Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-08-06
WHAT is PROTECTION =

/ The R,vdl Sun, the would-be organ OF
Tennessee farmers, a paper that is main
tanned largely out of public funds, comes
out full fledged Free Trade Organ. The
last issue of the paper contains two edito-
rails on the subject. We do not deny the
right of the editors of that journal to en-
terrain whatsoever opinions they may
choose on that question, but 1t is not right
that they should use their columns in de-
fence of doctrine upon which the people
are divided, while the paper is largely in
debted to the tax payers for a support. But
laying aside the question of propriety and
good taste, we propose to briefly notice
the position assumed by the Rural Sun,
and especially do we call the attention of
East Tennessee farmers to that position.
Under the caption of "What is Protec-
ton ?" it quotes from the Field and Fac
tory and says: 1.-THE producer, every class
of business men, and every consumer out
side of the protected class, are made to
pay tribute, that monopolies may thrive.
The principle is wrong in theory, corrupt
in practice, and should be opposed by
every honest thinker throughout the land"
This is pretty strong language, if it were
true. If the honest people of Tennessee or
any other State could be convinced
that protection to American industry
was wrong in theory and corrupt in prac-
tice, they would oppose it. But they do
not believe it is wrong in theory and cor
rupt in practice " to provide that our me-
chanics and laborers shall not be forced to
abandon their pusuits, or submit to low
rate of wages, such as is paid the poor, OPP
pressed working men of Europe. The Ru-
raj San would have the farmers believe
that they sustain nothing but injury from
protection, and the only benefitthat inures
is to the manufacturer When we reflect
how manufactures have sprung up all
over the land as by magic under the pro-
tective system, we see how fallacious the
position of this Free Trade champion is.
AS manufactures increase, the demand
for the products of the farmer increases,
and instead of depending upon the mar
kets of Europe for the sale OF his grain the
farmer finds a market at his own door. In
1870, we raised to feed our own producers,
two hundred and forty millions of bushels
of corn. We consumed all this at home
but about forty millions of bushels of
wheat and five of corn. Now if we pass a
free trade law, such as We presume this
would-be farmers organ, would have and
what is the result? The third of our pop
ulation engaged in manufacturing would
find it Unnecessary to abandon irpursuts,
l,nY, 20 70 Wit
the cheap labor of Europe, and then to
whom would the farmers sell their five
millions of bushels of corn and two hun
dred and forty millions of bushels of
wheat? Drive these mechanics and la
borers from their workshops, by forcing
them to labor for such wages as is paid the
il fed and ill-paid millions of Europe, and
W no will feel the results of such folly, not
to say inhumanity, more than the farmer :?
1t is useless to talk such silly clap-trap
stuff to the farmers of East Tennessee.
Chattanooga and Knoxville, with
their iron establishments, the iron and
coal interests in Roane, the coal of
Anderson and Campbell, the iron of
Greene, Washington and Carter, all fur
nlSn arguments lIONlHB lLIe ldlldCy anu
untruthfulness of the RtrdL SUMS position
in avering that the doctrine of protection
is wrong in theory and corrupt in prac-
tice." The promise of the free-trader, OF
cheapening articles by a reduction of the
tariff, means nothing more nor less than
the degradation of American labor to
the European standard. The great cry
| against protection in this country, comes
mainly from a handful of wealthy people
who are able to live on their incomes, and
who want cheap gew-gaws, laces, silks
broad cloths &c.
Let us examine very briefly the asser
! ton that the consumer and every class o
men pay tribute to the protected class
! Does it follow that manufactured articles
are always higher under protective tariff
than under free trade? History does no
so show it. We give below the prices 0
pig iron in New York under the protectiv
tariff of 1912 46:
lSlo-per Ton '''.''''
lS41- % u
l64o- 3G
Showing an average of S2S.144.