The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-08
MIR, MARKEY WRITES
 ON CHEAP LABOR
Takes Issue With MT. Nelson
 on His Resolution
SAYS IT IS NOT A BENEFIT
MT. Markey Explains That Since lis Name Was Mentioned by MT. Nell son in His Argument He
 Wants to Give Other Side.

Harry A. Markey in a card to the editor of The Age-Herald, takes issue with Frank Nelson. Jr., in reference to his labor resolution, which was introduced and adopted at the meeting of the Com mercial club on Friday afternoon. MT. Markey says
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 My name having been used in eonnec- ton with the publication of the Nelson resolution which was adopted at the last meeting of the Commercial club, and which appeared in the columns of satur- days Age Herald, l desire to say that Birmingham Is one of the best and Is des- tined to be the greatest city in the south ern states, and notwithstanding the ar guments of Messrs. Ne1son and Jenkins for a low scale of wages, she will con tinue to grow by paying a high rate of wages for skilled mechanics until she sur passes the great city of Pittsburg, which was builded by. and will always main- tain, high standard of wages.
 Many cities and towns have their com mercial clubs and board of trade, which institutions are supposed to promote the industrial interests of their localities.
 A number of these organizations are of distinct advantage to the communities they represent
 Operates on Broad Lines.
 They operate along broad lines and seek to influence the location of only de- sirable business.
 Their activities are in the interests Of the communities, and inducements are not held out to manufacturers and employers of labor who's coming would lower the standard of living of the workers and consequently of the community.
 But many of the organizations do not operate on the broad-gauge plan.
 They are the enemies of labor and es- peclally organized labor, and are pernic- iously active in the interests of capital.
 Manufacturers are approached with proposals to discontinue their plants in enc locality and move to another. The natural advantages of the locality desir- Ing the change are glowingly set forth, the greatest of which Is cheap labor, and the cheap labor proposition is eloauently dilated upon.
 Whenever there are labor difficulties in well organized centers of industry the ubiquitous boards of trade from the cheap labor localities are always around with their cheap labor proposition to induce the manufacturer to move his business Now, cheap labor may be an advantage of af,Ip hut ft never is or can be to the community. The industrial peace of that locality which succeeds in inducing number of manu- facturers to locate there because labor is cheap is gone forever.
 Peace and Security.
 Not only the peace. but the industrial security of the community rests on the possible wage.
 These institutions are almost bound to aid in preserving cheap labor and keeping wages down, and organization of the workers Is strenuously opposed. The in- dustries of any locality composed of tramp, cheap labor concerns are mighty insecure, for the tramp business Is always ready to shut up shop and move to some other locality where cheap labor. rent taxes and houses are offered.
 The tramp cheap labor concerns are the product of the cheap labor boards of trade and localities or communities, the indus tries of which are operated by employers of ths kind will sooner or later sorrow fully learn that they are the victims ant not the gathers by such a policy
 These institutions instead of offerint inducements to this class of employees to locate in their Localities, would better oppose their coming. The interests of community cannot be served by leyelnl down the standard of living or by per petuating a lower standard than is en joyed elsewhere. Whatever may innu. ence the Individual the community should | not be guilty of such makeshift and ex- pedient practices. but should confne it. self to the practice of sound economies
 Unfortunate Circumstances.
 A community should realize that 1t Is the unfortunate circumstances which make labor cheap in any locality and It's first interest should be to improve the situation rather than perpetuate 1t.
 It seems that those who are honestly deslrous of promoting the interests of their community ought to realize that when several manufacturers are induced to locate in a locality for no other reason than because labor Is cheap, the oppor- tunities of the workers ever improving their lot are closed so far as the commu- nity is concerned.
 The prospects of Improvement are on the outside and not on the inside of the community and the workers must mI- grate, and intelligent skilled labor cannot be induced to come there.
 It would be well for those communities that become afflicted with the industria "bee" and have no other advantages thar cheap labor to offer manufacturies. to devote their efforts to removing oi remedying the cause which makes labor cheap. These communities that have natural advantages, such as cheap rents. lower taxes, better and cheaper trans portation facilities should offer them as Inducements to manufacturers to locate there and pay a little higher wages than paid in less favored sections.
 H. A. MARKEY.
 
 COM LESSON TO MEET.