The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-05-29
WAGES NOT A FACTOR.

T sident Wilson seems to have
cea.a'n members Of his cabinet Hav-
ng cen elected upon free trade
platform and knowing that the first
great measure of Importance to occupy
the attention Of his administration and
the democratic congress would be one
making sweeping reductions In the
tariff with the ultimate view of plac-
Ing the country on free trade basis,
and knowing further that the propos-
ed reductions in the tariff would in
yolve the REIMBURSEMENT, If not the ruin,
Of the industrial interests of the coun-
try, the president. with commendable
consideration for the captains of AM
erican industry, selected for the post of
secretary Of commerce and labor an
expert In economic management whose
business appears to be chiefly to tell
the aforesaid captains Of industry how
70 adjust their affairs to the democratic
tariff system in a manner that will en-
able them to successfully compete with
the foreigner without reducing the
wages OF the American workingman,
without reducing his profits, and at the
same time reduce the cost of living.
The man who occupies this import
ant post and who is now carrying on
his campaign of education for the
benefit of the great employers of labor
is William G. Redtield, the secretary
of commerce and labor. In the course
of speech in New York the other day
Mr.. Redfeld said substantially that the
higher cost Of production in the United
States was due not to the high stand
ard of wages but to the low standard
of efficiency. This statement is some-
thing of shock to most of us who
have been aboring under the inn
preston that in the matter of effl-
cheney and economic management the
American leads the world.
And in the face of the assertion of
the expert in the Wilson cabinet, the
average American will go thinking so.
we here in the Occur d'Alene district
10 not have to go outside our own
to disprove Mr.. Redield's
assertion The products of the mines
ire hard hit by the Underwood bill.
md If there Is any way the evil con-
sequences may be avertcd without
eduction of wages and curtalment
II legitimate profits, the managers of
he lead and zinc mines would like to
,e enlightened on the subject. There
5 nothing that promises economy in
mining and treating the ores of this
istrict that is not eagerly tried out by
he managers of the mines and adopted
1t proves successful The result is
hat mining In the Occur d'Alcnes Is
oted for the efficiency that character
res management. A high standard of
ages prevails here, and, contrary to
ne statement of Mr. Redtield. wages
re a most important factor in the
,st of production.
Inasmuch as President Wilson Is on
cord as stating that no legitimate
merican industry would be disturb
I by democratic tariff reductions,
hen the law becomes operative 1t will
} up to the president to have his ex-
,rt In the department of commerce
I'd labor disabuse the minds of lead
8 Of American industry by showing
EN- that the injury they have dread c
Is purely imaginary and that all q
ey have to do is to adopt up-to-d date =
ethods Of management which viii en- :,
lie them to successfully maintain a
e American market, high wages and Il
the same time reduce the cost Of N
ing without injury to any one. 1t :.
"a fine program and we shall soon =
} how successfully It Il carried out. h,