The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-28

wage of the iron and steel workers of Germany is a little more than half of the American scale of wages. The report above referred to shows that the average value of the production of each employee in the mills of Pennsylvania amounts to $3661, making the labor cost only IS per cent of the value of the product of the employee and the German wage scale being only one7half of that of America, per cent of the cost of production would cover the entire difference in the wage scale The statistical abstract shows that the total importations of iron and steel products for the year 1905 amounted to $36. .339 and the revenue collected amounted to sS, 159, ,349. showing an average ad valorem rate of g per cent levied on the imports coming into the country As a matter of fact, the taxes levied on most Iron and steel pro- duets are in excess of this rate, as the importation of ore and pig iron reduces the average of the articles imported at q higher rate of duty, but taking P per cent as the average rate and one-half of IS per cent as the difference in labor cost abroad and at home, it shows that the American manufacturer is afforded a protection under the duties levied in the Dingley bill of 13 per cent above the difference in the labor cost of produc- tion, the home producer also haveing the ocean freight rate In his favor. The same report referred to above shows that the average yearly earnings of men en- ployed in the tin plate industry in Penn sylvania amounts to $722 that the aver age value of production for each em- ployee is $S127. making the labor cost 23 per cent of the value of the product The duty on tin plate under the Dingley bill is IF cents per pound, equal to an ad valorem rate varying from 54 per cent to 42 per cent. If the labor cost abroad Is one-half or the labor cost in America, it gives to the American producer from 30 per cent to 40 per cent protection over and above the difference ia the labor cost. The same report shows that the average value produced by each em- pb1Hee in the manufacture of cotton mad woolen yarns in Pennsylvania is $2825 and the yearly average earnings of each employee Is $S63. The same report shows that the textile industries of Philadelphia pay their employees on an average S429 year, and that these employees pro- duce an average value of product amounting to $2094 This report shows that the average value produced by each employee in the cotton and woolen waists and shoddy manufactures of Philadel- phia amounted to $5S46 and the average yearly wage in these industries to be s449. That in woolen and worsted goods in Philadelphia the average value pro- duced by each employee amounted to s2445 and the average yearly earnings to $454.
 Enormous Protection.
 When it is borne in mind that the ad valorem rate of duty on the importations of worsted goods runs all the way from 50 per cent to IA per cent and the per centage of the labor costsis only IS per cent of the value of the product pro duoed by each man and that the English workman received at least one-half of the American wage scale, making the difference in the labor cost, in any case not exceed g or 10 per cent of the value of the American product, 1t shows what enormous protection Is given to the in- dustry to enable 1t to make profits There Is no question that tariff bill can be written passing the duties fairly on the difference in the cost of production at home and abroad, making due allowaoce for the differential in the freight rate, that will be on a fair and reasonable competitive basis, that will produce ann pie revenue to supply all the needs of the government. The American people will not be satisfied with any other so- luton of the tariff question. They real-