New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-23
WHAT FREE TRADE WOULD DO FOR LABOR

To me Edtf0r or me ITlOuHc'
SIR: Having read in The World the address
Of Mr. H. Marshall, Chairman of the Democratic meet
ing held at Thirteenth-s, the previous night, on
the subject of Free Trade seeing your referred
TO as the foremost champion OF the protective system
beg leave as workingman, TO ask question or t"o'
What are we the working class Of this country losing by
Protectionf What shall We gain by Free Tradef AS
workipgman, ask your IOpinion and through your
courtesy beg leave to offer mine. The foreign manu-
faeturer IA payng our Government at an average OF 30
per cent Of their value for liberty to sell his goods In
our market yet In consequence of European paupersm
slaye labor arisocrato domination over the WORK
ing class he depreciate American LABOR compee Win
the American manufacturer, and undersel MIN IN MS
own market When take 80 per cent tariff the cost OF
Recommendation and his profit from the market price
Of his goods the remainder Is what Is left to pay for
tbe tackle and feed OF the slaves that produce them
This barbarous system Of Protection gives the American
manufacturer an advantage In which his operatives nave
a share which places them above tho working CLASS IN
all other nations The establishment OF Free Trade Is all
that required by these agents OF arsocracy 10 place
them in competition with the criminals. the slaves and
the paupers OF Europe This is what we lose by Protec
ton For instance see Mr.. Marshalps address with
regard to the tariff copper He had vessel that re-
aured TO be coppered and while he would gladly employ
the workingmen Of New-YOrk, he discovered by
shrewd calculation that the cost would be $OO less IN
Liverpool and he Obliged to send ms snip 10 LII
gland; but we believe and shall show that another
cause which he did not like to mention operated against
the workingmen OF New-York with regard to Mr. Mar
sbaips ship a cause which shall continue to operate
against them after the abolition OF the tariff
1t was this: Tho price OF labor IL higher
In NewYork where the workman owns his labor, than
1t England where the Government owns the working
man. This added materially to the difference which Mr.
Marshall found between Liverpool and NewYork prices,
and this barbarous system OF Protection was not the
only cause which deprived the workngman OF New-York
of the profits Of his work When Free Trade is esab-
shed and copper can be bought as cheap in NETWORK
az Ill .o uos1 h any Ye s wor ~
laborers while he can get 1t done at lower wages IN En-
gand TINS Is too much to expect IRON rms FREE Trade
market, and will all Others when the cost OF trans
prnspe nm sUppor of Which he asks the Votes Of
workingmen will transport their labor to the factories
the FORCES and the workshops of Europe The hours Of
labor will be increased. wages will he reduced labor will
disemployedlef nothing To do but raise cotton and
to enrich European manufacturers ana feed Eu-
Now with regard to the second question: What snail
we, the working class, gain by Free Trade When our
markets shall be open the productions Of foreign Ia
Dor the foreign manufacturer free from export duty,
al reduction equal existing Tariff below market
price immediate fall in the price OF all goods VI our
of our labor to with the price paid in England for
the amount Of work will be the natural and una
vodabe consequence. Let us suppose our Government
tomorrow takes so per cent duty from any fabric I'M
ported here the American manufacturer of the same
goods would he compelled to sell them 30 per cent below
cost price He must necessity, reduce the wages OF
his operatives the amount but would the working
men see the matter in that light, and peacefully
submit to this rcductiOnl Oh, no; a strike would
he the certain result and what answer would the
manufacturer give 10 such a demandi 1t would be
this: l cannot afford To pay your demands /;
foreign manufacturers rule market am not respon
sble You supported the advocates OF Free Trade,
you have opened our market to the production OF foreign
labor You have placed yourselves in competition with the
slaves OF the world you must take the consequence.
This, in the opinion OF workngman, is what American
laborers shall gain by the establishment OF Free Trade f
the working class would only exercise their reasoning
faculties in the study Of their interests they will be
convinced that they have not many friends among this
party OF FreeTrade principles The writer would sin
cerely thank yOu for correction OF this view, IN your
Judgment IL may he necessary.
II the foregoing would TO throw any light on this
subject they at your disposal lest they should be
pronounced fiction herewith subscribe my name. A
Protector OF American Industry. JAMES JOHNSON
COiaRba-st, Brooklyn.