Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-14
Competing With the World.
William r. Wilcox,
Chairman Republican National COMMITTEES.

President Wilson might we'll pronounce and
adopt the slogan, America Last and America In
efficient" which is the antithesis to the express
sion and desire Of Charles E. Hughes. who would
have America First and America Efficient" The
president Is still very DESTROYS that American citi-
zens--that is the American aborer and farmer
and as Mr.. Hughes recently said, we are all lab
orers in this country-should depart from our
present high standard Of living; should give up
our substantial homes; should throw away every
luxury and comfort and get down to the level in
wages, and what wages will buy, to the average
workmen Of the world.
At Baltimore recently the president said MY
dream is that America will take its place in that
great field"-meaning the world-'in new spirit;
II want to see America pitted against the world
20 This recalls what he said in his address to the
extra session OF congress which he called for the
purpose OF framing and enacting new tariff law
in that address he said, the object OF the tariff
duties henceforth laid must be effective competi-
ton, the whetting of American wits by contest
with the wits Of the rest OF the world"
Now, let us see what this means. 1t means
that our ports must be open to the free admission
of competitive products; it means that the wares
of Europe, Asia and Africa and the islands OF the
sea which are made by labor paid from one-tenth
of one-ha that paid our labor, shall come in here
and be placed side by side with our own products
which are made by the highest paid labor on
earth. Human nature will assert itself and the
cheaper products will be bought to the exclusion
of the higher priced goods
There is American machinery in Japan turn
ing out today all kinds OF fabrications that come
into our markets. In the cotton mills OF Japan
the males get 20 cents day; the females from
Is cents to 20 cents, and the children cents per
day In their steel foundries, males get SON
cents per day; females ISM cents per day. In
China the highest priced labor does not get more
than s. or 81 per month. These we may call
extreme cases, but if we go into South America,
or Europe or Oceanica, we find that wares are
being made for the American market by people,
none whom get more than half what is paid here.
Mr. Wilson would have US compete with these
people not only in their markets, but in our own.
Assuming that the cost of material is practically
the same everywhere, yet the difference IN the
cost of labor, which in some cases is fully 20 per
cent of the cost OF production, is such that the
American workman cannot compete with. the
workman of other countries unless he gets down
to their level in wages and in his standard OF
living.
1t Is we'll that the American voters understand
this question fully. II Mr.. Wilson is reelected
there can be no change in the present tariff for
at least five years, unless ii is a change for the
worse.
. We are even now suffering severely in all parts
Of the country and there are thousands OF men
out OF employment today because OF this desire
preference for goods made abroad to those made
here in the United States. When the so 900 600
who are now engaged in war, or in the preparation
OF munitions, go back to peaceful occupations,
they will have to accept the lowest wages of
century, even in England and continental Europe.
We are now importing more than ever before
in our lives, even though 100000 men are, for
the time being, not producing anything that may
come to our ports. We may then we'll anticipate
with anxiety and dread what will be the outcome
when those 100000 men get to making wares
that we want and which they will send to us be-
cause our markets will be the most profitable
ones to be found.
Almost every other nation Of the earth has pro-
tectve tariffs which preserve their markets. Ours
at present isvery near free trade. That is the
situation today, and il the American people want
to change 1t they will have an opportunity to do
so on the seventh day Of next November, by
electing Charles E. Hughes president, and with
him republican and protectionist senate and
house Of representatives.