The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-25
WAGES AND IMPORTS.

Chicago Tribune.
Three more strikes In wooien mills for
better wages are mentioned. It is not
strange that the workers, seeing notices
an the papers every day of the restora-
tion Of wages should insist that their turn
had come The Fan river cotton workers
are organizing for complete restoration
Of wages to rates paid before the panic,
and have thoroughly canyassed the mat
ter so that dispatches state a general
advance win probably be demanded. 1t
may be that the cotton workers have
not fully considered the fact that nearly
n per cent more cotton goods have been
brought into this country in ten months
under the new tariff than in the same
months of the previous year. 1t may be
that the wooden workers do not realize
that s29,CS2,510 In declared foreign value
Of wooden gooCi has been placed on the
market in the his. six months of 1896,
against only $7,SSi,7ll in the same months
of last year, with the certainty that the
undervaluations have never been so great
or dangerous as they are this year.
The American Wool and Cotton Re
porter, which earned the Ill will Of manu-
facturers 10y agltating for free wool, dis
covers that the new tariff does not work
out blessed results, and in two editorials
this week gives details which appear to
prove, in his own words, 1.-The complete
failure Of the present ad yalorem sys-
tenn 1t states that 10000 yards of 49,
ounce Gay worsteds were sold for imme-
diate delivery last week by one firm at
s1.07h and that large sales were made
by one other house, to the extent of over
800 pieces, of 12-ounce Clay worsteds at
92h cents. Though similar invoices had
been passed by Appraiser Schoenhof-
formerly the free trade agent for Presi-
dent Cleyeland's administration in Eu-
rope-but were detained for reappraise-
ment by other officials, invoices Of like
nature and in great quantity appear TO be
constantly passing. Men in the business
know without argument whether these
prices are consistent with honest manu-
facture and duty paying.
The goods come in, whether honestly
invoiced or not, free traders being in
charge Of the offices, and in quantities
large enough to require attention. In
the first six months of 1895 the imports
of wooien goods amounted to 19,4lS, ,95l
pounds, against only 2,l6,72O pounds in
the same months of last year. Tne inn
ports of dress goods amounted to l3,2O7,-
j66 pounds in the same six months, which
Is equivalent to 52,S3O,64 yards, against
5,Sli,G2l yards last year Moreover, there
We're taken from warehouses during the
same months and placed on the market
no less tnan l,15l, SO pounds wooden cloths
and 6,Ol9,9l6 yards Of dress goods. Tais
is the record for only half year-and
the first half, too,-before the foreign
Manufacturers had learned all that they
now know of the modes by which the
American tariff can be beaten and the
American industries as well.
Sooner or yater these facts will have
to be considered by the workers in Amer
ican mills. Most unwelcome facts they
are and they do not give much support to
the belief That wages materially higher
than have been paid In the first half of
1895, when these enormous importatons
occurred, can be paid by most of the
American mills. In exceptional cases.
where special qualities or grades of goods |
of goods are manufactured, the domestic
maker may be able to defy competition
under existing duties, even though the |
foreign goods are greatly undervalued !
But the plain truth is that the American |
workingman is condemned to lower |
wages, not by the Ill will or the greed !
of manufacturers, but by the free trade
fanaticlsm and folly of Democrats who |
enacted the present tariff If they wish |
to organize. their best way is to organize |
against the election of another Demo- |
cratic congress or president.