The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-05-02
grIfttcaI
ANDREyENUE
PROFESSOR SUMMERS ARGUMENT
AGAINST THE PRESENT MO-
NOPOLY TARIFF SYSTEM
Arriving at the Conclusion that II Only Lessons
the Nations Wealth.

|
New York Free Trade Club, 81 West Oath
street, Thursday evening, on "Protec'
ton and the Revenue in 1877" Among
other things he said: "Our iree-trade
controversy presents anew all the phases
of old struggles against ingrained abuses
Public opinion can only be enlightened
by great and prolonged effort to under
stand the mischief done by the Protec-
tive system to wealth, civilization, cul'
ture and national greatness. The oppo'
sition which we have to meet, also, con-
sists in the reiteration of platitudes,spec'
ial pleas, Misrepresentation of history
both here and abroad, inferenCes mixed
up with facts, facts inexperienced, and
vigorous denunciations of want of patri'
otism. We cannot join issue on any prop
osition on which discussion can be car
ried on by established methods to IA clear
result. Even those of our adversaries
who claim to stand generally on the side
of right, reason and common sense, and
to be disinterested, are not ashamed to
treat this question with ignorance, flip
pant neglect or contempt. Now, when
we consider that very large body Of
persons--respectable people in every
point of vieW-Claim that this question
involves the most important consequent
ces for the welfare of the whole people,
it follows that those who treat it with
neglect or contempt, simply bring in
question their own good sense and their
own good faith. My proposition is, that
protection lessons the wealth of the
country. Upon that this free.trade con-
troversy turns, and upon it the issue
ought to be made, if our antagonists can
be brought to discussion which should
be fruitful. The question Of free trade
versus protection is only question Of
method of employing our means so as to
make them most efficient. When, there.
fore, say that protection lessons wealth,
/ mean that it prevents wealth from be-
ing produced up to the point it might
have reached with the means at our dis
posal. No sooner is this proposition set
up than our adversaries fly off into vague
declamations about national indepen-
denCe, morals, culture, patriotism, &c,
This, however, as l understand it, is a
question of economy. All that relates
to morals, culture, and patriotism turns
upon the use to be made of wealth after
We have obtained it. The only factors
in the production of wealth are labor,
capital and land. Cooperation and as
sociation exist in the nature of society.
The philosophers who talk about associ-
alton want to take society to pieces for
the sake of putting it together again ac'
cording to their notion. We should put
no faith in cooperation unless we can
see that it has direct influence on the
sources of wealth. When we are treated
to discussion on culture and morals, we
may know that this is mere evasion Of
the question. BenefcenGe and business
are never combined.
eve protect manufactures at the ex-
pense of agriculture. The farmer is told
that the whole laboring population would
go into agriculture and compete with
him if there was no protection, and he
is told to contribute to fund to make
up the losses of manufacturing, so as to
keep off this competition. 1t is folly for
him to give cent to buy off competi-
ton, because he can't buy it off, How
con any one buy off competition when
competition is free? He will have to
buy off forever. No one would dream of
buying of competition except from mo.
nopoly, where he could recover his loss
by raising his price. Nothing in the
world is less monopoly than agriculture
Some people have bugbear that Eng
lish manufactures would sacrifice capital
to crush American manufactures. Let
us suppose they succeed after spending
several millions; they would then have
to restore prices above the old rates to
make good their losses. Then the Amer
iCan manufacturer could easily regain his
old trade. Here is the fallaCy of assert
ing that we cannot meet foreign Compe
tition. We cannot if we 60 to meet it
and abandon what would pay better. If
we cannot compete, it proves simply that
we do not want to, because we are bet.
ter employed. 1t is often argued that
protection raises wages or lowers wages.
This is fallaCy. 1t simply reduces the
general wealth. The productive power
of protected industries remains exactly
as it is. The only way to increase this
is to enlarge capital, increase the produc.
tive capacity of land, or the efficiency Of
labor"
The speaker, after giving several ts-
bles of industrial supplies, manufactured
goods, food, drinks, &C., said: "Sugar is
our best article of customs revenue; our
consumption of it is thirty-three pounds
per bead. 1t brought in $34300000 out
of $50 100000 produced by the class Of
food and drink, A great deal has been
said about the poor mans tea and coffee,
and not word about the poor mans su-
gar, but the value of the sugar we con-
sumo per capita is greater than the value
of the tea and coffee together. We have
taxed sugar for protection since 1916;
when it was predicted, with little pro-
lection for little while, sugar would be
raised as far North as the Ohio Sugar
is now precarious and artificial indus
try, as it always has been. Salt is an ar
ticle of prime necessity, which might by
an excise, be made to be a great source
of revenue. Reconsideration for the poor
were to rule, this tax ought to be abol.
ished, but how little care for the poor
has to do with this matter is evident
from The fact that tax of so per cent is
laid upon this article, of which all 60 to
the protected. The tax ought to be abol-
ished, or reduced to revenue rate and
combined with an excise. An income
tax upon all incomes above those which
taxes on commodities reach in their av-
erage is necessary to an equitable system
of taxation. The only discrimination
which seems to be wise, is that between
classes of incomes such as revenues from
investments and professional incomes.
The Wood tariff now before Congress
seems to aim to reduce protection by
levying revenue duties on some raw ma
tarials-as for instance 10 nar cent on tin