New-York tribune., 1879-05-08

promoted by the protection of steel and iron
manufactures. If the protective policy Is
abandoned, he says, the country will fall
back out of the front rank Of States.
THE PAPER.
Ny endcayor in this paper will be to show briefly
the close relations existing between the iron and
steel manufactures Of the United States, and all the
other branches of our industrial system, insisting
more particularly on their relations to the farming
interests Of the West and Southwest. and indicating
summarily how by fostering and promoting such
manufactures, the Nation is fostering and promoting
the agricultural concerns Of those great and grow
ing sections of the country.
Free traders declare. with great deal of cn;pha-
sis and not a little heat that trade between nation
and nation ought to be unrestricted that the com
merce between country and country should be as
untramuelled as traffic between state and State, or
county and county that custOm-hOuses should be
abolished that tariffs plunder those who impose
them the many beng impoverished for the enrich
ing of the few and that, in word. trade and in
dustry should be permitted to regulate themselves,
unaided by the science or ignorance of the law
giver Fortunately, this ingenious theory has never
yet been ableto make converts of anything ap-
preaching majority of the American people. Their
good sense has always rcpudiated II. To-day we
find, even in England itself, the great home
Of the froc-trade school, its doctrines dis
credited and its professors and advocates
being rapidly driven from the aggressive
position which they have heretofore hold, into an
attitude Of defense. in Germany there is strong
reaction against free-trade doctrines. France has
been too wise to ever wholly commit herself to
them. Wherever we look we see that reaction
has set in against free trade. The people Of this
country can congratulate themselves on the good
fortune that they have not now to be rctracing
their mi,Steps in economical matters. We have
only to persevere in the same course which has
brought rs prosperity in the past and promises to
bring us still more abundant prosperity i'll the
future
THE FvUs OF FREE TRADE.
In country in the condition Of the United States
there might be free trade, but there would be
bond people. The foreign manufacturer would
have the native consumer al his mercy. Theorists
complain that protection leads to monopoly. This
is an error But even if 1t were true the monopoly
has an object and the greatest that can he brought
before % people-the development of therindustries
and resources. On the other hand, perpetual free
trade would really create monopoly whose seat
was i'm other lands, and whose object was the dcyel-
opneut of their resources at the expense Of ourown
Free trade wOud condemn new country to remain
IN the subordinate position IN the industrial scale
to which the superior wealth and loHgcontiuued
trade policy would have condemned The people Of
the United States 70 have remained ALWAYS de-
pendent upon the nations of the Ola World Tor all
manufactures of steel and iron while the country
was rich beyond comparison III the raw materials
out OF which such articles are made And why
Simply because being younger nation we did not
begin rs early as the great iron and steeLproducng
nations of Europe, and did not have so
much accumulated wealth ready 10 seek new
investments as they had and have. There is still
another point of great importance which should
not DC forgotten. Wages are higher in TINS country
than M Europe. The stock of accumulated capital
is much less, aud yet larger part OF the return
upon it goes into the wage fund andl pald away to
the mechanic and labOrer. IN this way our INDUS
tr al classes are enabled 10 live more comfortably
country ever have lived, and to educate
their children better than the children
OF the industrial classes have heretofore
been educated Under free trade TINS would have
been impossible. If our mauuiactmeS 0i ron and
steel were To exist &C all without taih IL couId
only bee bY cutting down thc wages OF the iapoiei7
TO figure far below any that has vet been dreamed
of IN inns country. To compete with Englsh III
dustrv and capital the tradition and accumulation
OF centuries we would have 10 make paupeTs OK the
great bulk OF our pOpuiaton.
Duties on articles of foreign manufacture are then
time Of the articles VIII not be attempted. The
country Is comparatively undtYclopcd, bui now zap
id.y developing under the fostering care OF pro-
tectiye tariff. Money Is worth more mere tAan IN
Europe. TINS Is another disadvantage under which
our manufactures lie. FOR tue use O the same
amount of money for tac same length OF time, lhty
are compelled to pay from 90 per cent more than
the manufacturers OF the Older countries OF Europe
bave top.v And because they are at this disad-
VANTAGE now the Ereetrader would compel
the country TO always remain Wlih"at man
ufac,ules Again, capital IS noiorionslV umG' IN
its tmditv lies great portion Of strength. Be
fore iud,cOus capitalists Will put money into an en-
telpIise there must be well grounded nope Ol sue
cess In competition WIN ne fieai non tlH 7 htteI
producing nations of Europe. with tneT established
methods and trade, cheap labor and cheap money
what hope of success wcu0 there nave been loT ne
American manulactu}ei oi suC' Voiuil ''S' 1I
PEELED to begin alresh, create his methods. ana his
trade with both money and wages dear, without
the protection of wISo tarln legislation Ihe at
tempt would have failed as often a. made.
And vet the general dement's Ot diVcIalned lhuus,
~ ana universally admitted. 4 people condemned
to agricultural pursuits alOno is always sure 10 pe
moor people. they will be compelled 20 exchange
Their raw products at prices TO he h1ed Oy the
foreign manufacturers and these prices VIII be 30
fixed that the mower OF Ihe ia" yyIoiucI WIZ
receive tho minimum Of TetITu Tor hls lap0r ana
capital while the foreign trader Will receive me
maximum return for his labor ana capilaL
The industries OF nation are luiCr-coh-
Dectei or. as the scientists say, correlated one
is an aid 10 the other. The home manufacture of
iron and steel fosters the growth OF AL related m
benft m trdiug erlplovnent for capital and labor,
but it indirectly results ~ finding employment lor
caDt4 and labor M other Industries. Inc poor, the
laborers are the great cOusumcrs, ana When ihey
are employ ed at good wages al Dianches OF Ihuus-
Try Win bo dOurlsAlug.
FALLACY EXPOSED.
Ono Of tho fallacies connected with and under
lyiur the free trade argument IS that if tariffs did
NOT exist the consumer would obtain his commodi-
ties al lower rato than he obtains them under pro-
lection. A great deal Of eiOquence Is wasted IN
knocking down this man of straw. To begin with,
economists need not be told that competition results
in lowering prices. IL Ia PLAIN that pro-
tective tarH instead Of roofing out com
rat,iop. actually croaJes' it. The iron
"a s.,l ,,,ducers of England are well aware that