Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-30
The QUESTION Of Ways and Means.

statesmen admitted, somewhat reluctant
ly, that the tendency might be to lower
wages somewhat for American workers
but this, they vociferously assured us,
would be more than compensated for by
the increased cheapness of the necessities
of life-particularly in clothing. In fact
the idea went abroad that the incredible
saving in wearing apparel to be made I'M
der the Democratic regime, would certain
ly relieve the workers Of this country OF
any possible margin of reduction in earn
| ings-resulting from direct competition
with the producers of foreign countries
and leave them handsome sum to be
| invested in luxuries. Well, we have had
two years and half of Democratic rule,
and where are those halcyon times? Has
any American worker discovered them?
| II SO, he Is far more fortunate than the
rest Of his countrymen. Stagnation exists
throughout the business world. Collec-
lions were never harder, and the extent to
which the people sigh for a return to the
happy days of Republican prosperity is
evidenced by the magnificent Republican
majorities they roll up whenever an oppor-
tunity occurs. They have discovered that
national prosperity can never be brought
about-by forcing the productive enter
prises of this country into direct compe-
tition with those of Europe. Whenever
an article is manufactured abroad for use
in the American market, that might just
as well have been manufactured here it
takes so much work from American labor,
of foreign labor. The greatest national
growth and prosperity is to be obtained
through the development and diversified
ton of home industries. America has
magnificent resources, as yet but partially
developed. Why pray should they lie
dormant while the American people are
paying the cheap labor of foreign lands to
develop similar resources in other lands?
The Industries of country are inter de-
pendent. Strike down one and you weak
en- all. Strengthen one, and you strengthen
all. Develop new ones and you still
farther fortify the hulwark of our national
prosperity There is nothing essential to
the comfort of the American people that
cannot be produced in this country. We
have all kinds Of soil. all kinds of eli
mate, and all kinds of resources within
our own borders. We have the finest mar
ket upon the face of the globe. Why
should not its manifold needs be supplied
by the diversified products of American
industry? Ism it about time to stop legis'
Iating for the labor of foreign lands and
do little legislatlng for the labor of our
own country? Free trade may make goods
cheaper by admitting to our country with
out duty the products of the cheap paid
labor of other lands. Already tho ener-
getic people of Japan, where working pco-
pie In novels. subsist chiefly upon rice, re-
ccive few cents day for their toll, and
enjoy few of the comforts and none of the
luxuries of life, are announcing their pur
pose to do large part In the manufactur-
ing for the civilized world. The boast is
not an idle one. The treaty recently con
cluded with China, reserved to the Japan
csc people the right of opening up manu-
featuring enterprises in the conquered ter
ritory. How can American industry and
American labor face competition like this?
Free competition with the poorly paid
labor of European countries is bad
enough, as is seen in the continuance of
hard times under tho enforcement of the
Democratic free trade policy; but this
would be infinitely worse.
We are beginning to appreciate the fact
that the prosperity of country depends
more than upon anything else, upon its
scale of wages. If it's workers are well
paid, they will be we'll clothed, well fed,
contented, and the communities in which
they reside will be prosperous OF what
avail is to any man that market prices
are low if he has no money to buy with?
1t is immaterial to the penniless tramp who
flattens his hungry face against the
restaurant window whether the roast tur-
key within sells for ten dollars or ten
cents. In either event 1t is beyond his
reach The Democratic party in its solicit
tude for the consumer has lost sight of
the producer 1t has overlooked the fact
that most consumers are producers, and
that the better income the producer has,
the better consumer he is.
But there is another phase of the Demo
cratic free trade policy, that may well
cause anxiety to the American people.
Having passed the Wilson bill, which
largely cut of the revenues from foreign
imports the Democratic party found that
the income of the government was not
sufficient to meet its expenditures. 1t
then resorted to an increase In the nation
al debt to meet the deficiencies occasioned
by its own legislation. AS we show, else
where In this issue, the increase in the
debt of the government. under the CIeve