Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-03-24
sHIPBuiLDINc AND LABOR.
Free Trade Opposed to An Increase o,

Free Trade Opposed to An Increase OF
American Vessels.
A late number of the Evening Sun.
In an article on the proposed additions
TO the navies of England and France.
quotes a detailed statement showing
mat the programme adopted for new
British war ships would absorb one
fourth of B~ritain's current output of
iron, adding: "In short. in naval con-
struction, along with its ordnance.
England and France combined are
spending over s65, 000, 900 yearly. most
OF 1t in wages in advanced forms of in
dustry. This sum is the wages of be-
tween 100000 and 200, 900 mechanics
OF different grades, and represents the
living of some SOC, 900 souls"
AS very nearly 1900, 900 tons of iron
were probably made in Great Britain
last year, the adoption of an equally
comprehensive programme for warship
building by the United States would
can Tor mining transporting and smelt-
ing some three and a half million IONS
OIL iron ore, or an addition of about
one-third to the ore that came ont of
Lake Superior last year. At the same
time the employment of between $780,
OOO and 20O,O DOC mechanics, which would
represent the support of some 800. 900
or any large portion of the above esti-
mate. could not fail to adyance the
prosperity of all productive industries
In this country.
But because a late number Of the
London Economist, writing OF our late
ly acquired influence over tire iron and
steel trade OF the world, says: Much
Is no doubt due TO the free use of the
wealth accumulated during the period
OF high prices, and which has been
spent in the extension and erection of
new works. securing every possible i'm
proyement in labor saving machinery"
every paper in this country controlled
or influenced by any British interest
would exclaim in horror, as they have
heretofore, against any addition TO our
navy; for old works are always ex-
tended and new works erected when
there is promise of increased demand.
Ana 1t is the new works, brought into
use by the demand for the few war
ships we have built, that have made the
reductions in the cost of steel and iron
which have given SO much trouble TO
u British rivals.
So the British led papers of this
country will continue to urge our me-
chanics that they will receive injury
from any increase in our shipbuilding.
And our farmers will be assured that
the entire cost of our navy is hlched
from their pockets by editors and 9TH
ers who know that while the average
Briton takes a little over $40 per an
mum and the Frenchman about 81
worth of agricultural products from us,
$50 worth Of farm produce.
Many farmers will believe the edi-
tors and others. Many farmers, we
are sorry to know, believe that if they
transport both their wheat and cotton
some 1000 miles to Manchester they
will get more cotton cloth than if the
cotton was worked up alongside the
cotton field, and the wheat fed to
American operatives, who would eat
no more wheat not grown in America.
They actually think that the cost of
transporting the cotton and wheat
from the fields where they are grown
to Lancashire mills and bringing the
cotton cloth back to the farm or plan
tation is not taken out of them. These
same farmers seem to think that a high
cost of iron and steel does not injure
them if the price goes to British iron
masters.