Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-10-17
INF TARIFF COMMISSION.
and Free Trade Discussed.

N-~-i VIZ ~NNA JNaNNNAnA 8ANdAA
the country in palace car, which costs
800 per day, they are working set of
men. They reached Wheeling, as the
readers of the REGISTR are aware, about
IL A. n. on Thursday, heard whoever
came before them, without iutermission
even for lunch. and leaving at 4 ?. NJ,
took an Sll-night ride to Philadelphia,
and were again in session early Friday
morning, TO hear whoever had any
thing TO say, continuing until late at
night, with but two short intermissions
for lunch. To-day they had only thirty
minutes for dinner. They cut noon
short, and listened to whatever any
persona or brand Of industry had TO say.
In doing thi, they get all kinds oftheories
and all grades Of Opiniops-and while
it is to be supposed that they will have
before them much that will be imprac-
ticable and useless; they will have gath
cred together when through, more in
formation on certain phases of the tariff
and its workings than ever were gath
cred before, in this or any other coun-
try.
Wherever they go, we believe they
impress the people hyorably-the MEM
bers belong to both political parties
yet an air of tariff is all around them;
they live in a tariff atmosphere, as it
were, and while a free trade advocate
may not feel at home in their meetings
he Is sure to receive fair play. No one
who appeared before them either yester-
day or to-day was treated with greater
Difference, respect, and courtesy than
Prof Summers, of Yale College, who
appeared be.Ore them to read long
dissertation on THE Relation of Free
Trade to Wages"
He occupied over an hour and quar-
ter in the reading Of his essay, and
answering questions Propounded bS the
members. Ii was supposed that his
presentation of the case was the strong
est that could be presented from that
side, and he was listened to with the
closest attention. The weak points in
his address were his use Of abusive
epithets, and his terming the opinions
Of protectiOnistS as "falSe," silly"
previously wrong" He seemed to al
most exhaust the vocabulary in his use
of apprubious terms, and had no
patience with any kind OF views on
protection.
He began by abiding to the fallacy
and delusiOn of protection, when was
the only sure process Of reducing wages.
Only insane persons, he thought, could
think otherwise. The workman was
told that by protection We make wages
higher. The manufacturer wanted pro-
lection to make wages lower, which
produces an abSurdity.
The Indian juggler had his charm,
and by the ownership OF his fetlch
thought all his actions were controlled,
crops grew, the winds blew and the sun
shOne. The old astrologer watched the
motion of the planets, the stars and
such Il ings until he imagined their
course and movements influenced the
birth and lives Of people. Protection
was one of their old notions, and wilder
than even fetichism or astrolOgy.
All taxes are loss of wealth, and are
destructive ami only need To be iu-
creased until they are as large as they
are in Turkey or Egypt, when we would
be no better than they. The taxes then
take the place of the evils to control
which government is established.
Wages are high in this country simply
because this country is rich in soil, eli
mate, water courses; the mountains are
full of metals, coal, etc.
The wage receiver has no interest in
the tariff. The large amount of land IN
this country regulates the wages OF this
country. We accumulate more capital
than any other nation, and as one OF
the bumors of the tariff the politicians
saw we did it with our little taxes. The
American can get nothing out of nature
but what he earns, and he would rather
advocate a tax on labor instead of COM
mOdities. If there Is anything cheap
the prOtectionist tries to raise the price
and rushes in to stop the "inundatlon'
He is always against cheap prices OF Iood,
clothing, furniture, and other supplies.
Protective taxes were never LAID Win
any true knowledge of the situation.
we have $4,000, 900 people. Any one who
aims TO adjust the tariff for all THESE
talks the crudest nonsense-mlgnt as
we'll try to arrange a system OF health
by which the American people would
never be sick. 40,
Peter Cooper was alluded to with.
smile, and pronounced a tangled system
of contradiction. absurdities, false state
meats, insanity and nonsense.
Some things would not be produced. II
issaid at all, If it were not for protection
ot I'infant industries" You know such
an assertion is not worthy of notice; ID
talking of this system of gift-making,
iemagoguism, favoritism, log rolnng'
etc. Ill
wouId have TO 90 to agriculture, says
the lroteetionis IfsO, they could pet
fer snDpOrt themselves and Others than
nndar the present system OF tariff.
The Pittsburgh rioters were right ac-
oordin0 TO the protectionisfs theory
cave them work by burning up the city
Ssnd every year that we have q tarln
II is the same Is burningup q city. Sucn
a fbeory produeesa peculiar set OF dog
r,as- FIR instance, want makes wealth )
b1Cl workmanship produces capttaii ue-
stroy and you create. -, ,s,o,
that protection raises wages, ete', arc
an false assumptions, and worse thsh
lies. ,I,,,-,,
vet advocates protection because II puts
wages up. Talk shout wages In tnis
fftaIk, il IL all stuff introduced tor
effect and raising the dust. =
He could not compete VIII, ScoSt ~
running a railroad, or with the lrish'
MAJ, ia digging ditch. No taxes can
helm him 10 run railroad IS Tom Scott
run one, but it might help him TO com,
pete with the Irishman in digging
sitcb. You had better tax to Keep tnt
Irishman out rather than to keep ou'
| the labor Of his hands. -. -
The above gives but q faint put w
think fair idea ofthe professor an an
mated and pointed address, AZ tns
49, Of which he was very freely ques
Mr.. Kennar, of Louisiana, said ta e;
wonId accept his production
on the principal, that aceeps
iogiclan's premises and nd, he sS can PROV os
4 ANYTHING. To this Pror summer inner " -
iected very much. Mr.. n. tnen y
marked New Engiands oppesl ais -
wealth, intelligence and morals ma
Ssen caused 6y the tariff: Sumne
.So,,,,l,t his nosition would be higher