, 1874-09-10

were tho only candidate In opposition to tho Re-
publican party.
-@--..-.@1-..--.e-[
HOW THE TARIFF WORKS,
We showed in q rocent issuo how tho farmers,
and, imlood, ali classes Of tho community, those
alono excepted for whoso bcneilt oil tho others
arc taxed, might decrease thor annual axpenseH
for many Of tho nocosaarles OF life BY about 90 |
per cont, and still not diminish thoir conB,,mp-
ton Of thorn. We pointed out that tho farmers
should now do this "a matter Of necessity, since
they cannot oxpoot to obtain as largo m income
this year as last, on account Of tho nhortnosa Of
tho ont and corn crops and tho low price Of !
wheat They can obtain tho articles which con" |
stituto the bulk Of thotr consumption for one- |
third iess what thcy pay for them now by abol-
ishing our protective tariff. But this ia only
QUO roasou why that tariff should be abolished,
or at least worry much modified. Nor are tho
farmers tho only portion OF tho community that
Is disadsautagcouBly afEootcd by Its continuance
Our whole commercial progrcae suffers from 1t.
Tho commercial statistica Of tho decade 18C0-70,
compared with TINT Of 185o-oo, shows shis They
show, too, TINT the commercial tonnage Of the
couotry has deoltnod, ship-building III thta
country has almost coasod. Our rate OF incrcaso
in cxtsrnal trade WA 81 per cont In tho docado
l850-8o. It WAS only 10 per cent in tho decade
18G0-70. But. what Ia moro important than all,
tho real remuneration OF American labor has
fallen during tho nine yoars beginning
with 1859 fully 20 pcr cont. To 10
satisfied Of nil this, it ia sufficient to
read 11r. Wolls' roporta to Congress and bis
Golden Club essay. Regarding tho fall IN tho
remuneration Of American labor Mr. Wells says,
in his report for 1868, that willie tho nvorage
increase OF all tho clements which constitute
the food, clothing, and shelter OF faulty has
been about IS por cent, III compared with tho
standard prices Of 18G0-G1, tho inoroaso in tho
same time in wages WAS only in tho proportion
for uuskiflcd labor OF 30 per cent. and for skille
mechanical labor Of GO per cont. It is not un-
reasonable, therefore, to say that the romunera-
| tion Of tho American laborer, compared with tho
cost OF living, haH fallen as much az 20 por cent
in the last ton years. Now tile question ariBcs,
What causes lave produced this detori.
| orat1on In tho workingman's condition
Tie War has undoubtedly something to do with
it, There was during the Wnr III immouae de-
6tra1otion Of capital, aud tho laborors have folt
their share Of the destruction Increased tnx-
atlon has had something to do With It also. Our
inconyertible currency, which has disturbed
prices aud values, may also haye disturbed tho
price Of labor. But. us distinguished political
| r Tn3u 70
lis, has said. no ono OF these occurrences nor MI
Of them takon together, can account for the facts
brought to light by Alr. Wells, for Tho slackoned
rato Of progress, for the arrestea commercial
growth, and, above all, for the di,nnahod reward
Of tho workman. Mr, Cairnos Gun find
no explanation OF al theso Objects except tho
Morrill, tariff aud its subsequently, aggra-
vationa. Finding lutioa amounting on MI avorngo
to47 per cent imposed uoary all articles of any
Importance imported into the United states -on
coal, timber, iron, mud h.deB, on clothing In
every form, On cottons, woolens, textile fabrics,
in fact on nearly all articles OF general con-
sumption, lo sees nc reason to wonder At tho
rotardation Of general trade, Or ut the want OF
prosperity in ship-bui1ding. uo haa shown that
our protective duty compois Us to roBort to
moro onerous condition. Of protection. Every
"protcctod" article VIC produce represents IN
expenditure Of labor and capital creator than
would be necessary to obtain it were it not "pro-
tected." AS ho we'll puts it: "Amorican labor
and capital rs whole havc effort for effort and
outlay for outlay been producing smaller results
n;.4 ,y1,o of
other explanation do we nood Of tho actual
facts which We encounter ol diminished roturns
on American industry, Of a fall in tho roal wageE
Of lauors' This ls 30. Thanks to our protect,
ive system, wa have boon compelled to put ouI
groat efforts to meet with small rewards. A pro-
tectod industry ia an enforced industry en
forced at no matter what cost slnco had il
must bo
We hope that tho American 1aborora, farmers
and men Of small incomes, will ponder on villa
the tariff moana to thon. Al its weight falil
on thoir shoulders. Lot thom demand free
trale, and thoy will obtain 1t, and, obtaining it
increase thoir annual income by at least ono
: third. No time could bo moro propitious thar
tho present to raiao tho cry Of freedom to indus
try.
BRowNLow ON THE o1v11rR1GHTs BILL.
Senator Drownlow hos published In tho No,
: York Tribune an open letter to the Hon
n Truman Smith on the lasuoa involved in til.
a Ciyil-Mghts bill. He takes strong grount
:, asainHt ita passage His unquostionab!
a nadicallsm prevonts suspicion Of his mottvea
r. f.ST
Ia him to know whereof ho speaks. He objects t.
the bill Oh grounds OF principle mud Of policy.
nj Ho says, In 30 many words. TINT it's paasag