New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-23
The Real Enemies Of the Work.
ingman.

HENRY MCMASTERs Is the Secretary OF the
American Iron and Steel Association, and his
position probably gives him better oppor-
tunity to know the extent and value of our
manufacturing industry than is possessed by
any other man in the United States. At any
rate, ex-Commissioner WELLS, the great cham
pion of free trade, accepts him as authority
upon all matters that can be used to sustain
that theory. Free traders must therefore ac-
cept him as authority upon manufacturing
statistics generally well against as in
support of their argument Accepting Mr..
McMAsTER's testimony as entitled to entire
credit, the number of persons directly employed in
the manufacturing establishments of the country
in March, 1870, was one million nine hundred
thousand, and the number of persons directly
supported by these l, 100000 operatives was
ten millions. That was nearly two years ago.
Since then this number of operatives must have
sons supported directly by their labor to
10, 100000.
Absolute free trade, in its real sense-which is
the ultimate aim of all opponents to American
industry-means a repeal of duties upon every
class of foreign imports, the abolition of our
custom house system, and the opening of our
ports to the introduction of the products of all
nations without fee or charge of any kind.
This policywoul bring the enormous capital and
cheap labor of Europe in direct competition with
own industry and result in the entire destruc-
ton of our manufacturing interests, whether of
II - al
that in such competition we could avoid utter
financial ruin. Ia ten years there would not be
afurnace, rolling mill, cotton or wooden factory,
or any other but the simplest kind of manufac-
tories, in existence i'm all the land With labor
at a third the price it commands in the United
years of protection has enabled them to accu-
mulate, English, French and German manu-
facturers could undersell our own to such an
extent as to drive them even from their own
markets, and, much more, from those of foreign
nations, where we are just beginning to gain
foothold. BY this overthrow of our manufac-
lures two million of operatives now pro6tably
employed in them would be thrown out Of en-
ployment, and the ten million FIVE hundred
people now supported by their labor
deprived Of the means of subsistence, or CON-
PEELED to accept European pauper labor wages.
1t would be so much the interest of our for.
eign rivals to manufacture our iron, cotton,
wooden, and other fabrics for US that they could
afford to sell at loss until they had broken
down our comparatively weak establishments, |
for when that was done, and they had thus Sc
cured monopoly of our market, they could |
exact prices that would more than make up
their losses. Ii is therefore to the interest |
Of our workingmen, more than of any other |
class of American citizens, to uphold and in |
sist upon the continuance of the policy which |
has created such demand for their labor, and |
is giving direct support to them and to so
many millions Of those dependent upon them.
We can scarcely imagine a greater calamity |
possible to our country generally, and espe-
cially those engaged in our various manufac- |
lures and supporting more than fourth of our
whole population, than the consequences
which would inevitably follow the establish
ment of free trade as the settled policy Of the
country. The authors Of this ruinous policy
are the real enemies Of the ,oorkingmen.
Besides the ten million and half of people |
dependent upon our manufacturing industries,
here is invested in these enterprises capital to
he amount Of $4,000, 900, and home mar
ket created for over S32l, 0OO, 900 of our agri-
cultural products. All this wealth, as well as
. thousand million dollars worth of labor,
would be lost by absolute free trade That is
The end and aim of free traders.