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LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Article Excerpt
Byline: The Register-Guard

Wage argument never changes

I remember 1938, when the first minimum wage was set at 25 cents an hour. I remember the beating of breasts and rending of garments by business and Republicans.

Their position was that it would cause industry to be destroyed. Small businesses would go out of business. Most of the people would have to be fired. We would become an economic second-class nation.

The minimum wage has been raised 20 times since, and all but four or five of those times businesses, supported by the Republicans, have commented vigorously. Their position of 1938 is what they dust off and present again and again.

If what they said in 1938 were true, why are there any businesses operating today? How could small businesses exist, let alone be the backbone of our economy? How could we be the world's economic leader?

Yet the same rant has appeared in at least two columns in The Register-Guard in recent months. The capitalist system needs an underclass. Early in our history it was the Irish, then Slavs, Italians, Chinese, and now Mexicans as these groups migrated to our country. Throughout, it has been blacks and women.

Now it is Korea, China, Vietnam and other Asian countries. But many who cannot outsource their businesses want to keep as many people in the underclass as possible. How? Keep minimum wages low - or better yet, get rid of any minimum wage. This increases profits.

BILL BEALS

Reedsport

Keep toxics reporting program

I found the The Register-Guard's Jan. 18 editorial "Unfairness is toxic too" problematic in several ways. First, it delayed mentioning The Register-Guard's conflict of interest as an involuntary contributor to the program until midway through the piece,...

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