The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-09-21
CUTTING WAGES.
9~nenciarles of Ncllinlcylsm Drawing In
Their Lines.

Their Lines.
Some ~ the principal bcncaciaries
of Mckinlcyisfn are now threatening
Ia reduce wages 10 an extent which
will give them "A much wider margin
Of profit under the new tariff than
they had under the old. They threa zen
TO throw not only the entire rcdnct ion
of duties. but much more than the en-.
tire reduction. upon wages.
Eu. instance. the manager Of the
Aurora cotton mills in this state Is
quoted n saying "Thc Mckinley
tariff was rs per cent. adj valorem aud
the new bill Is Is per cent. a red ne
tion Of 10 per cent We have reduced
wages 10 per cent To meet this Il nd
hope To he able To get along without
further reductions. but cannot tell
until we come 10 market the goods IA nd
strike balances" In this case an
alleged reduction Of 10 per cent in the
tariff has already been met by red ne
tion OF 10 per cent. in wages. and the re
is a hint at still further reduction.
1t is assumed. to begin with. that a
reduction OF ten points in the rate Of
duty Will bring down the price OF
competing goods 10 per cent and
force down the price Of like domcs tic
goods 10 per cent This can hardly
deceive any working fnan or wo,n an
who has had the benefit Of "A comm on
school education. The deception is
too transparent.
An importer brings in cotton goods
costing 81 abroad. If the duty i -
per cent. the cost after importation.
duty paid, IS si.S5. II the duty is .
per cent. the cost. duty paid. is 81. ..5.
The difference is 10 cents on Si.3j. or
less than y. per cent. instead Of 10
per cent The tricky mill bcs, referred
to proposes to increase his profit by
taking from his operatives n, per
cent more than the entire reduction
il cost ~ the foreign article duty pal id
The Aurora mill boss makes an ad-
mission which should open the eyes of
his operatives lie says:
1--WE reckon il Ny the pound. our l.. l.. goods.
four yards % the pound cost u cents Z
round for laror 10 manufacture. IN Eneia "a
thct pay for labor - make the same class ~
goods oaiy cents lou,.n This gives them
an advantage Of cent sari for goods that
make four yards To the pound Tnis Is per
cent tarir nst covers the cost of the differ
encc paid for tho labor to make the goods
80 it is admitted that the new rate
covers the entire difference in labor
cost II is, therefore. Just right ac-
coiding 10 the Minneapolis republican
platform. But the statement Of tlii,
mill boss in regard to labor cost does
not correspond with the facts as stated
by james Il. Blaine as secretary of
state under Garfield. after Il care f al
investigation by the state departmcn mt.
According 10 the Blaine report the
labor cost of cottong goods is no greater
in this country than in England. but
in reality some what less Accepting
the official report instead Of the indi-
vldual statement Of an Interested
party, no tariff is needed To cover
difference in lab Dor cost And vet il is
proposed 10 take ~ per cent. more
than the entire reduction Of the tariff
out Of wages In fact, it has been
done by the Aurora concern.
1t is reported that the New Jersey
pottery bosses propose to reduce wages
twenty per cent. including reduction
already made. which is considerable
more than the reduction Of the tariff
ON competing wares And the window
glass bosses are threatening "A cut of
thirty per cent, or at least six per
cent more than the entire reduction
OF competitive prices by the lower
rates
All these bosses ignore the fact tn at
there was no increase in wages. but in
many cases decrease. after the pas
sage Of the Mckinley bin with its
higher rates. There was nothing for
the worlsmen in the higher rates
The bosses poke ted everything. And
now that rates arc lowered they pro-
pose to pocket still more by cutting
wages more than the entire cut in
prices resulting from lower duties
And all this is done not in the ex-
pectation that wages can be kept down
for any length of time II is done to
influence the votes Of the men and. if
possible. restore the Mckinley party
TO power and get back the old plupder-
ing scale OF duties. The depression
consequent upon the republican silver
panic favors their scheme for the mo-
mcnt. but that will soon pass away
and with it the forced reduction of
wages
The proper response to the BULLDOG
ilg bosses would be the passing OF a
bill sweeping away the protective du-
ties altogether. That would serve
them right for reducing wages SO far
as 70 increase their gains. even under
the lower duties, and for attempting
by reduction Of wages to restore the
Mckinley party TO power and 10 Sc
cure for themselves n restoration OF
the full benefit Of the Mckinley law.
Such arrogant products ofprotection-
ism are entitled to no consideration
whatever. -Chicago Herald.
Croaking Republicans.
The St. Louis Globe Democrat OF the
republican press declines to join the
croaking and tells its party associates
that they are making serious blundcr
in prophesying i'll effects from the OPP
Grafton OF the new tariff. says their