New-York tribune., 1880-09-25
always did have u way of hallooing before
&" thev were OIL. of the woods"
4 QUESTION OF FOOD IND SHELTER.

|
| 4 QUESTION or FOOD AND SHELTER
The letters of staff correspondent of The
| TRIBUNE from the manufacturing cities OF
New-Jcrsey show that the workingmen are
| beginning to understand that there is ques-
ton at stake in this campaign which touches
| closely their means of gaining livelihood.
| They have been so long accustomed 10
| system of tariff legislation grounded
upon the principle of protection for their
labor against the poorly paid labor OF
| Europe that they were slow to believe, when
the campaign opened, that the Democratic
party intends to destroy that system. Inc
diligent effort of the Democratic newspapers
and local party leaders in their own state
to keep them in ignorance OF the action OIL
the Cincinnati Convention tended 10 pfolong
their doubt. but their eyes are beng opened
by an agitation which cannot be suppressed.
They begin TO understand that the soothing
talk of Democratic orators in their own state
is mean. to deceive them and divert their
attention from the direct attack on protective
duties which the Democracy OF the South and
West are eager to make. Are not we Dem
ocrats here in Ncw-Jcrscy all good tartf
men r. ask the Democratic stump-speakers.
"Pcrhaps you are" answers the intelligent
workin. ian, Z" but you don't control Congress.
The handful of Democrats from the Eastern
Estates can't shape legislation. The Solid
South has the power IN both houses,
"and il has always been bitterly
"h0s.lle TO protection. If it elects Hancock
il will sweep away all the protective duties
upon which our living depends" In reply
to this common-sense answer the Democratic
speakers follow the lead Of Mr. Randall and
try TO make the wOIkingman believe that
with a large National debt there must always
be II heavy tlrff to raise money TO pay the
interest, and that the difference between Il
revenue tariff and protective tariff Is only one
of name. This is ii sDccouS argument, and
it may satisfy some who are ignorant OF the
operation of tariffs; but the wel-lnfOrmed
wOrkingman has few questions to ask which
are not easily disposed Of. "lt n revenue
tariff and a protective tariff are the same
"thingr he says, "why did yOu let the
South put a demand for tariff for revenue
"only in your Cincinnati platform If your
"party is in favor of protecting us mechanics
"and operatives, why did you not say so
We are thriving under the present system
"of protective duties why did you not i'll
"dorse that system "
Then he proceeds to do a little thinking on
his own account on the proposition that rev.
enuc tariff AMI a protective tariff are practi-
caily the same in their effects on labor and
wag S. He il, let us suppose, engaged in
weaving silk in Paterson. "Now tariff for
"revenue only" he reflects, "must be one ar
ranged to get the most revenue, that beng
"the only consideration in view. We make
"about twelve million dollars worth of silk
"herc every year. Suppose We should
- shut up our factories and stop cur
"looms. Then the twelve million dol
Glars worth would be imported and the
" Government would get a revenue from it,
\ tariff FOR revenue only would discourage
1.-THE manufacture of silk in this country.
" That is plain enough Or suppose he is a
potter at Trenton and is making the hand
some white ware that goes upon our dinner
tabcs-often with fictitious British trade
marks upon it, because of the lingering,
stupid prejudice in favor Of foreign goods.
He is getting nearly double the wages paid in
the Stafford d,hire kilns. He knows that the
pottery business in New-Jersey could
not exist without protective duties
on foreign ware. "What would happen" he
asks, "ii we had tariff for revenue only
"Why, it is plain that the less ware we make
I" in America the more will be imported and
"the more revenue the Government will
"colect. So that sort of a tariff is a low
tariff which will encourage importations and
"discourage home manufactures. With q low
tariff we shall have to work for lower wages
or the bosses will have to shut up the pot
:" teries, and then we would have no wages
ut all"
SO the potter as well as the sk-weaver con-
cudes that party which declares i'll favor Of
IA tariff for revenue only is not the party to
get his vote 1t is the same thing with the
iron workers, the operatives in the cotton,
woollen and linen mills, and the skilful artisans
who fashion the thousand articles of use and
beauty produced in the busy towns and cities
of the State. The wOrkmen of New-Jersey
are wisely forming protective tariff associa-
tons to resist the assault upon their in
dustries which the Democratic party gives
plain notice it intends to make if it
gets the power. These associations
ought to increase in number and member
ship. Every voter who earns his living in
any of the many avOcatOns protected by the
present tariff should join one of them, and
make at the polls in November an effective
protest against the scheme of the South to
destroy the great manufacturing interests of
the North. This question of the tariff Is not
question of ordinary party politics. 1t is a
question of wages and the food AID shelter
wages bring to many thousands of industri-
ous men. Let them defend their earnings and |
their homes with their ballots
General Butler is quoted saying, | marched to |
the Cult with a New Gland division containing |
q 900 men, and there could not have been found 800