El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-03
A SOUND INDUSTRIAL POLICY

ONE of the most significant things in
connection with the advancement of the
south toward Industrial independence
Is the gradual but certain trend of
opinion among the thinkers OF that
section toward the republican policy of
protection. Many of the great newspa-
pers Of the south have within the last
few yearsbeen compelled to revise their
opinions regarding that most excellent
policy in order to get 10 line with
their constituents. Some others,
which would most strongly resent the
charge II il were intimated that they
had come over into the republican ranks
at least rs regards this cardinal prip-
ciple of the republican party, argue
right along republican lines.
One of these news papers is the
New Orleans States. The States is
one of the few papers that retain the
old provincial characteristics that for
so long have kept the south from real
izlng her truest destiny. The states
Is not doing all it might to instil right
ideas among the people. Sometimes,
however, the paper stumbles upon an
idea that is truly helpful and likely to
be of real benefit to the community. In
late issue we find the following sug-
gestive editorial, headed Economy of
high wages"
There are very manv narrow minded
employers-iudeed, large majority of
them are of that class-wbo regard it
the very acme of business sagacity to
force down to the lowest point the
wages Of their employees, without any
regard whatever to the value of their
services. But the American people
and the world at large are gradually
beginning to realize the vast import
ance of certain facts that have been
apparent to broad-miuded students of
Industrial progress in this country for
some time past. These facts relate to
the increasing production aud decreas-
ing cost of all manufactures with us
under the distinctively American eco
nomic system, which is coming to be
known as the system OF Economy of
High Wages.
1t Is a well established fact that the
American artizan or any other class of
employee will do much more work in q
given time that the European: nor is
this so much the result of superior
physique or a keeuer intelligence as il
Is because the One-tn receipt OF wages
that not only supply the daily wants of
his family but enable him to put by
something for rainy dsy-takes more
interest in his employers business and
goes to his work with an alertuess en-
tirely absent from the other, who is
forced to accepta beggarly wage and
in the morning goes to his task like
dumb driven cattle.
Yet while the high wage system is,
so far, peculiar to this country, il is
slowly but surely finding advocates in
England, France and Germany, and is
rapidly here among all employers of
every class of employees.
The above statement we can heartily
endorse without reservation. And
such q statement in the New Orleans
States means infinitely more than
would similar one published in the
New York Tribune. But we can go
further than the States and say that
the ''distinctively American economic
system, which is coming to be known
As the system OF Economy of High
Wages" is nothing more or less than
the distinctively republican system Of
protection to home industries and of
reciprocity.
Facts and figures all go to show that
under the thoroughly benetceut sys-
tenn that has been kept in force by the
republican party the American work
man Is better or, Is happier,