty Is So
per cent, the COST after importation.
duty paid, is sL35. If the duty IS %
per cent The cost, duty paid. is s1.25.
The difference is 10 cents on 81 as. sr
less than ~ per cent, Instead of lc
per cent. The tricky mill boss referred
to proposes to increase his profit by
taking from his operatives ~ per
cent. more than the entire reduction
in cost OF the foreign article duty paid.
""'o'" "lH 'oss n'a"eS an "".
tH" ."I'' 'u'"'" open tie eyes vi
Dpe'"'''e VIC says
four Yards to t ,bo 'n oon pUu'o ros tVr ~ foo's'
pound for labor to manurscture. IN England
they pay for labor 10 make the same class Of
soous only cents a pound This gives them
make foor yarss II, y'I tta , nn' i'' r sJo'S ., 'mae
cent. tariff Just covers the COS, Of the diner
ence paid for the labor to make the goods"
So it is admitted that the new rate
covers the entire difference in labor
cost. 1t is, therefore, just right ac-
cordlng to the Minneapolis republican
platform, But the statement Of this
mill boss in regard to labor cost does
not correspond with the facts as stated
by James e. Blaine as secretary of
state under Garfield, after a careful
n vestlgatlon by the state department.
according TO the Blaine report the
.abor cost OF cotton goods is no greater
IL this country than in England, but
n reality somewhat less, Accepting
me oilclaI report instead of the indi-
'ldual statement OF an interested
'arty' no tariff is needed to cover
'lherence IN labor cost, And yet it is
proposed to take ~ per cent. more
nan the entire reduction of the tariff
'nt OF wages In fact, 1t has been
one by the Aurora concern.
IL Is reported that the New Jersey
'ottery bosses propose to reduce wages
wehty per cent, including a reduction
ireaaS made, which is considerably
more than the reduction of the tariff
m competing wares. And the window
'lass bosses are threatening a cut Of
per cent, or at least six per
'ent. more than the entire reduction
II competitive prices by the lower
ates.
Ali these bosses ignore the fact that
here was no increase in wages, but in
many cases a decrease, after the pas
age of the Mckinley bill with its
rates. There was nothing for
he workmen In the higher rates.
The bosses pocketed everything. And
10" that rates are lowered they pro-
lose to pocket still more by cutting
wages more than the entire cut in
'rices resulting from lower duties ,
A ,l Ill All :