The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-05
"EQUAL PAY"
An Economic Failacy which Cost the city
TaNnaNers several Millions.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir! In
your editorial article to-day well entitled
THE Dreadful Budget you say "The
public school appropriations increase by
leaps and bounds" At least one of those
increases, an increase which has added
several millions to the tax bills is. con-
sderng its cause. indefensible. | mean
that due to the passage OF the equal pay
bill. Unfortunately discussion OF the
measure has only an academic interest
now. though its effects are anything but
academic; yet 1t shows In very striking
way the practically evil consequences
that may attend the incapacity to think
correctly
The taxpayers are paying and must con-
tlnue to pay several millions annually be-
cause OF the recognition OF spurious
claim, a claim no absolutely without merit
as to be unworthy the serious considera-
ton OF educated men claim based on
principle recognized neither In the theory
OF political economy nor In the practical
application of its principles In the busl-
ness OF buying and selling, the principle
that equal work merits equal pay or that
equal values necessarily Justify equal
costs Yet the present Mayor was quoted
only the other day as ndursing the prin-
ciple, In one sense, aud In one sense only,
does the theory hold, and that IL that all
prices tend to the level OF the lowest the
lowest rules the market. Its practical APP
plication as adopted in raising the pay Of
the teachers to the level of the highest
would he instnctlvely repudiated as pre-
posterous in the purchase OF paper or
pins by child old enough to ask for H.
II was not alleged that the salaries Of the
women teachers were inadequate, but that
adequate or inadequate, they were rot 50
crea; as those paid 20 the men The es-
SenCe OF the injustice" was the fact OF
inequality. an Injustice" that could be
remcd!ed AS effectively by the reduction
Of the mems salaries as 10y the raising or
the Wufneu's,
In a private enterprise. II women were
capable Of doing the same work as men
AZ a lower rate they would dlsplaco the
men or the latter would he compelled To
consent to an equalization OF pay to the
level OF tho women's
II men and women are in fact doing
the same work in the schools there was
no justification for the employment OF
men in the first place at higher rates than
those paid t. women or for their employ
ment at all; II they are not doing the
same work. II the mems work though
equal" I'm value. Is work for which men
are peculiarly fitted it IL as absurd TO
hold that the women should receive as
much as the men as to hold that pint OF
water ought to cost as much az pint or
champagne because on the whole water
, is more valuable than champagne
Vet the Legislature and the Governor of
the great state OF New York and the
Mayor 81 the great city of New York
thought II equitable To impose on the tax
& payers Of the city an extra burden for
"a reason that no one charged with the
conduct Of private business would
recognize. because they were incapable OF
detecting tho fallacy OF the formula,
equal pay for equal work. "A high price
I to pay for the academic ignorance OF pub.
/ lie o~lciais +. J. ID.
NV YORK. November ..