Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-15
1 coNrRlSr on BENEFITS.

- ~ th' ~ 80
OMAHA. July 13.-To the Editor Of The
Bee; Can you give an approximate number
Of the mon engaged in silver mining who
would be benefited by free silver coinage,
and also Of tho men in manufacturing en-
Payments who would be benefited by a
protective tarim7-E. l.. LOVEJOY.
The census report of 1890 gives the
total number of persons employed in
mining gold and silver in the United
States. in 1889, at 57.3O7. 1t does not
separate those employed in the mining
of the two metals, but probably about
two.thirds of the whole number were
employed in silver mining. Since then
the production of silver has declined
and it is perhaps not far out of the way
to estimate the number now engaged
in silver mining at 10000.
In 1890 the number of persons en-
ploycd in the manufacturing industries
of the United States was 4,Tl2,OOO II
in 1892 the number was 5,3OO.0OO. 1t is
probably n fair estimate to plac" the
number of persons now employed in
manufacturing industries ut ~4,3OO.O0O,
UT l.''H'.''' lNNN llltll ~ Wv -
narily prosperous year of 1872, under
the operation of Il tariff policy which
fostered American industries II crea-
ted "A demand for American labor ut the
highest average rate of wages ever paid
in this country.
The total wages paid for the mining
of gold and silver in 1889 was, accord
ing to the census report, ~S4O,412,O22.
The wages paid in the manufacturing
| industries in 1880 amounted to S2,2S2,-
100000. The amount was much larger
| i'm 1892 and will probably not vary
! much for the current year from the
figures of six years ago.
1t will thus be seen that for every
person employed in the mining of the
precious metals. who it is assumed
would be benefited by the free coinage
of silver, there are not less than seventy
five persons employed in the manufac-
turing industries who would certainly
be benefited by a judicious policy of
protection which would revive indus-
tries and increase the demand for labor.
he Tree tOlllilgt VI SlINtl "puiu NV
make Il demand for Il very great num-
Der of additional miners, probably not
to exceed one-third the number now
employed, and with the sup
ply of idle labor it is by no means GER
tain that the wages of mining would be
materially if at all increased. so that
the free coinage of silver might prove
of very little benefit to the labor EN-
ployed in mining that metal. Only the
mine owners would be sure of benefit
ing from it. which they would do to the
extent Of the difference between the
market value and the coinage value of
the metal. On the other hand, a pro
tective tariff policy would. as all eX'
perience with such a policy has demon
strated. create Il demand for all the
unemployed labor in he country and
the inevitable effect of such a demand
would be to increase the wages of labor,
Evidence that such would be the effect
is abundant.
There is absolutely no sound reason
for believing that the free coinage OF
silver would benefit ever those employed
in mining silver, while it is unquestiOn
able that such n tariff policy as the re
publican party would give the country
would benefit all interests and eSpe
cially the great army of labor employed
in manufacturing industries. in compari
son with which, as the above figures
show. the labor employed in silver min
ing is utterly insignificant.