Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-02-03
THE WILSON BILL AND WAGES.

THE WILSON BILL AND WAGES.
False Alarm Of MoDopoIistic Americas
Manufacturer.
From many quarters we hear Of re-
ductions of wages In manufacturing
establishments and from more we
hear threats OF reduction in case the
Wilson bill becomes law. The reduc-
tions which have actually been made
are the results OF the business depres-
sion, which is due primarily to the
panic of last summer and the inevitab bly,
slow and painful process Of recovery.
The threatened reductions are vocifer-
ously declared 10 be the necessary re-
suit of the lower duties. For twenty
years it has been preached and pro-
claimed that high tariff makes wages
high, and that a low tariff means re-
duction Of wages to the pauper limit
OF Europe. We are told that now we
shall have the proof OF the pudding in
the eating. What Ia the truth Of the
matter?
The notion that the general high
range Of wages in the United States is
due to the high protective system Ia
really one of the most preposterous OF
the many preposterous ideas on eco
nomic subjects which have had vogue
In this country. The reader who will
look in the books on political economy
to see what they have to say about
wages and about the causes which
make them high and low will find
plenty of difference Of opinion on this
topic among the economists but the
one thing he will not find any reput-
able writer to say is that the protective
system makes wages high or that a
free-trade system makes them low. II
the books are supposed TO be the works
of abstract theorists, who keep far
from the realities Of life, we need only
regard few simple and obvious facts
Of history to discover that high tariff
cannot be the cause OF high wages
This country has tried almost every
sort of tariff system, beginning in 1889
with duties which the protectionists of
our div would consider outrapeouslv
low. and ending century later in the
Mckinley tariff act, with duties which
the free-trader considers outrageously
high. Throughout all the yacillations
OF tariff policy, under revenue tariffs
and moderate tariffs and extreme tar.
IFS. wages here have been steaai,v
higher than in Europcan countries
The simple explanation Is that this Is a
country of rich and abundant resources
developed by an active. euerpetic and
ingenious people, in which the great
productiveness of industry iusures a
high range of material welfare Wages
with us are high from pertnauent and
abiding causes and. fortunately. do
not depend ON tariff legislation or any
other artificial prop.
With this it is not inconsistent to adj.
NIT freely that the wages of some mar
ticular classes of laborsrs. in some
limited groups ofmanufacturinp iudns.
tries, NAV be seriously affected by the
duties. The hiph duties of the la,t
generation have forced into existence
some industries in which the efficiency
of labor and capital is not up to the
general average, and In which the
manufacturer who pays high wages 10
his workmep is not compensated by
their greater skill, energy and produc.
tiveness In industries OF this sor, the
free competition of foreign producers.
paying lower wages, would compel
either a reduction OF wages or Al,
abandonment of the industry. Where
there is really such a connection be-
tween the duties and high wages every
one would saw that congress should
proceed with the utmost care. and
should not expose to sudden reversal
of fortune or a sudden change of occu-
patton the workmen whom our tariff
legislation has induced to enter into
wsak-kneed industries The same Is
true of the capital embarked in them.
Vested rights should receive their due
consideration. We believe they have
received their due ,ideration in the
Wilson bill There NAV be reductions
that 90 beyond the danger-line in some
particular duties: but have we not bee n
authoritstiyely told that even the Nc
Kinley bill made mistake or two?
The common-sense and the political in.
terest of the democrats NAV be trusted
TO prevent them from making changes
that promise to be really destructive;
and the testimony of the protected
manufacturers as to the effect OF duties
must be received with the same allow.
ances as the pleading of a lawyer for
his client.
But the number of shaky and de.
pendent industries, as compared with
the whole manufacturing system, il
insignificant; and in any case there is
no threat OF free competition from
abroad. From the clamor which has
been raised it might be supposed that
the Wilson bill gave up all protective
duties entirely. and that all foreign
goods were going to come in on easy
terms The fact is that the Wilson
bill lis : csreful and conservative meas.
ure, and that tn.- duties, even US re.
duced, still leave a large margin OF pro.
lection for the domestic manufacturer.
1t must be remembered, too, that the
temptation to make partisan capital
out of reductions and threats of reduc
tions of wages ia one OF the many bad
results OF that unfortunate alliance of