The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-20
ducts are all wanted, and they viii be low
when there Is 4 surplus which the world

ducts are all wanted, and they will be low
when there Is surplus which the world
will not take \
You argue that II our manufactures were
stopped, all the employees would be com
PEELED 70 go to agriculture and the result
would be greatly reduced wages, because
Of less price for the greatly increased pro
duct. Mr.. Hewett says, "The branches o
business which are dependent upon the
tariff are chiefly the manufactures Of cot
ton, wool, flax, iron and steel, pottery anc
silk. They employ large number o
operatives although by no means rs large
ratio Of tho population as Is generally
supposed, probably NOT exceeding "A pei
cent. 1.-THE works engaged in these man
utactures were stopped, the persons elm
ployed would doubtless be absorbed In
other branches OF business irithoa aBeciin.
materially The udges Of labor. We have ID
fact absorbed In the last three years a foreign
emigration far larger than all the popula
ton depending upon the manufacture O
iron and steel and We have done this mo-
only without reducing the wages OF labor
but in he face Of an actual rise in raga,"
You quoted an article from the London
Times In answer to me, and hoped 1t would
receive attention at my hands. gave II
some attention in my second article.
shall give II u little more now. 1quote from
1t rs follows: 1.-THE wonderful wealth pro
ducing power OF the United States delies
and sets at naught the grave drawbacks oil
a nischieyous protective tariff, and has
already oblitented almost wholly the
traces OF the greatest Of modern civil wars"
Mr.. Hewitt on the same point says: "The
existing tariff has been as pouerles, TO pro.
duce the prosperity we now enjoy rs II was
TO prevent the depression OF business from
which, happily, we emerged in 1870, which
1t then served to aggregate by denying US
access 10 foreign markets for our manulac.
tured products. In spite Of the tariff and
not because OF it, we alone Of ull the
nations in the world can be said to be in a
prosperous condition" 5ls-.5.Ci
What says Mr.. Hewitt on the subject OF
a tariff for revenue only and for trade?
Hear him. ~ think have shown that the
true revenue duty comedies with and af.
lords the protection which, on any reason.
able theory Of equivalents, can be demand
ed for American industry. Any other
method OF procedure has and would have
only the effect to build up special interests
al he erpeue Of The general good, and TO pro-
duce anomalies which arc ut war not only
with the fundamental principles
OF economic science, but with
The treJdre Of Tie community" And
again he says. "Our capacity TO produce
is now fully equal TO our trants, and in most
branches OF business there are indications
that the demand is not fully equal 10 tie
iupPiy. II the surplus, when II comes, can
not get IN outlet, then it will not be pro-
duced, and 4 portion Of our labor will be
unemployed, and no increase Of the tariff,
not even # the existing rates were doub-
led, would provide an adequate remedy
in such an emergency The luboring class.
Is, therefore, have nothing 10 erptct or gain
from prottc,ire tariff, but they nave every
Thing to gain by rem,Orirg erery
possible obstruction 10 the extension Of
business imposed by de eri,ting tariff, and by
the removal OF taxes upon what uiey con-
sumo and by transfer OF the burdens OF
government, US far lis may be practicable
from those who actually produce its wealth,
~ those who own the fixed capital OF the
country and are the consumers Of luxuries.
Thus may We in manner prepare for
the great alterations which are impending
and will change the face Of The tporid from
Causes more powerful than any mere hu.
man devices, bringing about the time
rhe1l all trades shall be Jree, and all men
shall be brothers. This transition NAV be
either gradual and natural, or; il we AT
tempt to dam up the stream OF progress,
It will come by CONFUSION that will shat
ter the very framework OF society. II the
change is provided for by intelligent lesis.
lation We shall begin by exporting our
coarse cottons as We did before the war
under revenue tariff; we shall
extend the foreign market for our ad.
mirable products OF steel and iron in the
form Of labor-savIng machines and gradu.
ally supptdnt England in the markets OF The
,rorld, with the productions which We can
turn out at u less cost in labor than i, will
be possible for her TO do so, after paying
freight on our raw cotton and our food.
The primary OF industry will be transferr-
ed gradually but steadily from the Old
world to the New, and free trade iril gire us
The mdrkets Of uie ,rorld which are now con-
trolled by the mother country, and this
ltiLho'l itrpdiring our ability 10 pay tue
higher rates cf irdges due TO cheaper iood,
lower taxes, and greater intelligence in
work"
| asserted in my article in the NieIrs on
the labor strikes" that in c,se OF plen-
tiful harvest in Europe aud Il good harves,
here, there must inevitably be great labor
troubles, because We would then have no
market for anything, our manufacturers
having no foreign market. What says Mr.
Hewitt on this point? He remarks: "Our
great productsare agriculture. In years OF
famine the world will take all we have to
spare; in years OF plenty there will be n
surplus for which there will be no foreign
outlet. II good harvcsts should be secured
abroad We shall have great surplus OF food
upon our hands, and the prices will fall;
wages will so down with the fall in price;
the reduction Of wages will be resisted by
strikes and lockouts; the conflicts between
capital and labor will be re.opened, and
indeed have already begun; the prosperity
Of the country will be arrested; railroad
transportation will iall of; new railroads
will cease 10 be constructed; our shops will
lack work; the volume OF immigration will
TALL off, and the career OF expansion and
general development will be brought to a
disastrous conclusion; the sad experience
Of 1879 will be repeated until through The
gate Of suffering, portrty and trdnt ne dIau e..
taJiih tu'rer rate 81 ,rdges and the products
OF the country weighted as they are with
obstructive taxes which must be deducted
from the wages OF labor, 1riN force h.iir 1ray
into the open markets Of the world in spite
Of de tariff. We shall then reach the era
OF free trade but on conditions which will
deprire.tiis generation OF workmen OF all the
benefits which they would have derived
from it il the way had been properly pre-.
pared ior its final triumph. The result
cannot be arrested but with wise statesman.
ship the transition may be made, not only
without disaster and suffering, but with
positin ben.ht 10 The general ,reliare."
In your criticism Of my first article you
say, III it was ever approximately true
that eleven millions out Of fifteen millions