Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1894 — The Non-Protected Printer. [ARTICLE]

The Non-Protected Printer.

American Economist In no business has the fear of free trade worked a greater decrease both in the amount of work and wages than among the printers. In a New York daily paper April 18, there appeared an advertisement for compositors at 20 cents per 1,000 ems. The Union rates are 43 cents, yet there were hundreds of printers after this job. From 60 to 70 per cent, of the printers in New York City are idle. The hard times brought about by the threatened free-trade and low duties on foreign manufactures and products reaches the printer, as it does every branch of industry, protected or non-pro-tected. One of the very first things cut down by business men in dull times is their printer’s bill. They do less advertising, curtail their catalogues and are more economical with their letter heads. The idle printers are not buying clothes, or food, or hats, or shoes, or paying rent. And hs for luxuries that they used to indulge in these are no longer thought of. That "monster harbinger of distress, hunger and ruin—free-trade —hovers over every business, every industry, every home.