The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-07-22
LABOR COST ENTERS
INTO TARIFF SCHEDULES
That Wages are Higher in
United States Than in Europe
Is Admitted
Special to Daily Leader.

Special to Daily Leader.
Washington. July 22.-President
Taft, in the opinion of The writer,
will sign the Payne Aldrch bill and
it will not conform 70 the eNpecia.
tions voiced by the President IN the
statement recently ISSUED from the
White House.
At this late day-after the mem.
bels OF congress nave yoted-the
President demands free iron ore,
free coal, free oil and free hides.
Il is probable that the President
will get these concessions, with the
possible exception of free iron ore.
That wages are higher in the Uni
ted States than Europe is OF course
admitted. What The downward re-
visionists wanted to know was the
extent of the difference They asked
for facts, knowing that the margin
between the wages paid to American
workngmen and foreign working.
men was not nearly SO great as pre-
tended by the standpatters For in
stance the hight protected cotton
mills, Of New England, which make
profits as high as 67 per cent pay
their average workman 81 cents a
day This is according to Govern.
ment statistics.
The labor cost in the cotton man.
ufacturing industry, according to
Commissioner of Labor Carroll ID.
Wright, is 26 per cent The Payne
Aldrich bill fixes the average taritl
rate on cotton products at 41l4 per
cent, while an average rate of 20
per cent would equal the cost OF pro.
ductiop at home and abroad even
granting that foreign workmen re.
ceiyed no pay
In the manufacture of glassware
in the United States the labor cost
is SO per cent If the total labor
cost abroad were only half as much,
the net diffe,ence in labCr cost
would be but Is per cent, while the
bin places As per cent Dritf on
glassware.
The total labor cost in the manu-
facture of metals in the United
States is 20 per cent Accepting the
statement of Senator Aldrich that
the labor cost in Europe is only halt
as much. the difference in labor cost
at home and abroad would not eX
ceed 10 per cent. The rate in the bill
now in conference is 81 per cent
three times as higA as It ought to be
for protective purposes II the tariif
is TO be revised on the principle sci
forth in the Republican platform.
The difference nthe cost of wool
production measured by labor in this
countB and abroad is about per
cent. The tariff is IS per cent
In the paper and pulp schedule the
difference in the labor cost Of pro
duction at home and abroad is be
tween II and II per cent. The tar
iii schedule is 2l per cent.
In sundries the difference in labor
cost in this country and abroad is
per cent, while Senator Aldrich i'm
posed an equivalent al valorem duty
of % per cent
In the statement issued from the
White House II was made to appear
that the President would require that
the tariff be revised on the basis
promised in the equaliza
ton of cost Of production at home
and abroad, plus the reasonable
profit.
The reduction in conference Of Nc
rates mentioned would spoil
monopOlies which the tariff Il
now enjoy on American markers
Therefore. with Boss Aldrich still in
complete eoH'rol of things, there IS
no reason to hope that the high av
erages will be materially interferreC
with.
If raw materials are placed on the
free list. and the other schedules
remain as they stood when the bill
went to conference, the joke will b,
on the consumer. who would have
been better off to have continued OF
under the existing Dingley law