The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-10-30

To the Editor Of The Tribune:
SIR-An old reader of Tic CoHrirlsfa"
Enquirer, who is pleased with my COM
munication in Tie Tribune of the 2tth Of
September has written me a very llatter-
ing letter, from which l extract the fol-
lowing:
PATERSON, Sept. so, 1880.
As a boy was reader of Tie CoHriCr
and Enquirer and grew up with your
| tariff views. am now, and have been
for years. manufactures, employing a
large number of men, iive-SiXths of whom
have families and are dependent upon
their daily wages for their support. y
tariff for revenue only" to which Han
cock has solemnly pledged himself. would
not only ruin me and my employees, put
would throw out of employment many
thousands of manufacturing laborers OF
| this city, and bring starvation upon tens
of thousands of women and children who
are now dependent for their daily bread
solely upon our manufactures which
have been built up and exist solely by
our protective tariff. If able, will you
not write and publish in the Trth""f,
| over your own signature, series OF artI-
cles on the tariff?
In my judgment, it would be far better
for the country, that we should pay tie
rebel claims, enormous as they will be.
than that we should abandon the prime:
pie of a tariff for protection. Our pc
tective tariff is the source Of all our liz
dividual and National prosperity; and 50
inseparably is it connected with our cur
rency and fiscal relations, that they are
literally dependent upon each other and
cannot be intelligently discussed scpa-
rately. am glad to perceive how clti-
GENTLY of late the Tribune has devoted
its editorial columns to demonstrating
the dan ger of abandoning, or in any way
interfering with, the protective principe
of our tariff; and yet, from my life long
attention to this question, it Is barely
possible that one or two brief articles on
the subject from me, may aid you in
your great work.
| have been a very close student OF
finance and of a protective tariff for near
Nv sixty wears; and the result OF my
studies and reflections, and the lrreSiHtl-
BILE convictions of all my observations
and experience, may be very briefly but
distinctly set forth thus:
TARIFF AND FINANCIAL. ANIoMS.
Gold has less intrinsic value than silver,
copper and iron; but being less abundant
than either has been made the standard
of value by civilized nations. There
fore, it's duty is, to make up the balance
of trade between nations; and to pay the
Indebtedness of the debtor to creditor
nations.
A debtor nation, must, of necessity,
part with it's gold to pay its indebted
ness, Therefore, it cannot retain suiil-
cient to constitute for its people, either u
circulating medium, or paper clrcui"-
ton based upon gold.
In European nations, the great mass OF
the people, labor and struggle solely for
the means of subsistence: and, as rule.
the price of European labor, is just that
sum which will keep together the body
and soul of the laborer. Hence, 1t IS
denominated ''Pauper Labor.
| In the United States, remuneratiNc
wages to the laborer, is a matter OF prin-
ciple. Our institutions are intended 10
secure the greatest happiness to the
greatest number: and to accomplish thi~,
labor is so largely remunerated, that All
may. if worthy, better their condition
and advance their fortunes. Consequent
", the laborer must be protected against
the 'pauper labor of Europe
Repeal or reduce our tariff upon the
products of European pauper lat"r' an"
YOU drive from our workshops and coal
and iron mines, our prosperous ana wen
maid laborers. and remand them to the
soil. Over production and low prlcc"
follow.-to the ruin of the farmer ana
the mpoverishment of the people. For
eign fabrics produced by pauper Labor,
would close our factories and Hood the
country; our imports would exceed ohr
exports, drain us of our gold and SILVER
European standard.
No debtor country can ever retain
within itself gold and silver, and the
United States must necessarily be a
debtor country when it admits the p''H-
per labor of Europe in competition with
our better paid and more prosperous
| labor: hence tariff for the protection OF
American industry, is absolutely ncceS-
sary for the prosperity of our country
and to secure safe and stable circu!at-
ing medium-composed alike of gold.
silver and government paper.
Whenever we become a debtor country
gold and silver, will be of equal or less
value, than Government paper. based
upon the property of the whole people,
and the credit and good faith OF the
| Notion.
A tariff for the protection of American
industry from the pauper labor OF Europe
and nothing but such tariit,-can rem
| der us at all times a creditor nation: and
thus protect us from the evils inevitable
| from being debtor nation.
AIM OF THE DEMOCRACY.
Now, if the foregoing premises ana
conclusions, be correct, it will at once b.
apparent, that on the same principle and
for the same purpose for which the Dem
ocratic party waged war against resump-
ton of specie payments, they now seek
| to destroy our tariff, system. Without
| protective tariff, our manufactures,
our iron and coal mines and our work
shops Of every description, would hc
closed by an influx Of the products OF
the pauper labor of Europe. Eonsc-
ouently we should very shortly become 4
debtor. instead of creditor nation; aud
the suspension of specie payments woplH
necessarily follow. Then would come
initiation Of the currency; to-be followed
by the widespread misery and ruin OF
'73 to 70. This would give the English
free trader and the English manUiactur-
er, and their Democratic sympathiEers
IN the United States. all they desire in
advocating a tariff for revenue only.
This is no recent opinion OF mine. =
up for campaign purposes. As lons a.
as December -, 1872, | wrote