Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-10-15
TARIFF COMMISSION.
A College Professor Knduises In . FREQ
Trade Argament as asPhiladelphiA.

PHILApELPHIA, October14.-At the session
OF the Tariff Commission, Professor Sum-
ner, Of Yale College, on the relation of pro-
tective taxes 10 wages, denied the allegation
that protection brought capital into use
which would otherwise lie idle, and assert
ed that the rate OF wages obtained here wss
due to the economic forces at work. There
was only one thing that could reduce
American wages to the European standard,
and that was protective taxes applied long
enough and with sufficient weight. Sum-
ner then took up and undertook
TO refute the argument that free
trade would drive the population
to agricultural pursuits and would thus
reduce wages and all other remuneration
for labor. He who believed that the
way to raise wages was to hinder people
from getting at things easily and cheaply,
or to refrain from the most profitable modes
of obtaining goods, must believe that
workmen raised wages when they stopped
working and went out on strikes, and low.
cred wages when they went to work
again. Trades nnionism and protectionism
were falsehoods. The way OF prosperity
for the human society was by industry,
economy and thrift, skill, energy, pains
taking, excellence, liberty, abundance; and
not bg sonae. crafty and artiiioiai desicsgs
To- produce scarcity and bad
work. The protectionism system
required new set of proverbs, such
as these: Want makes wealth and de-
strcys prosperity" "taxes are wages to
those who have much and produce little"
blessed are the bad workmen and foolish
capitalists, for they shall get abundance"
American industries needed protection, be-
cause American wages are higher than for
eign wages. That was joining q very wide
inference to q very inadequate premises.
There was no ascertainable relation be-
tween wages and profits. The employer
tried to keep wages down, just as he
tried to keep down the cost and
waste of raw material, or waste OF
machinery Profits and wages might both
one might be high and the other low. In
stead of one being displaced by the other
they almost always went together, both
high or both low at the same time. The
above facts showed that protective taxes
lower wages, and that high wages were not
the reason why protective taxes were neces-
sary. The remuneration Of labor was high
because the advantages were great. 1t
would be higher if laborers were let alone
to use the advantages without any re-
straint or interference. The more the
case was studied in all its aspects the more
thoroughly was the free trade solution OF
1t confirmed, because becoming entangled
in ridiculous obsurditiesI it was found
that all its relations we've simple and con-
sistent.
The next speaker was Cyrus Elder, Of
Johnstown, Pa, who commenced with the
remark that as the Commission "had just
been entertained by presentation Of the
English side Of the question, it was appro-
pirate that the American side should now
be presented" He read extracts from let,
tiers from students complaining that they
of the American doctrine Of protection.
Another free trade argument was read by
Chas. NJ. Soulson, of New York, a journal
ist. Arguments followed on various sub
iects and the Commission adjourned.