The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-10-04
THE TARIFF AND LABOR.

We are told by campaign orators
that a high protective tariff vas
framed to uphold the dignity of Am
erican labor" Is that a fact? Or has
the tariff. in operation, brought about
the very conditions in labor that the
tariff was framed. in theory, to Obvi.
ate?
The principle of the protective tariff
is that it equalizes labor conditions
here and abroad, that it subsidies the
manufacturer and rcimburses him for
the higher rate OF wages he has to
pay over his European competitor.
I ct us see how it works out under
the Payne Aldrich tariff. the best law
ever written" in the opinion of Pres
ident Taft. The answer deals with
facts, not with theories.
Take iron and steel. which are pro-
tected up to As per cent ad valorem.
For the benefit Of labor? OF course.
Raw material fs cheap and capital
plentiful. But wages are high. they
say. The American laborer lives at a
higher standard than his European or
Asiatic competitor. and 1.-THE dignity OF
American labor must be maintained"
We have been told that this As per
cent tariff wall was erected around
iron and steel to keep the dinner pail
full. How does It work ont?
The Steel Trust employs 100000
men. Native Americans? No! They
are Slovaks. Magyars. Syrians, Sictl.
fans. Italians the scum of southeast
ern Europe. Sixty per cent are for.
eign born, 'two-thirds are Slavs. one,
fourth can read and write one Ian,
guage or another. A very small mum,
her are citizens. One Of every thres
immigrants goes back home with hi1
savings. Last year $4,000 returned
home.
And these men are paid-Americap
wages, subsidized by a As per cent
tariff wall? Not much! Twelve to IA
cents an hour is a good average for
the year around. And they sleep 20
in a cellar. four in a bed, saving mon,
ey to go home and end their days at
a triie higher standard Of living than
they find possible owe here.
And the corporation that employi
them calmly pockets the IS per cent
which It holds in trust for maintain.
ing the dignity Of American labor!"
In the recent strike Of textile work
OT6 ~ A0WtSuSO, NAooS.s S0oA0 w.
$4,000 strikers representing 81 nations
alities. especially imported. The az
erage wage for each adult is 1926 per
week. Three out Of ten male adults
are citizens and one out Of three hopes
to return to his native land somG
day. Children Of Schedule K"
But even these ignorant Children
OF Schedule K" have awakened and
are crying out for something beside
macaroni paste and garlic to I'LL their
dinner pals, to the great annoyance
Of the manufacturers.
It now develops that there is a new
stream Of immigration to, Lawrence
from the Cape Verde Islands. On thess
islands dwell a race Of people who are
descendants Of the early Portuguese
settlers, crossed with the dark skinned
natives who were reduced to slavery
by the early discoveries.
These dark skinned and docile say.
age are cheaper than5the ~ alien
tribes previously brought to- Lawrence
no work in the tariff protected mills.
They don't know about sch things a.
strikes and are not troubled about
maintaining the dignity Of American
labor which has proved such an In.
spiration tos4the politician ON the
stump defending the. American high
protective,tarif. NJ ssS#2s
re you want to linda self respecting,
clean living American laboringsS man.
you will have 10 look tor him In rail.
sfoading, ste1egraphing ,sthe building and
printing trades and on the farm. Yyon
viii have OSlooka for him ins industrie1
iaax.,,h an ~ maftars hnv,5 fuh1v may