The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-11
MORE TARirY NUGGETS.

MORE TARIFF NCG0EiS'
wages and rFoteeIIOn-II the tariff
Affects the workInEmen In the factO.
PIe, and the Farmer In the Fields.
Something 10 Read nIih make n Note Of.
The IxTELLIOEScEu has taken the ground
in defense OF protective tariff, that i.s
chief claim to popularity in this country
rests on the ground that it Is protective Of
the worker in the various industries Of the
land In the matter Of wages, and that il
this Is not the case then 1t really has not a
claim on the active sympathies and advo.
Cacy Of the wage.worker. II the laboEcr
Is not benefited by protective tariff then
such tariff Is comparative failure, for it
Is undenlable that II does in some ways en-
nance the cost OF some manufactured arti.
Giles in this country as compared with other
countries where labor and capital are both
cheaper and pleatier than in the United
States. But we have yet to see that the Oppo-
nents Of protection have made out or can
make out, case against wages. The tables
published show that wages are higher and
living cheaper in the United States than in
Europe. These figures We have lately
given in our columns, and no one has i'm.
peached them as incorrect, We take it for
granted therefore that they are not assaila.
bic, and that 1t stands as an undisputed fact
that man can earn more and save more
in this country than in Europe.
Now, to what is this attributable? This
Is the question that free traders must an
swer. They must explain to the American
workingnan when they ask him to vote
the Democratic ticket, or in other words, fol
"a tariff for revenue only" how his in
forests arc to be as we'll protected by free
trade as by protection. II they can not an
swer this question satisfactorily then they
have no claims on the vote Of the Ameri
can workingman. We have offered the
use Of our columns to any advocate Of free
trade to show up this or any like point in
favor Of free trade. As yet no one has un
dertaken toshow it. ItlOoks as il this was
nut which they did not care to attempt t.
crack. Until 1t is cracked, however, they
can not expect their doctrines to become
popular in this community, where gooG
wages, Of all other questions, is matter o
chief concern.
To show that We do not mistake the
bearing Of protection in the matter OIL
wages, We submit to our readers lettel
from Mr.. Abram S. Hewitt, Of New Yorl
City-a member of Congrcss-aud a gen
tleman who has recently made speech in
Congress against protection. Mr.. Hewitt
is and has been for many years a manu-
iacturer. He is the son-in.law OF Peter
Cooper-(a strong protective NAM and q
member OF the firm OF Cooper 4 Hewitt
iron manufacturers. 1t seems that Mr.
Hewitt has on record letter that has risen
up in judgment against him since his recent
speech was made. This letter dates back
as far as 1870, and inasmuch as it covers
this very point that We are discussing-the
matter Of wages-we ask attention to the
confirmation which it gives to our position
in favor OF protection. The letter was
written in reply to letter Of inquiry ad.
dressed to him by Jay Gould, then con.
nected with the Erie Railroad. The whole
correspondence is as follows:
OFFICE OF THE ERIE RAILWAY Co.,
NEw YoRE, January &c, 1870.
DEAR Sir: Herewith | send you print.
ed circular received by me this morning
requesting my signature to q memorial
upon the subje Of the duty on steel rails
forwarded with the circular, provided the
views expressed were conCurred in by me,
II seems to me that our policy should be to
foster and encourage home products rather
than open our markets to such formidable
competition as would inevitably result
from the reduction so strongly urged in the
memorial. BY establishing extensively
the manufacture OF steel rails on our own
soil and protecting their production by n
tariff which could etfectudtiy prevent the
importation OF European rails to any great
extent, we would, in my opinion, be large.
ly the gamer in the long run, for the CAPT.
tel invested could find constant and
lucrative employment, and the general ct.
feet upon our business could not fail to be
beneficial. ] am at loss to perceive why
We should contribute so large an amount
annually TO build up the trade manulac-
ture Of foreign countries while our own in.
terests are sacrificed by Just SO much. En-.
terfIining these views, do not feel at lib.
erty to attach my signature to the memo.
rial / should be pleased, however, to
have your views on the subject, and could
you coincide with me in the opinion
have given shall be strengthened in the
conviction that the gentlemen whose
names arc attached to the circular have
made mistake.
Respectfully yours,
]. GOULD, President.
AIram s. Hewitt, No, II Burling slip, New
York City.
NV YoRE, January 81, 1870.
DEAR SIR: | beg leave to acknowledge
the receipt Of your favor OF the 2Gth inst,
and TO state that not only fully concur in
the views which you express in regard to
the duties on steel and iron rails, but am
at loss to add anything that will make
them more iorcible, and venture to suggest
that you will allow me to send copy OF
your letter to the Committee OF Ways and
Means. The fact is that steel and iron
rails can DO made in suitable localities in
this country, and notably on the line Of the
Erie Railway, with us little labor MS in any
part Of the world. The only reason
why we pay more for American
rails is because we pay higher rate for the
labor which is required for their manuiaC-
ture, but for no greater Quntity OF labor.
Free trade will simply reduce tie wages Of
labor to the foreign standard, which will
enable us to sell our rails in competition
with foreign rail, but us matter Of course