New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-08
HIGH WAGES ECONOMIC1L.
PROFESSOR GUNION BELIEVES The
WAGE QUESTION OF PARAMOUNT
IMPORTANCE.
lie ADDRESSES LARGE AUDIENCE, AND En-
PLAINS WHY BETTER PAY FOR TIL;
WORKMAN MEMS MORE PROFIT
FOR THE EMPLOYER IN

DER PROTECTION.
large audience in the hlli Of the school Of
Social Economies. 1T No. - IHi2n square. listened
with clos, attention to a lecture on The Econ
ory of High Wages" delivered by Professor
George Gunton last evening. AMI although the
speaker was interrupted by explanations " dissent
two or three times l. pain that the majority
OF his hearers agreed with his statements. lie
began the lecture 10y declaring tina; the question or
high wages wa the most important one Win
which :hc atatesmanship of the country hAh ID
deal al present.
"An other Questions must he solved t. solved al
all upon their relation TO the wage question. he
sal! Theories abou. silver coinGe. about finance
and about immigration must stand or i2il upon
the question: How wiz they affect wage? No
section OF the country would dare 10 place itself
in opposition 20 a measure which would increase
the wages in the country. Advocates Of the VII
son hill say tina; the bill would make wages b.
ter Advocates of Protection say that is the way
- advanc, wages The economy Of high wages
is the most mpor' ant subject | can think Of At
present"
Professor Guntcn then quoted German and Eng
lish authors who reason against the protective poll
icy on these lines: High wages imply high produc-
tive skin. and it is cheaper to employ laborer at
s. a day who does more than twice as much as
the laborer who gets only = a day. The greatest
prosperity means the largest production. accompa-
MED by the least Of production and the highest
WAGES Therefore employers cannot lose Is in
creased wages and no protection Is needed whore
wages high Such theories needed 10 nc ihto-
duccl to the Facts of actual experience professor
Gunton said. ana he declared that an lnlcuate
rise Of wages would mean loss 10 an 'iiPi"!ci "'-
less there protection. ,,.,..
do the mon who get 81 day Tor laying ntiCN'
now lay twice as many bricks aS thcE I'll" WIZ"
they got only s. day ne inquired
Yes they do. said a man in me audien .teco,,e
"'hcv 10 not" said Professor GuntOh. brfhHS'
they work only ciGht hours a DAY nov" ana thcS
worked twelve hours day thcn- .,-,
There a storm Of applause. ana ne con in.'
l
crs In the city foreigners who get " per cphl
more pay here for laying Just As man bricks
DAY aS they aid before they came 10 me count
The man In the audience again shout"i II "'hlii'
and Professor (uuton said: II wouldn't Ice sur
priscd daV IL q man in heited afNulH'il j.
should declare that cable car' v"re never run VI
broadway som" p.'Is. neFcF WI Ses , mo -
applause. and then he explained that IN" r.ason
why We can produce cheaper goods oil some KIN
ia this country with higher vases Is ioIn III w
fact that those goods are mad" WIN improves
mat hucrf such Industries Urrl protection 'hlrlt
ON account Of the labor. which Is commonly said
bp without protection n" said ne buhliib ~.
a plant Tor such am industry costs NOR on
OF the manual labor than n does IN fhgihih ..
Reef H. - nor cent higher now than Il was IN ~
bc.l.ls, beef cannot b.. made 10y maci ncry. Hama
seY.i shoes "trrr. btctusr IN" thor MAKER S'',
more pay and takes d. more sfittn"- l1hH III wv
twenty years ago. Every .mproV. W"ni IN ma
ch.n.ry ~ this country n'.is 60 protect ne v
~ the man wlr vorks only WIN his hinHS. i'..
wages mean incrai.. 81 consumption. tH" spending ."
more money ans tha increase Of iri"l.&rh. = ny
th- reading ~ by books ann newspaper. iilSl
wages maze ts4Ttr me1. hut lcat'r men ~" men
! Of better skill Protection - needed - Keep "a
wages for the benefit 81 tA" wage Garner. 40 pf"
lection T. needed I'm countries whr:e tl' wage earn
compete with other c'untr.r' "''r" labor is hlsn3
| PAD.