Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-12
EFFECT OF THE TARIFF
How the Trusts Aim to Control
the Worlds Markets.
COMPETING ON EUROPEAN GROUND

Startling Statistics on the Subject.
Less Work and Lower Wages to
Come SOOn-TariR Reform IL the
Crying Necessity For All but the
Trusts.
Our protective tariff is having an
extraordinary effect on the commerce
of the world. In the first place, it has
led to reprisals from all countries ex-
cept England, and now the question
of protective tariff is the paramount
issue in that kingdom. The obstacles
that foreign countries are placing in the
way of the importation of products of
American manufacture are having their
effect, and exports of manufactured
goods from the United States are de-
Ginning At the same time foodstuffs
the raw material are being exported in
greater volume, so that our total ex-
ports have greatly increased. Our
workmen in the protected industries
should ponder on these changed condi-
tons and see where protection is lead
ing them. The evident Intention of the
great manufacturing combines to re-
duce wages in spite of their enormous
output and large profits, though omi-
nous of greater wage reduction, is not
the worst to be feared-the prospect is
! that for many skilled workmen there
will be much less work. This reduced
demand for skilled workmen in many
4 lines is imminent. for no less an au-
thority than Professor S. y. d. North
of the census bureau, in an article on
the export trade of the United States
in the last issue of the Annals of the
American Academy of Political and
Social Science" gives partial list Of
branch manufacturing plants that our
trusts and combines have established
in Europe to compete with the for
eigners on their own ground. Thus the
! trusts escape the tariff wall which
European countries have raised with
so much care TO keep out American
products.
Professor North says: 81 have before
me long list of these establishments.
1t indicates that more, than $50,OO0.00O
of American money is now invested in
European plants devoted to the manu-
facture of various American special
ties, including all descriptions of cleo
trio apparatus, sewing machines, belt
ing, radiators, shoe machinery, steel
chains, machine tools, hosting machin-
cry. boilers. pumps, blowing engines,
mining machinery, printing machinery,
coal conveying apparatus. elevators.
matchmaking machinery, pneumatic
tools and Photographic apparatus The
Western Electric company of Chicago
is interested in extensive factories in
4 I'm,
not all of them carried under the name
of that company, but all of them estab-
lished and controlled by its capital.
The General Electric company has
I three or four such establishments and
has recently constructed a huge new
factory at Rugby, in England. The
Westinghouse company has just fin
ished at TraffOrd Park, in England,
one Of the largest electric factories in
Europe, employing 1000 or 1900 men,
and it has other factories in Havre,
France, and st. Petersburg. The Sing
err Machine company has three large
plants in Europe under its direct con-
troll. The Chicago American Tool COM
pany is building a plant at FraZerburg,
near Aberdeen. The Hoe printing
presses are made in London, as is also
linotype machinery. The Draper COM
pany has recently completed its new
factory in Lancashire, to supply the
greatest cotton manufacturing district
of the world with the American fast
running Northrup LOOM"
! There Is no doubt that this remark
able transplanting Of American factO-
ries on foreign soil is but the begin
| min Of of IF mr. u
trusts and combines to control the mar
kets Of the world for their products.
1t will soon leave our skilled workmen
but the home market to supply, with
the inevitable result of less work and
lower wages. With our high protective
tariff still keeping up the cost of living
the outlook for labor is not reassuring
If the protective tariff is driving
manufacturers abroad and thus de-
creasing the demand for labor at home,
is it not about time for reform of the
present tariff law?
/ Labor leaders In the protected indus
tries should investigate this new and
significant change in the American
system" and the ordinary laborers that
have no leaders will have results fore
ed on their attention, for the reduction
OF wages for skilled workmen Will
surely find its counterpart in all classes
OF labor.
The reforming of the tariff to meet
these new conditions is necessary for
the stable welfare of the workman and
OF equal importance to all consumers
of trust products. and the political par
" that stands In the way Will be swept
aside by its own deIuded followers. now
they are beginning to see the disaster
that is approaching.