Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1882-03-02

emily defies them and takes the con-
sequences.
Now, sir, our fathers provided in
the constitution, under which we
live and which we are supposed 20
obey, that there should be absolute
equality ard free trade between all
the States of this Union and in
my opinion they did not provide
sor any restriction on the trade be-
tween these States and foreign ma
tions except such as may be neccs-
sary to raise revenue to support
the government. to provide for the
common defense and promote the
general welfare. To this extent
is the decision which has been more
than once quoted here of the Su-
preme Court of the United States
in the case of the Loan Association
as. the City Of Topeka, 20 Wallace
When any Senator on the other
side complains, as the Senator
from Maine (Mr. Frye was dis
posed to do the other day, that we
use hard terms when We style pro
tectiye legislation "robbery," l
want him to understand that the
term IS not mine but it is tho term
used by the Supreme Court of the
United States.
SO this tax levied upon the prop.
erty of a citizen to bcstow upon ia
vorcd individuals "to aid private
enterprises and baild mp private
fortunes" to use the language Of
the court, is an unconstitutional
tax.
Now, let us SEQ what the present
law was framed for, and what pur-
pose it was intended to subserve.
He then quoted from the resolu-
tions Of the National Tariff Con-
yention "that the chief purpose of
a tariff was to enable manufactur-
ers to pay higher wages TO their
workmen," and then continued:
This is compendium of the
whole question. In these few
words are contained every specious
pretcxt, every false pretensc, every
hypocritical eowl, every commu-
bistic yelp ever uttered in behalf of
the doctrine that the government is
bound to support man who can
not support himself IN the favorite
occupation which he has chosen.
Now, to begin with, the Supreme
Court Of the United States, the
highest tribunal in this land, has
denounced that doctrine as robbery
There is not one single, solitary
word concerning revenue in those
resolutions, and to the best of my
recollection there was not one word
concerning revenue in the speech
of the Senator from Maine. 1t was
all protection, protection, protec-
tom
Mr.. President, when the Su-
preme Court denounced that as
robbery, as lawyer and a law
abiding man l agreed with the Su-
preme Court. Common sense
agrees with the Supreme Court
sommon honesty agreee with the
Supreme Court. 1T Is none the
less robbery because 1t is done un-
der the firms of law and called
taxation"
In the first place. they say that
protection increases the wages o.
labor and prevents our free work
ingnen from being compelled Il
compete with the pauper labor o
, the world ; second, that it builds
up a home market, keeps our mon
cy at home, and IN this respect in
creases the national wealth third
) that the prosperity of the manu-
fac,urer is the prosperity of th'
people generally, and especially Q
consumers ; aud, fourth, that i
chcapens production.
i. Will. reference to the first claim
I tilCrC eau oC IiO uOuOl VI I'C lac
that it does enable them to pa
higher wages but as to whethe
! they do pay higher wages or not
= a very different question. The cen
. sus of 1860, under an average tar
if duty of 19 per cent, shove
that the ratio Of the cost of ]abo
Il to the total cost of production wa
20 per cent. In 1870, under a
}, average tariff duty of over 43 pc
;, cent, labor was only IS 1-2 pc
+ cent. AS to 1880 l have not bee
j able to obtain the statistics of til
totality OF our manufactures, but
L find from tabulatcd statemer
= made by the Senator from Vernon
e as to woolcns and cottons for til;
year, labor IN cotton is only abo,
y 81 or % per cent. of the cost
IS production against 16 2-3 in 1856
of and in wool not so much while
9 iron it is to-day less than 19 p'
- cent, under an average tariff,