Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-17

From the Chicago Tribans, CRsP)I


We called attention the other day 10 the pro-
lection" afforded by the Government to manu-
facturers Of cotton goods, showing that such
protection now that the manufacture OF cotton
goods has become firmly established in this
country, is simply device for robbing the mil
lion for the benefit of the few. IL is common
delusion TO suppose that the protection OF GER
tain branch OF industry contributes 10 increase
the wages of laborers employed ia it. whereas
the advantages thus derived goes wholly to the
capitalist, and not at all to the lsborer. Wages
are governed by two things Let. the amount ne
cessary to support the laborer; ID, the law OF
supply and demand OF course the laborG must
receive enough wages TO sustain himself and his
family, for no laborer could work for less. After
that amount has been determined, wages will be
high when lAborers are scarce, and low when
they are numerous. The addition Of 1--WE cents
to the price Of cotton cloth BY the Intervention
Of Government. or any other agency. does not
add farthing 10 the wages of the man or woman
who spins il, for the employer 10 not sctuated by
charitable considerations in his business. He
looks upon every such rise IN the market ss his
lust profits, and he does not divide this profit
with his employees until a scarcity of laborers
compes him to do So Hence, wages snd pro
lection have no connection with each other. ex-
cept possibly ia the case of a branch of mansfac-
ture which Is Ia it, infancy, and which, by diver
styling the occupations of laborers may. upon
being established in the country, afford en-
ployment to some who could not otherwise Oh
tain it..
Ii is generally conceded that the price OF coal
is enormously high. Most houssh0lders can
testify to this fact. The great coal producing
section of this country Is Aastern Pennsylvania.
The price of anthracite regulates the price of
all kinds and qualities OF coal Ia the United
Stltes Anthracite ia the most economical fuel
10 the world. aud this country has monopoly Of
H. for il il found nowhere else. and here only in
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Rhode Island prac-
tically, the State OF Pennsylvania has q mo-
nopoly of tho anthracite trade of the world, and
an immense trade il is. II il il possible TO con
ceive of an interest which does not need artif
cia protection in this country, it is the coal in
terest. Yet. under our existing tariff, there 10
duty Of one dollar aud twenty five cents per ton
imposed on foreign coal. As the daty is payable
in gold, il is equivalent at the present time 10
nearly two dollars per ton. The internal duty
on coal is only Ave cents per ton The only diff
fereuce between the internal duty and the import
duty constitutes The measure OF protection which
the Law affords 20 The producer Of American coal
II the protection were removed the price of coal
would necessarily fall two dollars per tor. at the
seaboard. and in the same ratio here
We will not characterize the existing tariff law
ss whole but we do affrm that this prohibitory
duty on coal is monstrous. IL IL sheer robbery OF
the poor for the benefit OF the rich, making the
poor, poor, and the rich richer. every day tina! 1t
continues. We trust that the representatives OF
the coal consuming districts, which constitute a,
least nins-tsnths Of the country, will not allow
another session Of Congress to pass without re-
ducing the duty on foreign Goals TO the precise
amount OF the duty on the domestic article
There In really less need Of protection 70 coal in
the United States than TO cord wood because
nature has given US better coal than other coun-
tries, and generally more accessible, while other
countries have cord wood as good. and as easily
handled. as ours Coal is an article of prime
necessity Every family must have it, however
humble. however destitute. Hence s tariff,
which enhances the price Of coal unnecessarily.
is an assault upon the community in the guise
of law.