The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-23
GOMPERS' FACTS FOR THE
TARIFF.

The Democrats have been much
irritated over an article written by
President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor, and recently
printed in the organ of that associa-
tion. Mr.. Gompers spent consider
able time in Europe last year in COM
pany with other members, of his or
ganization, and though persistent
opponent of the Republican party,
his article is a very strong utter
ance in favor of the Protective
Tariff. He gives a statement or
Richard Bell, a member of the Brit
ish Parliament, made before the
British Trades Union Congress last
September, in which Mr. Bell stated
that railway men in Great Britain
received 1925 a week, and one
G. H. Roberts, another member of
the British Parliament, also stated
that agricultural laborers were re-
ceiving less than SO week. Mr..
Thorn, still another member OF the
British Parliament, mentioned that
builders laborers in Ipswich were
receiving cents an hour and some
men in the audience called out that
many of them were working for Z
cents an hour. MIR. Gompers quotes
from an official German document
showing that only three or four
of the trades of that county average
over $500 a year for skilled work
men. while most of the average run
less than $3.50. He states that the
Berlin Saddlers' organization union
scale calls only for 81 a week, while
plumbers in the same city get from
$S to SO a week, and wages are
higher in Berlin than any place else
in Germany. Day laborers receive
from 81 cents to IS cents a day. Mr.
Gompers says:
| believe | may assert that wheth-
er the cost of living in Europe or IN
America is greater to the working
man depends entirely on the stand
ard of living he adopts while in
America. If he voluntarily lives a
life of self-denial in this country that
he compulsorily lived in his native
land. his outlay in money viii re-
main about the same. Even tnen
he will hardly escape gaining some
from the superior supply of the good
things of life in America. Living is
cheap to the wage worker in Europe
only because he does without what
in America soon becomes neces-
sity to him-food in good quantity
and quality, presentable clothes,
and a comfortable home, and, in
general, a larger and freer life.
Meat is usually from 25 per cent to
100 per cent. higher in Europe than
in the United States. The immi-
grant coming to America finds that
he can buy in quantity, and Tin
cases where he need not) his flour,
potatoes, fuel, oil, sugar, coffee, salt
the essentials for his plain table
all cost less ordinarily than in the
land he left. The cheapness and
abundance of many varieties of fruit
and of our melons and tomatoes is a
surprise to him. Closely after the
most pressing necessities come a
line -of things cheaper than in Eu-
rope, such as cotton clothing, jump
ers and shoes. Fine wool and silk
stuffs, furs, laces and kid gloves cost
less abroad than in the United states;
a fact, however, which bears as
lightly in an inquiry as to the condi-
tiOnS of the masses as does the tarlH
on the masterpieces of art. The
main conclusion as to housing is the
same as that relating to food; If the
immigrant who comes to tnis coun-
try is willing to continue living here
at the same level he was obliged to
accept in his native land, he can find
it for the same money.