The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-20

From Mr.. T.. ". Turner on the Tariff
Question.


Editors Intclligencer:
HARRIsoS County, w. VA, July H.
In your issue OF tn the 9TH inst. You quot
ed, in reply to my first article, long ex-
tract from campaign address signed by
Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, OF New York, in
ISIS, and said that it seemed almost 10
have been made in reply to my arraign-
ment OF tho tariff. No doubt you intended
it to be very hard hit at what you called
the logic OF my argument boiled down.
Unfortunately, however, Mr.. Hewitt still
lives, and with the added wisdom which
thirty.four years OF study and business ex-
perience have given him, has changed his
views upon this question Of the tariff.
cannot state the case ior revenue reform
and tariff for reratue enly stronger than he
has done It in speech made by him in
the House OF Representatives, March 80,
1852, O few extracts from which quote be-
low and commend them to you ior prayer
full and peni,ent consideration. For, hav-
ing quoted him as an authority against me,
yau will OF course accept his statements
without cavil, especially when he speaks
on the same subject with the added expert
ence OF thirty years. have very much..re-
gret not having examined this speech be-
fore writing my last article, as the quota
lions would have given my points more
force than now, quoted in this disjointed
way. The italics in the following extracts
are mine.
In my first article l undertook to prove
that the price OF agricultural products is
regulated by foreign, free trade, paupcr
labor markets, and that consequently the
wages paid for the labor employed in pro-
ducing them is regulated by free trade
markets. Mr. Hewitt says, "But whenever
there is q great surplus OF natural products
TO be exported, he price OF these products
is not made ut home, but in the foreign
mdrktts where they are sold, and The tra9e.
which can be paid TO the laborer engaged
in the production Of these articles are
therefore and thenceiorth fired and de.
terminrd by what they produce in money,
not at home, but in The foreign martlts where
they are sold. When the time comes that
these products constitute the great bulk OF
the industry OF the country, then it is clear
that the rages ,rhich can Dc paid 10 laoor is
fred abroad, and not at home; in other
words by free trade and not BY protection.
This is our case at The present time. We are
selling from seven 10 eight hundred mil
lions OF dollars worth OF our food and other
raw products in Europe. These products
represent the branch OF business in which
the largest number OF people are occupied,
namely, in tie agricultural employnenk
wherein nearly so per cent. Of our people
are employed"
In!my second article tried to prove that
under the protective system labor is only
employed at the prevailing rates fixed by
agriculture, which employs the greatest
amount OF labor, and that the tariff does
not produce high wages What says Mr..
Hewitt? wages in this country are there
fore NJ regulated by he tariff, because
whatever wages can be earned by men en-
gagged in the production OF agricultural pro-
duct, the price OF which is fixed abroad.
must te The rate Of wuges, which will be paid
substantially in crery OTHER branch Of bust.
ness. II other branches pay better, labor
will quit agriculture and take to manuiac.
ture; and'rice rersG, il agriculture pays bet
ter, manufactures will decline and agricul-
ture will progress. Wages, like water, seek
level. Thus we dispose OF the first great
fallacy OF the protective system, which de-
clares that high tariff produces high
wages. = 81 q, =.
In my second article l asserted that the
causes Of high wages in this country are
maialy two, namely, ~ free trade in land,
and (9) scarcity OF labor as compared with
the demand; and that when either OF these
two things cease TO exist wages will fall,
other things being equal. What does Mr..
Hewitt say on these points? He says (l)
There is limit 10 the amount of food
which we can sell abroad, and il is a great
mistake to suppose that Europe cannot
raise food in competition with America.
The question is not, rs many seem TO sup.
pose, so much the relative cost Of prUduc.
lions, rs the amount Of rent which can be
collected from the farmer in Europe in ad.
dition 10 the cost OF production. 1t is
therefore purely a question OF rent. For.
eign farms will not be abandoned, but the
rents will be reduced and the products will
be increased, so that instead OF larger we
are likely to have more restricted markets.
The process OF readjustment is now going
on, Rents have been reduced from 70 TO
80 per cent, and II that is not sufficient
they will be further reduced until land is as
free in Europe as il is on hi, continent. On
point (2) he says The wages Of labor at
any given time depend upon demand and
supply. They will DO high when our pro-