New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
FREE TRADE FALLACIEs EXPOSED.

70 IN, Edifor Of The Tribune.

70 IA, Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR. The recent denuncations by tho Free
Traders OF the producers Of this country as INSCRIPTIONS
men and monopolsts and their msrepresenta'ion rem
der il every conversant with the huus
trial proeress Of the country bear testimony to the bene
a M Protection have during the past five years been
connected with the manufacturing interests OF TINS conn
try and was previously partner IN an Ehgsh hrn anu
acted as agent for English manufacturers III DuDh anu
Manchester can therefore affirm with certainty tha1
English manufacturers derive greater prohts III ter
own market than Americans do in this In this city the
commission allowed imported goods usually douD'
and often three and four greater than that allowed
y Cur own manufacturers solely because their prOns
will not admit OF larger commission There Is no part
OF the world which competition Is 80 Keen IN all DUST
neses promising fair return as 1t Is IN ms ana tue
manufacturers have always to count on the rapu ehpa
sion which takes place when an industry Is once iouu
be profitable. How then the Free-Traders talk OF
monopoly when every branch of industry Is open 10 me-
To Them or any one who chooses to embark In III
The question OF Protection Is Immediately connected
with the OF Labor Capitalists can alwaysahs
fer their funds profitable pursuits. or Keep them or
years unemployed without serious loss but the WORKING
man who learned trade must find proftape ana con
slant employment at it, or no SINKS INTO s'aso Vi uo
pendence and degradation.
In order to demonstrate the connection between
Protection and the price Of Labor and also to show tho
falaces made of by the Free Trade party lcte 'e
case Of cotton spoos which referred to at the late
Free Trade meeting and which was received by an APP
proving chorus from the Free Trade Journals
Under the tariff Of 1851 the rate cotton spools was
o. per cent ad valorem; the present tarin rate Is
| six cents per dozen spools OF 100 yards anu
| 80 per cent. ad valofem During the FOUR years
before the war; the price OF cotton TINS o'n
was 1911 cents while at present 1t Is - cent? anu tc'o
was not then the heavy taxation when the "ar mas
necesstated nor was labor SO well requJed Despite the
| bn.a he
ton good threecord spool cotton OF 200 yards can DC
bouoht now nj 80 cents per dozen while before the war;
and under the Tariff OF 81, IL 40 cents ms ono Oh
the largest manufacturers Informed me- Is due 10 uoes
tic competition and not to mechanical progress OF any
other cause Another fact which the freeIrauers can
not deny that Protective Tar mas caused TWO o'
the largest foreign manufacturers to country
and make outlay OF several millions In tho erection Vi
buildings and for the necessary machinery Ihese lac
tories give employment thousands of operatives; the
pay roll firm alone, Clark Bros. Newark amounts
! to about 100000 per annum. Ono OF the largest
| manufacturers lately told me that the difference
in the rate OF wages was the why he required
Protective Tariff IT, said he wages were on the same
level as III England, would require no protection
Operatives who, in England and paid six to
seven shilings Isl so to 81 7 receive here So and 81;
foremen who receive there 20 shings $50, here get
SIS and proportonate rates paid all through the
works.
Protection TO native INDUSTRY tHerciort
question OF wages; but It's benehcent effect Is felt
throughout the entire country The interests OF oil IN
the community reciprocal. According to the Free
Traders, the moment workingman becomes manufac-
| turer he is "monopolist" think the statements
have ade clearly demonstrate the following: l. That
American manufacturers derive great profits
are realized in England, France and Germany That
under Protective Tariff with enhanced rates for labor
and raw material Joined with heavy taxation and dlsor
ganzed currency the price OF cotton spoos has not ad
vanced but considerably reduced That Protection
has attracted to this country and Will continue to at
tract foreign capital, which otherwise would not come
here T. That thousands are thereby employed and
large sums expended for labor which would have
been spent Europe That the value OF property,
and the the country have been immensely
increased, and the entire nation benefited Yours
faithfully. JOHN ID. MCGRAIH
NeW. York, March 2, 1870.