Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-02-12

~ NaAA' NAlt nNNAAAN-N tlilN mNNf tlnla
veisaliy accepted Bxions" had been axioms
atall, this country ought to have been per
maneutly for 80 years n the situation which
II is now in temporarily after II months Of
this free trgae nightmare. We ought to
have been battling In every branch az manu-
tactures, we ought to have stopped progress
and faltered to the rear for we were wasting
both capital aud labor in Improbable EN-
ployment.
Protection RrJsUs Wages.
Our workmen penned up III our little
county while Englishmcn reveled in the
markets Of the world ought to be impover-
ished beyond all the experience Of history.
Instead Of that the Aldrioh report. which
deserves the high encomium Of the gentle
man from New York Dir Coekran), with
the approval Of the distinguished secretary
OF thetreasury," even II Il does "emanate
from Democratic bureau OF statisties,p
shows that since 1850 money wages have
risen IS per cent. Or II you say-and YOU
would be right In so saying that wages
should be measured by what they will buy,
the result is still more striking.
With wages rising, prices Of manufac-
tured goods falling, with lessening hours
OF labor, what more do you want except
more of the same sortf
The truth is that this very question OF
rising wages Is what makes a good many
men free traders, People with fixed in
comes think that anything which raises
wages is inimical to them. Manufacturers
who have foreign markets are naturally
anxious to nave wages on the foreign stand
ard, and when u great cocoa manufacturer
in Boston and great agricultural tool
maker in Philadelphia proclaim themselves
on the side Of free trade we find in both
cases large foreign TRADE and along with
it desire for foreign wages for their work
ingmen.
confess TO You that this question Of
wages is to me the vital question 10 in
sure our growth in civilization and wealth
we must not only have wages as high as
they are now, but constantly and steadily
increasing. This desire Of mine for CON
stantly increasing wages does not have its
origin in love for the individual, but in love
for the whole nation in that enlightened
seliishness which recognizes the great truth
that your fate and mine Mr. Speaker, and
the fate OF your descendants and mine are
so wrapped up IN the fate Of all others that
whatever contributes TO theirprogress gives
TO us all a nobler future and higher hope.
Wages the Great Question.
The increase Of WAGES which the service
seller ought 70 have and the only useful in
crease be can ever get will be by the opera
ton Of natural laws working upon the op-
portunities which legislation may aid in
furnishing. The increase will never come
from the outside, will never be the gift OF
any employer Can you get carpenter or
brioklayer TO work for % cents day. lie
did it in England in li25 Today in the
United States il is a poor place where he
cannot get 10 times that sum. Why does
/ he have to have 10 times as muchi Be
cause the carpenter Of today could no more
/ live az did the carpenter OF IT'S than he
could live in cave and hunt snakes for
] food. The difference 10 wages means tho
| difference In living, end the s.. 80 Is US much
necessity today as the % cents was ~
years ago
This question OF wages Is all important rs
bearing upon the question Of consumption.
All production depends upon consumption.
Who are the consumorsi In the old days,
when the products Of manufactures were
Injuries, the lord and his tetainers the
lady and her maids were the consumers, a
class apart by themselves, but today thu
consumers are the producers. Long ago the
laborer consumed only what would keen
him alive. Today he and his wife and thei,
children arc 80 immeasurably the most val
liable customers that il the shop had to give
up the wealthy or those whom It is the Gus
tom to call poor there would not be mo
ment's hesitation or a moments doubt.
Unfortunately the gentlemen on the othel
side have persistently retained the old idea
that the producers are one class aud tho
consumers are another, and hence we heal
on all hands such stupidities Of speech o.
those which sum up the workers In oacl
branch and compare them with the = hol,
people. One hundred and ffty thousand
workers In woolens--you ask what arc they
compared with 100000 consumer; 200,
900 workers In steel, what are they com
pared with 100000 CONSUMERS; 10000
workers IN cotton, what are they compared
with 100000 consumers, and so on al
through the long list, forgetting that al
these people added together make the who'll
100000 themselves.
1t so happens that America Is filed will
workers. There are idle people, but thcl
are fewer here than elsewhere, except now
when we are living under the shadow Of thu
Wilson bill. II those workers are all get
ting good wages, they arc themselves th'
market, and II the wages are increasing TIT
market Is also increasing, The fact that 1t
this country all the workers have been get
ting better wages than elsewhere is thu
very reason why our market Is the best II
the world aud why all the nations Of tn
world are trying 10 break into It, We d.
, not appreciate the nature Of our marke
ourselves
Enslishman, sii American, si.0o.
have given you already the glowing ties
q timony OF Englishmen who have seen III
LEI, tt,ftr ,t,., eVes-s mixing Drogperi