Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-18

ihbor the Wide world over. While In
America the daily or weekly wages are
much higher than In Europe. yet. owing
10 the superior intelligence, ambition,
skili, and efficiency Of our working-men,
ana the assistance OF machinery, the cost
or labor IL cheaper; because they make
more goods In n day than the European
workman
1t has been ascertained In making cot
ton-goods. for instance, the American
workmen make one third more goods than
English, and almost four times as much
as the laborers OF Germany.
An English expert who was sent 10
America to examine into the question
for the English manufacturers, re-
ported that in certain quality OF
cotton cloth. the weavers' labor cost
In blackburn. England. 25.iS cents, in
Rhode Island. 1871 cents at Stockport.
England. "a cents: at Fall River. 1926
cents; at Hide. Eng. 25.2s cents: at
Lowell. 1886. Thus IL will be seen that
the work OF the well-paid workman is
cheaper than. the work OF the low-paid
workman.
PLAIN ENOUGH.
In other words. II pay a man s. a
day. and he makes two pairs OF shoes.
and | pay another 81. and he makes five
pairs OF shoes. don't / get the high-wage
workman cheaper by one pair OF shoes?
or, taking the cost OF labor, don't the
hrst shoes cost me 81 per pair TO have
them made. and don't the last cost me
~ cents per pair?
And IL has been proved by careful in
yestigation made by Mr.. Schoen hof, late
Consul 10 England. that this Is true Of
American workmen, as compared with
other worimen; he reports that the re-
suit shows that in a pound OF print cot
ton cloth the manufacturing cost In
Switzerland Is 1912 cents: in England.
s.6S cents, and In America, SIS cents.
Woollen dress goods. manufacturing cost
Of one pound OF these goods was in
England. IS cents; in America, S3c.
Worsted coatings. iI.li In England: $50
In America.
4ngrain carpets, A.57 in England; A27
here Boots and shoemaking. zoe. in Ger
many; 35c. here. For weaving loo yards
Of prints cotton cloth the weaver received
Gnc. In Germany. J5c in England, and In
the United States 40c.
If this be true and 1t Is true, why
should not American thrift enterprise,
and push together with the efficiency and
intelligence of our workmen. the cost OF
labor being cheaper, and the raw ma
ltIidlS cheaper, Ep lillO tilt VI
the world, and there successfully com
pete for the worlds trade? The result
would be large sales OF manufactured
goods. a greater demand for labor to make
more goods with steady employment, and
increased wages.
Again, n dollar under high tariff does
not buy as much IA 1t does under low
tariff. and therefore the percentage OF in
crease should be added to the low tariff
wages.
1t is also well known that with our
high restrictive laws. there is often over
production and shut-downs, the laborer
is turned out on the street without work,
and IL is the first and longest sufferer
therefrom.
Again. high tariff aids the formation of
trusts, combinations. and monopoiies'
shuts up many factories. and transfers
the business to few, than which no
thing can be more injurious to labor.
THE LAST CONGRESS.
We come now to a consideration OF the
Fifty-thlrd Congress. What has 1t done?
II has been in session continuously for
one year, that IL might carry out Its
pledges to the people.
T. II has stricken from the statute-books
of the United States the last vestlge OF
Republican tyranny in the shape OF
Decentralization laws, and has restored to
our citizens the untramelled franchise
guaranteed TO them by the Constitution
Of our country: the Federal-election-law
scalp hangs at the belt and the force bill
Is no longer possibility.
3 II has reduced the expenses or run
ming this government over s30.co0O0.
g. II has made all money equally tax
able.
4. 1t has given to all our people the
opportunity of living cheaper and better.
5. II has placed the burden Of taxation
upon the rich mans surplus. as we'll as
upon every mans needs, by the passage
of an income-taX of per cent. on all
incomes over $500.
6. Ii has placed the transactions OF the
and It's methods OF accounting
upon d business basis
7. Ii has restored confidence to- our cur
rency and finances by the repeal OF the
Sherman act. which required the pur-
chase by the government OF i.5(oO0) ounces
OF silver per month. This silver was not
coined, but was paid for in paper money.
rcdeemable in coin" that Is, in gold and
silver.
The law was unfair. I'm that II allowed
a citizen to pay his obligation 10 the
government in silver. and TO demand from
the government gold in redemption of its
Such law must necessarily
impair confidence and tend TO produce
panic When this Congress first met it
found the country struggling with busi-
ness depression and a financial panic. The
surplus of 100000, which the Demo-
Gratis had passed over to the Republicans
In 1889 had disappeared; the revenues OF
the government under the prohbitve Nc !
Kinley law were not sufficient TO meet |
the expenditures under the appropriations !
made by the bllion-dOllar Congress.
The people OF other lands had lost con- |
idence in our finances and were drawing /
away the great investments Of capital ,
hey had loaned TO US. Everywher> /
panic and distress prevailed. The people /
became alarmed. runs on the banks fol- .
lowed. everybody began to hoard money, /
banks closed, a panic was upon us. II /
was to stop this panic that the Fifty-third /
Congress was called in extra session. IL .
has restored that confidence which the /
Figty-hrst Congress had destroyed. The /
sherman law was repealed in order 70 !
preserve bmetaliism. 10 keep both gold
and silver in circulation as money. IL
innulled the bargain made by Reeds 4
rongrtys with the silver mll'ionaires,
which compelled the government 10 Coh-
.inue the issue Of paper money regardless
IF It's ability 10 redeem the same in gold
pr silver at the option Of the holder IL
has maintained AMI re-establshed the
parity AMI the convertiblity Of every
lonar of the peoples money. This ques-
ion Of silver coinage has not been set
led. but the special privileges granted
10 favored mlne-owners have been an
lulled.
g. Ii has repealed the Mckinley
aw and presented TO the people n tarir
aw containing the lowest duties and the
argest free list which we have seen
since the beginning Of the war. 1t was
1 long and desperate struggle every IN
luence that enormous wealth and grasp
ng extortion could array against 1t was
enlisted on the side OF McKinleylsm. and,
While the passage was greatly impeded by
/ brave fight, the Democrats have won,
and thereby have crippled trusts. greatly
reduced the peoples taxes and cheapened
he cost Of nearly everything used by
he people. The free list embraces 100
TENS, which were heavily taxed by the
Nc Klnley law.
Amongst them wool. lumber. farm-ma-
hinery. salt, blndlng-twine. burlaps, ana
rrain-bags. etc. Nearly everything that
he farmer and the people generally use Is
ther free or greatly reduced, while luxu-
les are left untouched; and. even In the