The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-20
NATIONALISM.
Editor of The Tribune

Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Your article Remarkable Trade
Figures in todays issue uSthl is really
remarkable ard interesting, for IL su6-
gests the possibility of other countries
growing in prosperity as well as the
United States For instance, England was
able to purchase about half of our total
exports, $40 millions out of the l,23l mill
ions-whch goes to show they must be
working over there and are able to buy
something that we cannot. Our large e&-
ports in no critic rion as to the prosperous
condition OF our working classes, for dur
ing the late crisis all of our manufac-
turers made up their minds that they
must speedily adapt their business to the
foreign trade. AS fast as possible they
are reducing their pay roll by introducing
new labor-displacing machinery ara forc-
ing reduced wages on the smaller NUMBER
of hands that will hereafter be needed.
And machines don't consume much-a 1T
tie oil is all. There efore our working peo-
ple-the consumers-have to stand aside
with empty pockets and empty stomachs
want in the sight of plenty.
In the last few years the mechanical
power placed in competition with the
workers is equivalent to the labor power
of over forty million men. What, COM
pared to these mechanical competitors,
| to who emigrated to this country In the
same space of time? And they always
consume more than the macfine. But the
| tide of immigration is changing. our
steamships are crowded going back with
| workers who are consumers and the non
| consuming machines will stay. The
| steamship agents OF this valley have not
booked over a dozen men from England
in the last two years, and according to
| the travelling agents of the steamship
| companies 1t is about the same all over
| this country. Compare this coal region
| with the north of England. where the
miners are working full time and the
| Durham county average is eight shil-
| lings and five-pence S2.10) day with free
house and free coal and no company
stores to contend with. The ship building
| trades throughout England, Ireland ano
Scotland are three years behind In tneli
orders, so no wonder they can buy over
there the goods that we can only look at
There are few workmen In this country
who have not felt or seen the deadly worr
| of the machine. moving down the prouo
aristocrat of skill as relentlessly as the
| lowly laborer who shoveled dirt. Who
can count the iron workers, the type
settlers, the shoemakers, the cigarmakers
the mill hands and the farm hands who
have been crowded out by the machine?
| An article III lIIlS ubIllh y 'Siltuig shpS
azne shows that over four millions oi
farm laborers, have been driven off the
farms in this country by machinery
| Nevertheless, we should not condem'
machinery, or desire to return back tc
small production by hand. The wants Of
civilized society demand gigantic pro-
duction, the more gigantic the more the
wealth obtaina BILE To move on the line:
of industrial progress we must advance
from high concentration to the very high
est concentration, namely, national CO.
operation. 1t is coming, though some
may think slowly, but when you see sucf
a body of men a s the individual operator,
Of mines as met recently in our board OF
trade rooms at Scranton and there makt
open confession and admit they were cor
nered, that they saw the red light, yol
may be sure the change Is coming.
| Yours truly,
| ]. A. Barron.
| Pricehurp JulV 19