The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-24
THE TWO PERIODS OF WAGES

The action of the sound money Dem
ocrats in organizing a revolt against
the surrender made at Chicago has re-
assured the Republican papers and
given them the confidence of victory,
hope of which they had well nigh aban-
doned a few weeks ago. During that
Respondent period they were appealing
to patriotic Democrats to rally to their
standard, and were not only very re-
spectful, but were content to sing the
song of protection in very low tones
Now, however, they are again ringing
the stale old charge of Democratic re-
sponsibility for the panic of 1893 by it's
threat of free trade and asserting
that the prosperity Of this country
from 1855 to 1892 was due solely to ''the
Republican policies of sound money
and protection" In the order of their
enormity they charge the offenses of
Mr.. Bryan to be "a jealous champion
Of free trade and a fanatical devotee
of free silver" Thus they betray their
fanatical devotion to the policy Of pro-
lection.
One of these papers presents some
tables compiled by Mr. Edward Atkin-
son from the senate report of its in
vestigations into prices and wages, ac-
companied with the apology for Mr.. At
kinson that he is a free trader also.
The tables are quoted to prove that
the conditions of the wage Garner are
better under a gold standard than I'M
der paper one, as during the war,
or the silver one proposed by the Chi
cago convention. On this point they
are conclusive. In fact, it requires no
statistics. The diminished cost of liv-
ing, even under the fearsome Demo-
cratic free trade" act, is the conscious
perception of every man who supports
a family. But the tables have another
significance that the wage Garner will
be quick to grasp and to draw a quite
contrary conclusion from thar. intended
as to the benefit to him OF protection.
If he is a man of special skill" as
foreman, he will note that the adj
vance in the wages of his class from
1850 to 1860. a period the nearest ap-
preaching free trade the country has
ever seen, and when a Democratic ma
tional convention was declaring for it.
was 22.5 per cent, while from 1880 to
1891 the increase was S.S per cent. If
he is mechanic in continuous occu
patton" such as a carpenter, painter
or machinist, he will note that the in
crease in the former period was ex-
actly that during the period of pro-
lection, or 9 per cent If he belongs
to the more numerous class of ''op-
eratives in factories, workshops. tex
tile. wood, metal" and so on, he will
observe that the wages of his class adj
vanced 45.S per cent in the free trade
and but IA per cent in the protective
period. If he is a day laborer only.
he will take note that the advance in
his class was 16 per cent, against S.S
per cent IN the last period Each and
all of these classes of wage earners
will then reflect that the advances
made in the free trade period were
natural, while those in the latter have
only been extorted by means of unions
strikes, the stress and strain and
losses of industrial battle.
But, he viii be told the number of
portions" that he is able to buy with
his present wages is greater than those
he could get with his earnings durinc
the period usually called the free trade
one, and that this is due to protection
These portions embrace articles of
food, clothing, fuel and other items of
sustenance. We can see the smile with
which he greets this claim. He knows
that it is invention and not taxation
that has cheapened the cost of the
things he buys. His -four is cheaner
because the farmer produces it at less
than half the cost. His clothing is
cheaper because machines vastly in
crease the productive capacity of the
weaver, and sewing machines decrease
the cost OF making. And so he will go