, 1872-10-15

1he Young Mems tTee-lrade Association OF
Boston, thinking it proper that before General
Butler received their support for Congress he
should make known his views on questions
which seriously affected their interests, and
we're likely to come before him officially next
winter, addressed him d letter asking him to
state in terms whether he was in favor Of Pro-
lection, so-called, or Free Trade. He replied
that he WAS not in favor Of q tariff
for protection, but for revenue pnr-
poses only, with incidental aid" to
the industries Of the country. What this Incl
dental aid should be he illustrates by two ex~
amplea, which alr. Wells, in replying, in behalf
Of the Association, makes the instruments Of his
utter discontinue. General Butler chooses
"lastings" and "bunting" as specimens of
revenue taxation with "incidcntal aid.", Mr.
Wells shows that the incidental aid amounts to
no less than taxes Of 80 por cent and 100 per
cent respectively! He shows next, that there is
not a scintilla Of truth in tho Generals state
ment that this protection has lowered the
price Of hastings one-third to the
shoe manufacturer and consumer, but that
it has been, on the contrary, part Of a system
which prevents the American people from bene-
fting by that reduction On the prices OF WOOL
lens, in which all the rest Of the world has par
country on the face OF the globe in which man
or woman cannot clothe themselves in 77oo1lcns
quality and quantity being equal-at least 50
per cont cheaper than they can in the United
States." The enhanced price which this taxa
tlon on hastings compels US to pay amounts in q
year to over 81, 100000, which would support the
whole Diplomatic and Consular force Of the coun-
try. General Buffers assertions were based on a
statistical trick which Mr.. Wells has exposed
before. They will show, first that compared
with the prices OF ten years ago, those OF to-day
have fallen, and then claim that this is cheap
ening due to protection. They eedulously keep
out Of sight the foreign prices which, as is the
case with hastings, have fallen faster and lower
than American prices, and they hope in this way
to conceal tho fact that tho real effect Of tho
protection has been to deprive US Of the cheap-
ening Of prices that accrues to other peoples.
General Butler fell upon particularly infelici-
tous illustration. The tax on laatings, besides
burdening the largest specific branch
Of domestic industry (shoe-making),
is particularly odious because it
falls most heavily upon the women Of the coun-
try, for whose shoes hastings is mainly employ
ed. Mr. Wells does not speak too strongly
when he calls this tux q swindle md cheat, and
he gives the people hint that should not be
lost when he says that, if they understood their
interests, they would elect any nan that ad~
vocated the continuance Of such impositions
good deal quicker to the State Prison THAI to q
seat in the National Legislature.
In the matter of bunting, which gets the in
cidental aid Of 12o per cent, mr. Wells finds it
impossible to verify the Generals quotations Of
prices, which is not surprising,
and he shows that bunting, which,
free Of duty, could be bought for
Is cents currency per yard, costs under the pres
ent tariff 81 lilo cents per yard. General Butler,
whom some have asserted to be personally inter
ested in the single bunting manufactory Of
Massachusetts, thinks that Americans will find
q consolation in being able to fight under Amer
lean bunting that will reconcile them to the ex-
tortion of 120 per cent. True Americans will
be apt to echo the fervid declaration Of llr.
Wells, that if our flags must bear the inscrip-
ton, manufactured by foreigners" or the
words, Manufactured by General
Butler under q prohibitory tariff OF 100
per cent" he prefers the former, for that
means freedom, the right OF every American to
exchange the products Of his labor without re-
striction,-while the other symbolizes servitude.
A further argument in favor Of Protection
General Butler finds in the doubling of the
wages of labor and the shortening Of the hours.
Here he has recourse again to the trick Of sup
pressing essential facts in the calculation.
Wages have risen, but prices have
risen as much, or more. Workingmen have
themselves given the testimony to refute
this plea. The Criepins in General Buffers own
district have publicly stated that, while prices Of
commodities have risen against them 80 Per
cent, their wages have rnised only 50 per cent,
and that. therefore the s. i.sbQauakera, condition