The Portland daily press., 1880-11-01
OF Democrats in Congress from Pennsylvania.
New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut will
not check for moment the execution of the
plan of the scnth to repeal all protective du-
Al

OF Democrats in Congress from Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut will
not check for moment the execution Of the
plan OF the South to repeal all protective du-
ties.
WHAT Is THE HI STORY OF TARIFF LEGIsLATIOy?
1t proves that the Democratic party has al
ways opposed protective policy. After the
war of 1912 closed there came a series Of hard
years in this country Business was Frustrated,
wages were low and employment was hard to
get. A protective tariff was adopted in 1924,
and strengthened in 1928, which revived our
industries and brought good times Town and
country prospered alike, and the mechanic
and farmer were equally benefited. The Soath
hated tnls tariff which made IL pay tribute, its
statesmen said to the Yankees of New Eng
land. South Carolina tried to nulIify it and
prevent the customs officers from collecting
The duties at her ports.
In 1882 the Democrats struck down this tar
iff, by law reducing duties on sliding scale
for ten years. Prosperity was Immediately
checked. Times grew harder and harder, un-
til the great crash of 1887 came. No one,
whose memory does not 90 back to that time
can imagine the misery which came upon the
country. Flour sold as low as $3.50 o barrel,
and in many localities laboring men worked
for 80 cents day.
In 1910 the people put into power the new
Whig party, pledged to re-enact a protective
tariff. The result was the tariff of 1872 which
gave fresh life to the manufacturing and agri-
cultural interests, and put business upon its
feet again!
In 1874 the Democrats carried the Presiden-
tial election by cheating the Pennsylvania vot-
ers into the belief that they would not disturb
the protective tariff. Their campaign cry in
that State was, "Polk, Dallas and the Tariff
of 1872" AS soon as they got possession of the
Government they proceeded to pass low tar
4I.xx1 Hot fsI.- mn
on it was tie in the Senate, and Vice-Presi-
dent Dallas, Pennsylvanian pledged to pro-
lection, gave the casting vote 10 destroy the
protective system. The bill established what
was known as the tariff of 1876. 1t seriously
crippled the manufacturing interests of the
country The growing industries of New Eng
land, New Jersey and Pennsylvania received
@ heavy blow. The worst effects of this DEM
ocratlc revenue tariff were not Immediately
felt throughout the country, however, because
OF the stimulus which came from the discov-
cry of gold in California. But in spite of that
great gain to the national wealth, the crash
OF 1857 came, and swept business, labor and
agriculture away into common disaster.
In 1860 the Republicans came into power and
passed the Morrill, Tariff Bill, which was based
on the principle of protection. Many changes
have been made in the law since, but in no
case has this principle been abandoned. The
Republican party has steadfastly defended all
the great national industries. and their -four
to the long period of Republican ascendancy.
WHAT DoEs"A TARIFF FOR RE VENUE ONLY
MEAN?
1t means tariff which will produce large
revenue, so that the taxes on whiskey and TO-
bacco, which are Objectionable to the South
can be largely reduced or abolished altogether
To raise large revenue at the custom house
there must be large importations. Large i'm
portations OF foreign goods can only take place
under low tariff, which will enable the i'm
porters to undersell our own manufacturers
Foreigners can make goods cheaper than
we can, because they only pay their laborers
about half the wages the American working
man gets. Under Democratic tariff for
revenue only" our markets will be flooded
with foreign goods. Then one Of two things
must happen: either our iron and steel works,
our silk factories, woolen factories and cotton
factories, and our shops that make cutlery,
hardware, leather goods and a hundred other
articles, must close or the men employed in
them must work for half the wages they are
now getting. There is no other alternative
possible. The Southern cotton planters will
rejoice at the opportunity to buy cheap Eng
lish and German goods; but there will be stag
nation end destitution in every manufacturing
city and village in the land, business will be
prostrated, and the hard times of 1887 and 1857
will come again.
The interests of the working men, farmers
business men of the North alike demand the
maintenance of the Protective Tariff System.
1t is openly assaied by the Democratic party
at the bidding of the South. 1t can only be
defended effectively by the election Of Garfield
and Arthur.
READ THE REPUBLICAN TARIFF PLANK.
Here is the declaration Of the Chicago Con-
vention ON the question of tariff:
1--WE re-afirm the belief avowed In 1875 that
the duties levied for the purpose of should
80 discriminate as to favor American labor"
Contrast this with the Democratic plank,
which demands "a tariff for revenue only,
saying not word about the great interests Of
American labor and American manufactures.
READ THE CANDIDATES. LETTERS.
What does General Hancock say about the
tariff? Not solitary word. Go over his let
ter from beginning to end and there Is no ref
erence to be found to this most vital question
The bread and shelter Of hundreds Of 'lhous-
ands OF working men are in peril, but Hancock
does not open his mouth. Contrast his silence
and indiference with the plain, straightfor-
ward words OF General Garfield, who meets
the question squarely, saying in his letter;
SIN reference to our customs laws, policy
should be pursued which will bring revenues to the
Treasury, and will enable the labor and capital
poyed in our great industries compete fairly In
our own markets with the labor and capital of for
eign producers. We legslateior the people of the
United States and not for the whold world, and 1t
s our glory that the American Iaborer ia more In
teilgent and better aid than his foreign competi-
TOR. Our country cannot be independent unless Its
people, with their abundant natural resources pos
sess the requisite skill at any time to clothe, arm
and equip themselves for war; and In time of peace
TO produce all the necessary Implements of labor
1t was the manifest intention of the founders of the
Government to provide for the common defense,
not oy standing armies alone, but by raising among
inc people greater army of artisans. whose intel
gence and skill should powerfully contribute to the
safety and glory Of the nation.'
WAGES IN EUROPE AND AMERICA.
The following table shows the average week.
~ wages OF q few leading occupations in Eu-
rope and the United States. 1t was carefully
compiled in 1879 by the Department of State,
from authentic information derived from re-
ports by United States Cnnsnls