The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-25
REASON AND THE RISE IN WAGES.


The logic Of our morning contem-
porary does not improve with its age.
1t is frequently comical in fits seIf-re-
futation and its grotesque absurdity
Its latest attempt at reasoning is
choice. Referring to a list of firms
and industries which have recently in
creased the wages of employees, our
contemporary proceeds to argue
against the force of the facts, by al
leging that the list was compiled by
some eastern goldbug," for the pur-
pose of showing how much better off
workingmen are under sound money
than they would be under the dis
honest dollar" 1t then reads US a les
7 son for publishing the list, seeing that
The Herald is in favor of silver.
Now suppose its assertion were true
which il isn't-why should it be
wrong to publish list Of facts be-
cause it was compiled by a goldbug?
The question should be not who made
out the list. but is it correct? The
truth or falsity of it can be ascer-
tanned. The mills, factories and found
ries are well known establishments,
the rise in wages is a matter Of rec
ord. Whether a goldbug or a silver
bug. a Republican or Democrat, a
Populist or what-not. compiled the list
cuts no figure as to the accuracy Of
the list or the application of its infor-
nation to the question presented by
The Herald.
But it is not true that the list was
compiled for the purpose alleged by
our contemporary. 1t was compiled
for the purpose of showing that the
ruin to American industries, predicted
by Republican papers as a consequence
of tariff reform, has not come, but,
on the contrary. there has been a re-
vival of business and an increase in
wages.
The Herald quoted it for that pur-
pose. Instead of meeting the issue
fairly-something however, that the
Tribune rarely if ever attempts-our
contemporary tries to evade it by in
venting the statement as to the COM
piling Of the list, and then lying as to
the purpose for which it was prepared.
<AIlQ lnSl It's 1OSlC - d. CONVINCING
as usual. The increase of wages in
various industries does not show that
prosperity instead of adversely is COM
ing to them under reformed tariff,
because the list of the increase was
compiled for the purpose of proving
else! That is to say, list
of facts and figures must not be ap-
~, Of 4oi, or;
ton, because it was originally compiled
for the purpose of proving another
That is Tribune logic and
is on a par with most of its alleged |
reasoning.
But the premises of our neighbor are
as false as its logic. The list was
made by the New York Times solely |
for the purpose Of showing what has |
been done under a Democratic tariff |
the latest received issue of that paper:
Some time after that memorable re-
1uction of wages by the Carnegie COM
pany in 1892, which was followed by the /
strike at the Homestead works, Mr..
John Sherman asserted In the Senate
and certain Republican papers offered
he same explanation-that the COM
pany had been compelled to reduce
wages because the duties on iron and
steel products had been reduced by
he Mckinley tariff.
The Carnegie company increased the
wages of $4,000 employees by 10 per
,ent last week, voluntarily, the work.
nen being under contract for the re-
nainder of the year at the rates then
n force. 1t should be noted also that
he upward movement in wages was
tarted in March by what is practically
Carnegie firm, when II. c.. Frick &
20. increased the wages of their coke
voluntarily, by Is per cent.
All this has taken place under the
lew Democratic tariff, and our Repub-
lean friends have continuously as
erted that paralyZing reductions 1yere
made by that tariff in the iron and
teel schedule and elsewhere. Shall we
ear Mr.. Sherman and the Republican
,ress explaining that the Democratic
ariff by increases of rates compen-
ated for the Mckinley tariffs .in-
urious reductions" of duties on iron
nd steel?