The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-10-02
POLITICS AND INDUSTRY.
A Plain Talk With the Workingmen.

Every intelligent workingman in Cecil
county knows that wages are much bet
ter in this country than i'll Europe
Every one knows that the reason of this
is because American labor is protected
by tariff which taxes foreign goods,
and keeps foreigners from undertaking
our own manufacturers. The articles
made by the cheap labor Of Europe can
not come into our markets to compete
with our own products without paying a
tax at the custom house.
This is what is called the protective
system. Under it our manufactures
have increased to an enormous extent
during the last twenty years. Hundreds
of thriving manufacturing villages have
sprung up, and cities have doubled and
quadrupled in size. Hundreds of thou
sands of industrious men and women are
enabled to get employment and earn
wages. All over the Northern States are
scattered many thousands of happy
homes, which could not exist if foreign
ers were allowed to undersell our manu-
facturers in our own markets. The
maintenance Of this protective system is
vital to the interests of American indus
try.
This is well understood by the men
and mines. and it is not necessary to ar
que the question. No man wants to
work for the wages paid in England, Bel
gium and Germany. No man can do so
in this country and support family de-
Gently.
We are in the midst of a political cam
paign Tariffs are made by political par
ties through their representatives in Con-
rress. Now it is for the interest of every
workingman to know how the great po
litical parties Of the country stand on
the question of keeping up the protec-
tive system. Let us first inquire,
WHAT DOES TIE DEMOCRATIC PARTY sAYo
Here is the clause in their platform re-
lating to the tariff: g A tariff for revenue
only'' This is all the party says. What
is a tariff for revenue only? Why, a
tariff got up with a view of yielding as
much money as possible, without regard
to the effect on American industry. The
more foreign goods imported the more
revenue collected-that is plain, too
The fewer goods made in this country
the less demand for labor-another self
| evident proposion. The less the demand
| for labor the lower will wages be, and
the harder will it be to get work.
WHAT DOES HANCOCK SAY ABOUT TARIFF.
He doesn't say word III his letter of
| acceptance. He never once mentions the
| subject. OF course, he will carry out the
| Democratic platform, and help abolish
the protective system. If he did not APP
prove the platform he would have said so
| in his letter.
Let us ask now,
WHAT DOES THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SAY:
Here is the declaration Of the Repub-
lican platform on the subject: We al
| firm the belief avowed in 1876, that the
duties levied for the purpose Of revenue
should so discriminate as to favor Amer
lean labor"
| Mark the difference. Not a tariff for
revenue only, but a tariff that shall so
| discriminate as to favor American labor
| That's what the present tariff does. 1t
was adopted by the Republicans in Con-
gress and has been sustained by them for
twenty years against the attempts OF the
| Democrats to repeal it.
WHAT DOES GENERAL GARFIELD SAY?
He was workingman himself in his
early days. He was 4 good carpenter
and good woodchopper. and he once
drove horses on the tow path. lie ought
to sympathize with laboring men. He
does. Read what he says in his letter of
acceptance:
In reference to our custom laws
policy should be pursued which will
bring revenues to the Treasury, and will
enable the labor and capital employed in
our great industries to compete fairly i'll
our own markets with the labor and cap
ital of foreign producers. We legislatc
for the people of the United States, and
not for the whole world, and it is our
glory that the American laborer is more
Intelligent and better paid than his for
eign competitor. Our country cannot be
independent unless our people, with their
abundant natural resources, possess the
requisite skill at any time to clothe, arm
and equip themselves for war, and i'll
time Of peace to produce all the neces-
sary implements of labor. 1t was the
manifest Intention of the founders of the
government to provide for the common
defence, not by standing armies alone,
but by raising among the people great
er army of artisans whose intelligence
and skill should powerfully contribute to
the safety and glory of the nation"
This has the right ring. Garfield is Il
man of the people, and he will protect
the interests of the people.
WHY DO THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO BREAK
DOWN THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM?
Because the party is ruled by the
South The South has no manufactures.
1t wants to buy its goods in Europe at
cheap prices, and import them at low
rates of duties. 1t despises Northern
artisans and operatives. 1t used to call
them Northern Mudsills.' 1t would
not care if every furnace, machine shop
and factory in the North were closed.
Vote for Garfield and protection to
American industry,