Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-16
The Facts We Must Face.

a calamity howler," by publishing the
letter of our special correspondent on
the industrial tragedy which has over.
taken the great lumber state OF wash
ington. We accept the necessity. We
are sorry that conditions compel such
statements of fact from various indus
tries. and it is useless and needless now
for us to say I'VE told you So" But
inst how any intelligent person can be
fooled into believing that he can have
his pie intact to look at and enjoy the
eating of it too, is beyond our under
standing.
Here it is, you free trade experts; II
America reduces one-third of the total
amount of duties collected to further In
crease imports and to reduce the high
cost of living" must not American in
dustries adjust themselves to meet
those conditions? If home industries
meet foreign competition (Which they
must If cost of living is reduced where
will YOU have the reduction, in wages,
or will YOU have the industries cease
because they cannot afford to run?
Let's put it this way, to make it plain;
The Democratic administration has re-
duced the "wall'' of protection to the
extent of s10o, 000 annual revenue
This has made the American market
the dumping ground for the product
of cheap labor the world over. In ev1-
tably this must reduce lis already re-
ducing) the demand on American mills,
factories. numbering and mines. Hav-
ing reduced the call for home product,
what is the first necessity? Just as in
eyitably as the above, it must be the
cost of labor.
You have seen no reduction in the
high cost of living, but you have seen
a reduction in wages and curtailment
of mill production. which is also re-
duction of employees earnings, and
Won have seen, are seeing, and are
bound to see, utter closing down OF in
Observation-Disclosures of this lack of de-
mand for American product.
Can you tell us how it could be other
wise? Can President Wilson or Chair
man Underwood or anyone else tell US
how il could be otherwise? They have
not. in any utterance they have given.
They have simply given expression to
their confidence" that, through some
rld-astounding miracle. black Is to
be proven white, and the Democratic
party is to achieve everlasting fame
by having seen all the time that black
was white.
Now, with the beginning Of adjust
ment of wage scales, what do we see?
Why, strikes and labor troubles, to be
sure! They go hand in hand with re-
duction Of demand for product Labor
never has been able to have its pie and
eat it too"
Having reduced the demand for
American product; having reduced the
volume of American production; hav-
Ing reduced the wages and returns for
American labor, what is left to Ameri-
can commerce but reduction in volume
of business?
And, looking these things squarely in
the face, what can be the result but
Hard Times?
OF course this is"Calamity bowling" "
but is it not the gospel of experience
and common sense? Are not conditions
gradually because of American pluck
and determination to stem the tide as
long as possible. and because the year
1913 was the most marvellous. agricul-
turaily. this country has ever known)
shaping themselves just as experience
and common sense foretold?
The older and the middle generations
have been through it all before. They
have seen and well remember precisely
how the blight erept over this countr,
under the influence of the Wilson, Cor.
man bill. They well remember how the
Calamity howl" bugaboo was hurlee
at the protectIonists. They well re
member how gfreuuously the admins,