Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-11-10
PROJECTIONS WORK.
WHY THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE
KEPT BEFORE THE PEOPLE.
Increase in the Amount Paid to Wage
Farmers During the Current Year
Estimated at More than Two Thou
and Millions of Dollars.

The recently published comprehen-
sive industrial census of leading indus
tries in forty seven States and Terri
tories, issued by the American Protec-
tive Tariff League, proves that the
amount of wages paid to labor in the
United States was A per cent. greater
in 1898 than during the distressful year
of 1895. This document was prepared
by Hon. Robert w. Tayler, who repre-
sents in Congress the district formerly
represented by President Mckinley.
The vitality important question arises,
What does the increase of A per cent.
in wages amount to in dollars and
cents? This can be answered approx
mately upon the basis of the wages
paid during the census year 1890. The
wages paid in manufactures alone dur
ing that year amounted to So, 2S3, 216,-
500. FOrtyfour per cent. Of this
amount is OO4,615,272. This repre-
sents approximately the increased
amount of wages paid to labor in man.
ufactures in the United States during
the year 1898, as compared with the
amount paid in 1895. 1t far exceeds the
value Of the commercial advantages
which will be realized from all the ter
ing the recent war, even if we shall &C.
quire Cuba. In a word, during the
present administration of our national
affairs the victories of peace through
the adequate protection Of American
industry are far more renowned than
those Of war.
Again, this increase in the amount Of
wages paid to labor exceeds the aver
age annual value Of the exports of mer-
chandise from the United States during
the last five years by $31 ,662, 966. This
is not a strange thing. The internal
commerce Of the United States many
times exceeds in value it's foreign COM
merce. The value of the home market
is at least twenty times the aggregate
value of all our foreign markets.
But the foregoing statement as to the
value of the advantages derived from
protection $1,000, 615, 272) falls very far
short of the truth. It is based upon the
wages paid in manufactures alone dur
ing the year 1890. If to it were added
the amount of wages paid in agricul-
ture, in mining and in all other indus
tries the gain for the year 1893 over the
year 1895 would undoubtedly amount
to nearly if not quite two thousand
million dollars year.
Under unbroken protection the num-
Der Of persons employed in manufac-
lures increased from 1911 ,246 in 1860
to 4,712,622 in 1890; the value of the
products of manufacture increased
from $1,SS5, 1861 ,676 in 1850 to $9,372,-
1928 in 1890, and the annual earn
ings per capita of laborers employed in
manufactures increased from $3.50 in
1860 to $4S4 in 1890.
Again, the value of domestic exports
of merchandise from the United States
increased from $793, 49,, 500 during the
calamitous year of 1895 to $1,21O,291
913 during the prosperous year of 1898.
For the first time in the history of the
country, the value of the exports of
manufactured goods from the United
States during the year ended June 30,
1893, exceeded the value of the imports
of manufactured goods into the United
States.
In his last annual message to Con-
gress, submitted December, 1892, Pres
ident Harrison showed that the coun-
try was then at the high water mark
of prosperity Upon the Inauguration
of President Cleveland in 1893 the
country was plunged into the depths of
dependency as the result of free trade.
But again, under protection, it has at
tained unto a greater degree of pros
perity than ever before.
1t would seem that these important
facts have been lost sight of even by
many Republican speakers and news
papers in the light of the brilliant
achievements of our army and navy. 1t
we fail to profit by the more important
lessons of, experience in the arts of
peace, the patriotic soul of this nation
may we'll exclaim, in the language of
Rudyard Kipling's occasional hymn:
Lord, God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget; lest we forget.