The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-10-29
PROTECTION.


didlv discuss the tariff and other vital points
a. issue in this election. This is proof
enough of their total inability to maintain
the position of their party upon these ques-
tons Now, We of the west, desire these
very points discussed, that we may be bene-
fitted thereby. The solution of these prob
lens, and speedy one at that, is not only
want of the people, but it is a necessity; for
the west, more especially, that these unjust
tariff measures be repealed, and that a re-
| form in the management OF the affairs OF the
country be at once inaugurated. 1t can
| not come too soon, for q disaster threatens
the longer continuance Of these odious and
grinding measures.
| The tariffites of the east realize now, that
| the hold of the eastern monopo!Ists and
capitalists upon the throats of the nation is
fast losing its power, and the fact
that free trade is daily gaining ground, even
in their own ranks, they dare not
ignore. The people of the country, with
their intelligence sharpened By the sharp
practices of the mem bers of the tariff mono
poly, are becoming aware of the fact that
the protection cry of the New England
clique is nonsense, that it is not protection
they want, but monopoly, to allow longer
lease OF which would be of benefit only to
monopolists.
The figures of Mr.. Wells. which we give
are as reliable as is possible t" obtain upon
subject atfordng such volume Of stats
ties Making large allowance however,
! for all inaccuracies, We still find his state
uent hard nut for advocates of protection
| to crack
| He estimates the values created by lead>
ing industries of the country as follows:
| Cotton manufactures. 7l,5OO,0OO
" oolep manufactures ......-...... 66,0O0,0OG
Iron productions, pig and bar...... ll9,9oV,OoO
Leather manutactures............ 2Z,6OO, OGe
$3.50, $50 600
! In these leading protected industries
| there are $4,000 persons employed.
His estimates for unprotected" indus
tries are as follows:
Agriculture .2S2 95U, GOO
Railway serVIce......... 5ou,oOo,ouV
Fisheries. 100, 100000
In the unprotected" industries there are
,655 900 persons employed.
| Ia addition the above enumerated classes,
the commissioner estimates that there are
| 1000, 600 skilled artisans, mschinists,
carpenters, blacks uiths, and masons, and
4,7O5,O00 common laborers, domestics,
servants, &C., employed.
Here We show and prove by figures, that
the number of persons employed by the
leading industries demanding protection
is only $4,000, while the insignificant
number of persons employed by those indus
tries, which are not protected-only $500, 900
are underserving the attention, their wants en-
tirely disregarded by the ruling party, that the
uonopo,ists, employing only onethirteenth
the number of workmen, may be "pro-
tected." Such protection as this is melted
out to those who do not belong to the high
tariff clique, and we advise our farmers,
mechanics, and laborers, one and all, to
give the above facts careful perusal.
But this is not all There are still other
classes of artisans and laborers, whom this
$3.50. 900 does not include, to the number
5,705, 900. who takes position among the
unprotected They also are forced to step
in the rear and let the favored $4,000 come
to the front. The wealth thus literally stolen
from the millions to enrich the few, does not
by any means reach the pockets of the 5l0,-
900, for no class of laborers or citizens in
the whole country are so poorly remunerated
for their service as the employees of the
Wanted protected" industries, the cotton
and wollen, the iron and leather establish.
ments.
The profits which arise and are made by
the unprotected, and the vast sums thus
obtained annually fad their way into pockets
already filled to depletion. This collection
is what makes the profits and declares the
immense dividends of the New England
cotton and leather establishments, and the
Pennsylvania iron mills and coal beds, and
in order to make these profitable to monop-
oily, the unprotected are forced to pay $627,-
100000 annually in taxes. We ask our
readers to consider this subject of protection
and then tell US whether they do not think 1t
high time for such protection as this to
cease.
ODD Fellows FEsrIvAL.-This evening
Scott Lodge No. 81, l. o. o. F., of Davsn.
port celebrates its nineteenth anniversary.
Nearly two hundred tickets have been dis.