The tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1900-1902, 1902-06-19
WHAT PROTECTION HAS AC-
CoMPLIsHED.
EmpIoyment I'D wages.

Samuel Gompers, president OF the
American Federation Of Labor as
iimated that over 3,ooo,ooo men
were out Of employment during the
.Free-Trade period from 1898 TO.
1907. lie also stated that the wages
of those employed had been con
~stantly forced down, adding this
sound economic doctrines
II is agreed by all that the wage
eamers are the principal consumers
oi American products, and It neees-
sarily follows that a reduction in
wages involves a elimination in the
power Of consumption and onse-
quentiy q proportionate decrease in
production, and naturally, also, in
the force Of labor required Tor the
production. A reduction Of wages,
therefore results in an increase in
the army Of the unemployed.
In 1900 Mr.. Gompefs, in his an
nual report, referred to the revival
OF industry rs a matter for general
cougratulaton, and To-day it Is
claimed thai no man in the country
who is worthy and willing to work
need be on; Of employment.
This IS The lesson Of The two tar
lHs-the difference between free
trade and protection. What does
it mean to have s.ooo, 900 men idles
AT s. per day it means q loss OF
ST., $685. oc, 600 a gear in wages, OF
So, 1000, 900, 600 in Ave years. That
is more than all the gold aud silver
in the world. It means q loss Of
81, each to s,ooo,o 600 families
ard $1,000 viii pay for a lot q
food. a 10, Of clothes, a lot Of edo.
cation, . lot Of comfort.
But this IS not the only change ID
to make against the Wilson GormaI
free trade law. For those who haJ
work there were short hours, shor.
weeks and short months, even at e
daced wages. Our farmers los
81, 500. 600, 600 from 1898 10 1897
while the depreciation Of an values
The loss Of dividends and general Isl
comes cannot be estimated, A
due 10 the fact hat we were EN-
ploying Others to 30 maeh Of Gu
: work, Or it was not being done /
5 all.
. Happily however, We can ,ur
. from those awful years 70 III
past Eve years under the pngle
z law With employment Tor al an
D with increased wages we find OF
I home market demanding ~ we en-
i produce. Not for a mouth. not &
a year, but year after year with d
sign Of abatement. Labor ia q
United States was never 70 well o
as ], is to-day, never SO fully en-
ployed, never 80 welt paid y
sven the mosl pesamisiie free trad.
I. will deny that. And this eondinc
aof our masses is the foundation q
framework and he whole structa
81 prosperity ltis this great pr
chasing power Of our wage eame
/. that s. to-day keeping our mi.
busy, our railroads running 20 me
very highest capacity. oar lnime
rca ardcd 10 lhe Hut 81 theif tuda
u,. sud ouT great army ~ cleric
and professional ald mcresoii
:. workers fully occupied with liber
recompense. Every person vi
tolls with hand or bead belongs
our great army % labor, AND ca.
/ and every one, 80 matter 10 wh
2 lns Of work engaged. is benehlI
by the taiiii law now 10 operate
and viii be so long as thal law
undtstwbed.
'e Not only are we al employed
pr high wages, boz an over the count
hours Of labor have been shorlsne
% 20 that the worklngman hos an e
q IRA hour OF Two to spend with
D. children, 20 work in the garden,
read aud enjoy the delights Of d
and home.
"a From every view poipi, then q
laborer IS better OF ander Dingie
ism than under free trade. Tabl
be Of figures TO show this are nsele'
i, Tor The fact Is known and aerept
IL by all. Not alone in the factor
"a bot on the farm is labor - eema.
"a and well rewarded. The dollar.