The daily gazette., 1881-11-18
From the N. Y. World.
whom Does Protection Protect


The gentlemen now sitting in the
National Tariff Convention at Chicago
are reiterating the arguments and re-
| athrming the doctrines which have
done duty in the protectionist cause
from time immemorial. Thus, they
have persuaded themselves that they
are public benefactors because they
carry on protected industries. But
what is protected industry ? 1t is a
business which when conducted on
business principles does not pay, but
which is shored up by law compel.
ling the public to pay tithe and tribute
for its maintenance. The conductor
of such concern is no more public
benefactor than was the feudal lord of
the manor who forced his neighbors
to bring their grist to his mill and
| their bread to his oven, and took toll
in FURNACE and emolument. The tariff
gentlemen also labor under the i'm.
preston that the protective duties
which have been in force since the
breaking out of the war have kept the
United states solvent by filling the
treasury with custom revenue. But
the reason tof being of high tariff is
TO stop imports on which customs ley-
enue is collected and to force the con-
sumer to contribute, not to the Golfers
of the state by paying duties on Cheap
foreign goods, but to the Golfers of the
home manufacturer by purchasing his
hlgh-priced products. 1t is evident
also that every dollar thus taken from
the people by the home manufacturer
reduces by one dollar their power to
llquidate the obligations of the State,
The protectionists also insist that they
ere entitled to the eternal gratitude of
American labor. But a high tariff
does not give the laborer Increased
comforts or higher wages The Ameri-
can workman is better off than the
workman of Europe, simply because
he is enjoying with every other class
in the community the advantages of
living in new country of vast natu-
raj wealth which is undergoing the
process of development and where
labor of all kinds is required for that
process. That protection does not
benefit him is amply shown by the
experience of other countries. Wages
are higher in England than in France,
dermany or Belgium, yet these three
are high~tariff countries, while the
BRITISH artisan is unprotected. The
Brltlsh workman is Infinitely better
OIL to-day than he was forty years ago
when every article entering into hu-
man subsistence was taxed and DO
teeted by tariff almost as elaborate
as our own.
| But the American lRborer is not so
well oil now as in low tariff days, for if
| protected industry has benefited him In
one direction II has injured him In
othefs, being as 1t is In the nature of a
general levy. Does any intelligent
workman suppose that the employers at
The Chicago convention have met for
the purpose OF advocating higher wages
or increased comforts for him Ii the
pfotectlonlst employers were sincere in
desiring TO benefit home labor, would
they not rather advocate a prohibitory
Tax on Immigrants The American ar
llsan would then command high wages
year in and year out, and would be In
| position to hold conventions at Cblca-
go Tor the purpose OF forming rings and
&C ordinations against the rest OF the
community, and could afford to sub
| scribe freely TO Republican Campaign
funds to secure the election of "cham.
pions of native industry"-in other
words,he would be as well off compare
lively as bis employer Is now. But the
pfoteetlonist employer is simply selfish
and dishonest who persuades Congress
TO stop the importation of foreign goods
which enter into competition with his
STOCK, yet raises no hand against the
foreigners who swarm over here and
reduce The price by swelling the supply
oil labor. The employers at Chicago
also show themselves chips of the BLOCK
declaring that they are perfectly willing
70 see all taxes repealed except those
necessary to support the struggling in
dustIles in which they are engaged
our genuine protectionist is ALWAYS
phllanthrople except when his own
pocket is affected, In the closing days
OF the tariff-reform struggle in England
Sir Robert Peel amused the House bv
reading letter from Scotch fisherman
VINO lmplored him not to lower the auty
on foreign herriDgs, as in that case the
Norwegians would swamp the Scotch.
| adding, however, "but | am a thorough
free-trsder in every other respect but
herrings." So Mr.. Warner Miller cries.
repeal the internal revenue taxes.