St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-06
THE VITAL QUESTION IN
VOLVED

LIE IL N ~ I'M
VOLVED.
Mr.. Reed said that the matter of
wages was the vital question underly-
| ing the tariff bill. Chairman Wilson
agreed with him. Thus we have the
| leaders on both sides of the meas ure
agreeing that the effect of tariff OH
wages was the question of questions
underlying it, notifying it, whether the
bill be directed to the increase or the
decrease of rates of taxation.
1t is historical that the earlier ground
on which advances of the rates was
asked for was that it was needed to
Initiate or build up manufactures. This
was abandoned as untenable when the
manufactures had so grown in power
and wealth that the proposition was
either absurd or a fraud on its face, and
the proposition was changed to the one
with which we are all so familiar, that
the rates must be high so as to render
the employers able to pay high wages.
Under the admissions of both Of the
leaders the question then is: Do high
tariff rates make wages high? Mr.. Reed
affirming and Mr.. Wilson denying it,
Air. Reeds assumption is yet shared
by large number of the wage earners
of the country, men who are so imDued
with paternalistic idea of government
that they are not ashamed to ask that
to contribute to their support; and this
in the face of their own experiences, all
of which teach them that however much
a tariff may make their employers able
to pay high wages, they do not do it ex
cept under the compulsion of threats of
or the use of force by organized labor.
But, as the question is still a vital
one, and will be until it is rightly set
tied, it is not amiss to ask the wage
earners to consider what has been
promised and what acquired by them
during the thirty years of high tariff,
period now happily drawing to an end.
During all that long period federal tax
alton has been directed, so tar as i'm
ports were concerned, On the lines and
with the purpose stated by MIR. Reed.
Surely, even in the life of nation a
third Of century is long enough to
work out such problem, aud to either
establish or refute it.
Indisputably the first effect of pro-
tective tariff is to stimulate manufact-
ures by the bonus offered. When all
the people propose to be taxed to make
any business more profitable, there will
always be found plenty Of men to en-
gage in it. This was one of the first
effects of the high tariff. and its imme-
diate effect was beneficial to labor be-
cause it made more jobs for the men
hunting for them. 1t diverted labor
from other and unfayored vocations,
too. thus adding to the demand.
Another and rapidly following effect
was to stimulate and augment the sup
ply of labor. 1t was inevitable that
when the nation announced It's purpose
to directly and indirectly tax its citizens
so that higher wages might be paid to
labor. underpaid labor IN all parts
of the world would soon learn of it and
rush to embrace tue offer. States
formed immigration bureaus, and rail-
roads with land grants had their agents
i'll every nation in Europe, urging peo-
pie to leave countries where dense
populations minimized the opportuni-
ties for work. and come to country
where farms were offered free and taxes
were laid toincrease the earnings of toll.
The response was ready and immense.
For twenty-five years immigrants have
poured onto our shores at the rate
of half mil lion year, almost excIu-
sively drawn from the laboring classes,
coming here to sell their la Dor. ANY
workingman has sense enough to I'M
derstand what the effect of that must
sooner or later be. and that wages could
only be maintained by a development
of industrial eStablis hments su fficient
to absorb the labor thus thrown OH the
market.
Another effect soon appeared. AS
labor rushed in to share the bounty
offered, so capital rushed into manufact-
ures to reap the profits promised. But
manufacturing has IT'S memorable limits.
1t cannot exceed the demand. If pushed
beyond there comes financial collapse,
The crash Of 1873 indicated that the
limit had been far exceeded. The home
market was the limit; the very tax that
shut out imports shut in exports. The
penalty of refusing a market was the
denial of market. No man can look
back on that long period from 1873 to
1879, with its shops closed, workmen
idle, tramps infestlng society every
where. labor riots destroying property,
and that under high tariff, without
some doubt entering his mind as to the
efficacy Of protection.
Another feature of the experiment
developed. The manufacturers engaged
In a desperate struggle among them
selves Tor the possession of the limited
home market. They sought to win it
by cheapening the price of their prod.
ucts. They were met by material men
also protected, and standing firm for
their share of the tax-made profits.
They could not reduce cost there. Or
ganiZed labor resisted reduction in the
cost of the labor factor OF production.
The inventor came to their relief. If
nlen will not work for less wage. then
put the machine in place of men.
The inventor invaded every occupation.
He brought his deft machine. with its
almost human intelligence and its more
than human accuracy and endurance
and rapidity of work, into every work.
shop, and for each machine that came
in an average of five workmen went out
Then came the latest and final devel.
opment, the trust or combine. Capacity