He consoles the workingman very much as he does the woolgrower. that. after all. he must buy his clothing. and he could buy cheaper if he would work at less wages and make his cloth out of Australian wool duty free. He closes his consolation to the workingman with this benediction: He receives at the desk of his employer his wages. and perhaps before lie reaches his home is obliged. in a purchase for family use of an article which embraces his own labor. to return in the payment of the increase inprice which the tariff permits. the hardearned compensation of many days of toil. The workingman is no doubt overwhelmed with this logic. but he might answer. "I am. it is true. only one to seven employed in other labor. but their wages do not compete with pauper labor. They are fixed at American rates. in competition with other Americans in the same trade. with American ideas and wants. I went into the factory here to compete with Europeans in establishing a new industry under a law which gave an advantage or protection to home industry. I thought it was right and patriotic. I have received fair wages. have learned the business and am content withit. and have saved a little. but not much. A benevolent and beneficent President thinks this is all wrong. that I must compete with the pauper labor of Europe and work as cheaply. that otherwise I am robbing all the rest of the laboring people of this country. so I must either go back to the farm or take such wages and living as have driven every year a half million of people from Europe to our shores." The treatment of this question by the President. as it affects the workigman. is a delusion and a snare. He assumes that the cost of living. especially of food and clothing. is higher here than in Europe. Thisis not true.
Keywords matched
pauper labor