The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-07

sideuate and just and in effecting reforms
which. we believe to be necessary, because
they are inevitable, we must take care not
to narrow or Close up the immediate ave
nues of employment for any class which
depends upon the industries requiring pro-
tectiye duties for their continued exist
ence. In determining the rate of duty
which each one of these branches requires,
il viii be necessary to ascertain the ratio
which the labor employed in each bears to
the market value of the products when
produced. The ratio is not always the
same in different industries between the
cost of the labor and the cost OF the
raw material. From the examination
which have made, the results of which
only it is here possible to give, am salts
fed that in the cotton manufacture duties
varying between twenty five and thirty
per cent will be sufficient, in the wooden
business from thirty to thirty five Per cent,
in the pottery business about the same
rates, and in the silk business about forty
per cent would cover the difference in
labor, provided the duties are entirely re-
moved from the raw materials used In
these several branches of manufacture.
Now, if it can be conceded, or can be
demonstrated that these rates are sufficient
to compensate for the difference in the
wages of labor, we have simply to apply
them in order to meet the demands of those
who insist and concede that the tariff
| must afford adequate protection TO Ameri
can labor.
While myself believe, with General
Garfield. that revenue is the primary
object of tariff, and protection only the
necessary incident, and otherwise neither
lawful nor desirable, find there is in re-
ality substantial harmony of interests. in
framing tariff, whether designed for rev
enue or protection, looking to the inter
ests of the whole community, in which the
consumer is entitled to equal protection
with the producer. 1t is idle to adopt a
rate which produces no revenue; therefore,
in devising revenue tariff, the rate to be
adopted should be that which produces the
amount of revenue required ON the average
of years. The only time when the COM
petition of foreign products is to be dread
ed is when prices are low, and foreign ma
tions seek TO flood our market with sur
plus products. At such times it is the
part of wisdom to preserve our own mar
ket for our own industry if possible.
Now tie amount of duty which is re
aured TO preserve our home market under
such circumstances becomes revenue rate
of duty when prices begin to rise, and inn
The American producer in his hour of need,
it then protects the American consumer by
keeping the prices in check, and giving
him a chance of supplying his wants
abroad, in case he cannot get what he
wants at fair price at home In other
words, the revenue duty, properly applied,
protects the producer when he needs pro-
lection, and protects the consumer when
he needs protection, while so far as the
treasury is concerned, it receives on the
average of years reasonable and ade
quate contribution from the trade of the
country. Thus it is apparent that "a tariff
with incidental protection" and "a tariff
for revenue only" are in effect identical
and are convertible phrases This propo
sition is, however only true of specific and
not of al Uatoreaa duties / have thus es-
tablished my fourth proposition, which is
that tariff designed to produce an ade-
quate revenue on the average of years will
give all the protection which American in
dustry needs; and in fact I think / have
shown that the true revenue duty comedies
with and affords the protection which on
any reasonable theory of equivalents can
be demanded for American industry, and
have given rule easy to be applied fer
formulating the rates required for this pur-
pose.
Any other method of procedure has and
would have only the effect to build up
special interests at the expense of the gen.
eral good, and TO produce anomalies which
are at war, not only with the fundamental
principles of economic science, but with
the welfare of the community