The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-21
SPIRIT OF Tzr PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics-Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
''N1BBLED TO DEATH BY PIsMIREs


the most effective. OF all the utterances in
Congress or from the Cabinet during the
present session, the thunder-bolt that went
farthest, killed the greatest number and will
be the longest remembered, was hurled when
General Schenck declared that, should the
Tariff bill be defeated the verdict over its
corpse would be, ''nibbled to death by pis-
mires." Not single denial has been made
in Congress that the protective character of
the tariff has quadrupled our revenue. 1t has
not been denied that the effect of a protec-
tive tariff has been to develop and foster all
the industries in which we compete with
Europe, except that of producing breadstuffs.
In the matter of breadstuffs, we have gone
far towards supplying our farmers with the
home market which is always so much more
valuable than the foreign, and which, if pro-
lection to manufactures were continued,
would soon develop them to point which
would consume all our breadstuffs at home,
at higher prices than could be obtained
abroad.
Not a single square assault upon the prin
ciple of protection has been made from any
quarter, by attempting to show that it had
failed to develop and extend the industries it
had aimed to develop; that it had lessened
our revenue that it had brought on COM
mercial distress or that it had turned any
class of men into the streets, as did free
trade in 1S16-20, in 1886, and 1857. All eff
forts to change the tariff are made under the
plea of reducing the revenue, on the ground
that we are collecting more revenue than we
need, and are paying off the debt more rap
idly than we ought. 1t is not contended
that our working classes are suffering,
or that ready employment at full
wages is not everywhere to
be had for all who are willing to work. It is
not denied that in England industry is very
Strengthened, and that recent commission
appointed by Parliament to investigate the
condition of the working classes reports that
it is better in America than anywhere else.
The editor of the Missouri Democrat, now ira
Yelling in Europe writes to his paper that it is
in vain for American farmers to attempt to COM
pete with the cheap serf labor of the Russian,
Austrian, and German peasantry, in the attempt
to raise breadstuffs for the English market,
While we are paying from $16 to 500 per month,
and board, for green farm hands, who are
mostly fresh imported European peasants,
hands of the same class in Europe, 1900
miles nearer to the English markets. are
working for less money and boarding them
selves. AS sample of the difference in
manufacturing wages, take the following ave-
rage weekly earnings of puddlers in the iron
furnaces here and there
Hnaiend nlIen slS54 gold
iESnslanu'' ....................... $40
TIanCe. 500
Belglum ana Rnenlsn PRUSSIA. 600 &c
kusSla (Nicksa lronworks) ................ 1.93
In spite of the arguments of the free-traders.
that we ought to be suffering, while the arti-
sans of England ought to be happy under
free trade, we find the members of their
nobility presiding at vast meetings for the
promotion of the emigration of laborers from
England, and Canadian and Australian papers
abusing the home authorities because they
report in favor of emigration to the dearly
INV IIy,ftn Gkatao
cheaply y-taxed colonies. About 400 900 people
came here last year, and we look for q still
larger number this year. And still, in spite
of these great facts, the army of Pismires are
mastering their hosts to the work of nibbling
down and undermining the defenses OF
American industries.
Pssn1tre the first proceeds by undertaking
the value of our manufactures the number of
hands they employ, of souls they support,
and the extent to which they supply the
wants of our people and consume our agri-
cultural products Thus one writer. in an
article before us, states the value of our an
pual product of iron and steel manufactures
at only S119, $50, 900, whereas the true value,
as computed by the American Iron and Steel
Association, which is in receipt of regular re-
ports from the members of their production,
is seven hundred and fifty millions of dollars
year.
Pismire the second says that only $50, 900
persons are employed in the great protected
industries of iron, woollens and cottons,
when those of iron alone employ fully $50, 900
persons, and support directly 200, 900 per-
sons.
Pismire the third ('sGath," the Washing
ton correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, in
his letter published May I'D says
"The whole number OF manufacturing laborers
direct and incidental, In every department OF what
Is called industry, amounts TO only 1885, ,OO0"
This was the number returned by the
census, as male and female operatives in
manufactures, in 1860, ten years ago. As
each of these supported at the average four
persons, they would have sustained 5, $40, 900
persons, or one-sixth of our whole popula-
ton at that time. But If, in addition,
we include the persons collaterally
employed in exchanging and trans
porting their products, it would have shown
hot less than S,000,000, or fourth of our
population sustained by manufactures. But
Gath wholly omits TO state that within ten
years our iron product has doubled, and our
other manufactures have increased by from
90 to 80 per cent. An increase of 60 per
cent. would make the present number of per-
sons employed in manufactures alone (exclu
slve OF those miners, farmers, and planters
who are employed in furnishing their raw
materlals) at 2,30S, 1922. We are safe in
stating their entire number at 900, 900, and
the number of persons they support at
1000, or one-fourth of our whole
people.
Pssnitre the fourth (and there are at least
10000 OF this class, all misled by David A.
Wells) represents that we have, during the
last two years, placed such taxes on the mate
rials used in ship-building as to close every
ship-yaId IN the country; whereas in fact