Huntsville gazette., 1894-11-03
FACTS ABOUT TRADE.
Business Comparisons That Ought to Qa,et
Free Traders.

n BIedA ueal OF space is given IN TINS
issue to report upon the business con-
ditions of the United States during
the first six months Of the present
year, as compared with similar condi-
tions existing between January l and
June 80, 1892.
We have received reports from 800
different employers Of labor who are
able to find work for 20, 500 fewer hands
this year than in 1892. They paid al
most IS, oO0O 900 less money for wages,
and their output, or the amount of
business which they transacted, was
nearly one-half less than during the
first six months of 1892
| The average earnings of each wage
Garner between January l and June
so, 1892, was $3.50 The average earn
ings of each wage-earner during the
corresponding six months of this year
was S195. Thus there was a loss Of
S55 to every one of these individuals
who were employed.
| The analysis Of the reports, accord
| ing to sections of the country, brings
the facts learned by investigation more
strikingly home, both to the employer
OF labor and the employee. The state
ments presented regarding the condi-
| tions that have recently existed in the
| different sections Of the country are
also extremely interesting
| A valuable tabulated exhibit is that
which shows the per cent. of business
that was done by each separate indus
try this year as compared with 1892.
/ Unfortunately there are very few eases
where there has been no shrinkage,
and there was but one showing an in
creased business for this year.
The Mckinley census that was taken
! by the American Protective Tariff
| league in 1892 showed that over $40
0O0, 900 of money had been invested in
new or enlarged industries within two
years. Also that work had been pro
vided for 81, 2S5 additional hands.
Now we are under the painful neces-
sity of showing that 20, 500 people have
been deprived of work in $50 different
industries. Also that those who We're
at work have received nearly 5000, 600
less money within six months than
they did two years ago. 1t is further
shown that the amount of business
was but So per cent. of that transacted
in 1892.
A year ago this month we published
the results of our industrial census.
This showed that there had been q de-
crease in business within twelve
months of 47.9 per cent, decrease in
wages earned of 90 per cent, and
decrease in the number of persons EN-
5loyed in factories of about 0015 per
| cent.
We now have to report a shrinkage
of 30 per cent. in the number OF per-
sons employed loss of As per cent. in
the amount of wages earned, and of ~
per cent. in the output of industrial
establishments. A year ago the av-
erage decrease was recorded as sass
per week in the wages Of each EN-
ploye, or s61.10 for the half years
work We now record loss of S55 for
each person for the first six months
work this year as compared with the
money which he earned during the
same period in 1892.
If we look back still further and
compare the present results with the
census of 1890, we find on the basis of
the reports that we have received that
there were as many as 1,413,55O idle
persons in the country this year who
were actively employed in 1890 We
further find that there was more than
one billion dollars less wages earned
| than in 1892. We further find that the
value of the product of the factories
has decreased by more than five billion
dollars Also that three billion dol
lars less money has been paid for ma
terial to be used in manufactures.
We cannot but accept as thoroughly
reliable the information we have re-
ceived, and upon which we have based
our calculations. 1t is extremely pain
full to us to record such a distressful
condition of business, which must In
volve pinching and poverty in most
American households.
| After these facts have been carefully
studied by every reader and thinker in
the country. we should hardly expect
to find one solitary individual to ad-
vocate a policy of free trade as against
protection to American labor and
American industries.
We trust that the verdict Of the peo-
ple month from now will be an over
whelming majority against any ap-
proach to free trade and for the resto-
ration Of proper and adequate protec-
ton n-American Economist
4 I'll -I-.l