The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-09

denite scheme. Trades unionism il as
distinctly protective In It's workings as a
high tariff II has precisely the same OBJ
jeot--the interference with the operation
OF nnrsstrained competition.
! The followers of Golden saw this
plainly. and bitterly antagonized trades
unionism. John Bright, In all other re-
spects a most liberal man. was extreme
Is intolerant of all proposals OF working
men 10 cooperate He wrote a letter 90
L. NJ Reavis. of ~. Louis Mo- Febru
ary s. 1888. in which he said
Whilst your tarif is in force YOU need
not expect your worl1men 10 be wise.
Protection which means robbing some
body will not content itself with enrich
ing manufacturers. but will be called
upon TO give higher wages and shorter
Y hours of labor 20 your workmen.
Tnis attitude was merely g replica OF
/ that Of Cohden who is quoted by John
/ Morley. his hiographer. as saying
/ Depend upon a.. nothing can be got
4 by fraternizing with trades unions. They
are founded on principles OF brutal tyran-
! ny and MONOPOLY. | would rather live
under dey Of Algiers than under a
trades committee.
These quotations are introduced 10 show
thst these eminent free traders regarded
all efforts 20 Interfere with unrestrained
competition ar the worst economic crime
conceivable: John Bright was a bitter
opponent OF the factories acts on that ac-
count. He preferred the abuses of ctld
labor 10 regulation which might Impede
the operation OF Law which had the eff
feet of Keeping the wages OF labor down
L. the limit OF subsistence.
There Is little room for wonder that
breathing IN such an atmosphere the
{irstiSh wOrkingman. although able 10 ef-
feet thorough organization for protec
lion, never formulated higher demand
than that embodied IN the assertion that
the toiler has a right TO earn enough TO
live.
The demand for "a living wage" is as
far as the British worker has dared 20
push his right6. II you will take the
arguments OF the trades unionists of the
United Kingdom and their advocates and
analyze them you will find that under
lying them all is the assumption that
man should receive enough wages 10 keep
the body and soul together.
"A living wage" is the highest con-
cept OF the British worker His mind
has never taken such daring fights
that OF his fellow workers In the United
States. who. untrammeled by the fet-
terF OF a false economic system. which
subordinates everything TO the fanctel
necessity OF unrestraned competftion,
have boldly set up the doctrine OF "a
standard Of living"
In one case the worker asserts that II
he tolls he has at least the right to keep
workingman boldly plants himself on txle
proposition that he not only. has the
right to live. but that he has the right
to such things as are necessary TO en-
able him to live in comfort and enjoy
himself
To Illustrate the wholly different atti-
/ tude OF the American worker and that of
his fellow In Great Britain who simply
contends for wage that will permit him
I IN W IA a a
\ by the advocate of San Francisco trades
union In a formal arbitration trial held in
the presence OF one Of the Superior court
| Judges OF that city:
We urge that conditions generally IN
! American forbid the free play OF the
law OF supply and demand in the labor
market and that the higher demands OF
American civiliza ton will require that
this arbitration commission should do
nothing tending to substitute the law oi
supply and demand for the law invoked
by our Union.
This law Is best interpreted by the
testimony of Witnesses called by the com
| mission. whose evidence has the dua
/, force of a relation OF facts and an ex-
I pressed opinion. One testified thus:
They are required to dress neatly, com
port themselves as gentlemen. marry and
become the best Of citizens and family
men. Hence the wages should be com
/ puted on such p scale as to provide for
I reasonable house rent; wife and children
1 these 20 he well clothed and we'll fed
/ children at school until IS years, costumed
| and furnished with books similar 10 the
majority OF the other children at public
| schools. and during school vaca-
/ ton he should be enabled TO take his wife
and family for week or so 10 some one
/ OF our numerous resorts OF easy access.
without his pay being docked
Another witness. n Jewish rabbi testl-
! fed
The workinemen OF this country are as
= rule educated men and therefore capa-
/ BILE of Judging Naturally they cannot
/ content themselves with mere existence
and are impelled TO acquire the means,
1 10 provide those things which are deemed d
I Injuries 10 them but necessaries OF life
I 20 certain other classes II wages were
/ fixed according TO supply and demand
/ our own workers, having social oblisa-
! tions, would be crowded out. While lhe
/ foreign element that would feel In no
! sense called upon To do more than ex-
| list. would be enabled TO undermine the
! American workingman There would re-
| suit nothing bat moral degradation lrogn
/ following so insensate q policy, aud true
\ Amerfcanism would disappear"
| Scores OF men OF various shades OF TO-
! litical opinion-men I'm no wise iden;iae
with trades On1onlSn-took The stand IN
: this arbitration case and expressed opis
ions similar to those quoted above. one
and all recognized that the worker had
established q higher standard Of living
I for himself ia this country than had been
attained by toilers in any other land on
the globe. and they all agreed that It
was his duty 20 maintain Il. and that 81
would be good policy for the industrial
world TO concede the demand
The point sought 10 be made here Is that
in free trade country such aspirations
are entirely out Of the question even the
demand for a living wage cannot be coa-
ceded. because the British worker Is called
upon TO meet the unfair competition in
volved IN the dumping process
When the British worker meets his em-
pioyer - adjust difficulties he does not
speak ~ his social aspirations, or talk
of seIding his children TO school until
they are 10 years OF age seaside vacs tions
are far from hts thoughts. They are all
concentrated on one point. Can ! get
enough 10 eatG
often the reply 10 demand for living
wage 10 showing that rivals In other