Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-01-22
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
An Elaborate Review in Behalf of Pro-
tection-The Sentiment of the Country
Changed Since the Day of 40.


Editor st. Paul Globe:
The different public meetings in Chi
cago and New York on the question of
tariff, indicate that this subject is again
being revived, and that it will soon be
presented to the most earnest consldera-
ton Of the political world. If this is to
be our next move in politics it will be well
for the public mind to familiarize itself
with problem that is potent to affect
the destinies Of nations. During the
life of the Wing party this question was
discussed by the ablest men our country
has ever produced, and it is thought
by many that the subject has been ex-
hausted; true, it has been presented IN a
great variety of phases, yet time and cir
cumstance have brought about changes
that entirely alter its aspect as regards
the people of the Union. Within the
last few years our industries have become
more varied, our civilization more COM
pick, and our government has now other
interests of vast Importance to protect
besides those of agriculture; and the skill
and genius of our people are bursting
their covering, and with little fostering
care they would flood our country with
the eful and the beautiful We have
it in our power, by jealousy watching
over the interest Of our own talent and
honest industry to make this the home of
the arts of life, instead of importing them
from abroad.
The southern democrats always upheld
the Fl ZEE trade system, claiming that it
would bring them higher prices for their
cotton Cotton was then nearly the only
staple export from the United States, and
a great many of the articles used by the
south were imported. They were there
fore IN der the impression that the free
trade s stem enabled them to buy cheap
and sell high. Before the war, when
tariff was the political question of the
day, til following arguments were used
in order to influence the poor people Of
the cou ntry.
"Why will you give five dollars for an
article when you can buy it for two
fifty? BY free trade our manufactures
will come in competition with the paupers
of Euro pc and you will get the benefit
thereof" The majority of the people,
not IN derstanding the question, and
being misled by such sophistry voted the
democra attic ticket, but they have since
learned that it makes no difference how
cheap goods are if they have no money
with which to buy them. When the la
borer gets only eight dollars month, or
fifty cents day, the nee essaries of life
must be very cheap indeed to be within
his reach. During the years Of 1S4S and
1S49, the struggling skill of our country
was so poorly protected that the most
of the iron works of Pennsylvania were
obliged to suspend, and as a con-
sequence entailed much suffering upon
the laborers. Workmen at the furnace
had bee IN promised SIS per month, and
wood cutters thirty-one cents per cord
with the stipulation that they were to
receive their payments two-thirds in
trade and one-third in cash; the laborer
was obliged to take his trade payment at
his employers prices, no matter how ex-
orbitant, and when he demanded his one
third cash he could not get it. Ii he re-
sorted to the law, the iron master, having
no money would take advantage of the
stay of the law.
Durin q this time free trade, no doubt,
greatly cheapened the luxuries of life. 1t
may have somewhat lessened the prices of
the necessaries of life, but it certainly
placed them too far out of the reach of
the com mon people. The skill, the re-
sources of our country lay dormant, wait
call them forth
into life and activity. How marked Is
the change under our present
tariff systeml 1t has come, a kindly fos
tering influence, and in its wake have fol-
lowed prosperity and progress; railroads
have been built, factories established, and
remuneratiye industries provided for our
people.
Protective tariff means protection for
he peOr and not for the rich; it means
legislation for the benefit of our citizens
and not for those of Europe. We invite
the world to emigrate to America in order
tog help develop our resources, and is 1t
not the duty of our governmental extend
her protecting hand over her citizens?
The reports of our consuls in regard to
the expectation of pork, conclusively
prove that Europe has no reciprocity feel
ing for America Europe will buy moth
ing of u unless obliged to. They must
have OF provisions and our cotton; if
they cou Id buy cheaper anywhere else they
would q OF buy of US; and wherever by
protect We tariff they can make it to their
advanta ge to exclude our productions
they do SO. France excludes no less than
rs articles of our production, among
which a re salt pork, cotton fabrics and
our bea utiful silver plated ware. Our
raw cotton is admitted, not because she
wishes TO encourage commerce between
the two nations. but. because she must
have it; because she could not exclude it
without having the grass grow in the
streets where the cotton factories are es-
tabllshed.
Other nations protect their home in
dustries while we, with our superior ad
vantages, were tributary to Europe for
over eighty years, and yet we have it in
our power to rule the commerce of the
world. By system of protective tariff
we could eventually make Europe de-
pendent upon America for its
breadstuffs, its sugar, its man
ufactured cotton goods, its iron, and
other articles too numerous to mention.
Cotton is still king, if we have mind to
make it so; and that America has mo-