New-York tribune., 1882-08-16
T4RIFFS And THEORIES.

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some malicious criticism Of the protective sys-
TEN, in the statements made before the Tariff
Commission. 1t has been said that it did not
really protecr because ii did not exclude Tor
eign labor, and the defeat of the freight
handlers by the paupcr labor of Europe" has
been named as a proof. On the other hand,
Mr. F. b. Hawey has propounded mathematl-
cal thcOrem which, he maintains, VIII settle tne
whole question. Compare the importing cost
"ot the commodity produced" he says, with
the money value of the agricultural products
(which the diverted labor might have pro-
"duced." This would be nonsense, If IL were a
little more sensible.
The object of the protective system, it may
Us well be understood, is to benefit all American
labor, and therefore to benefit that which comes
latest as we'll as that which has come earlier
When the English or German artisan arrives mt
New York with intent to remain, he becomes
an American labOrer, and the tariff operates
for his advantage as much as for the advan-
tage of any other American labOrer. Indeed,
its crowning glory is that it does bring, and
one of Its chief objects Is to bring. trained
workmcn from older countries to make this
land their home. It's theory is that it pays
The attempt to measure the benefits or the
cost Of this system however, has baliicd many
ADLER men than Mr. Iawley. II it were certain
that tie goods produced by protected industry,
if imported, would cost no more shan they do
now and If it were certain that the agricultural
products now produced here would command
as high prices if there were mo addition to the
consumers by the importation of skilled labor
and the diversifcation of industries here, then
Mr.. Hawley might have some vague basis for
his thcOrem But all the world knows that
neither is true indeed, in the nature of things,
neither can be true. 1t is inevitable that the
addition of many hundred thousand skilled
workmen in the various branches OF manufac-
ture should help the farmers to get better prices
than they otherwise could get Also, it is absO-
lutely certain that any article, of which we
now import but little, would at once rise
greatly in cost abroad, If the manufacture
here should be arrested, and the vastly in
creased demand should be thrown upon foreign
works.
= Take steel rails, for example-and it Is the
better to take tins illustration, because the
duty is now apparently excessive. Suppose
that it were abolished, so that demand for
thrice as many steel rails as they now produce
would at once he felt by the British establish
| II ents. Does any sane man SUPP ose that the
price would in that event remain unchanged 7
OF course the cost of rails abroad would be in
stantly raised, while the price Obtainable for
rails made here would be greatly reduced
Then thousands of wOrkmen, unable to get a
living by making rails would have to 90 to
work at farming or in some other ayOcaton
The cost of farm products would thereupon
decline, more people producing and fewer
consuming, while the cost of rails would rise
The neat theory of the closet philosopher would
Immediately become "a little less useful than a
last years birds nest.
The Tariff Commission embraces some
shrewd and practical men, who are not likely
to be troubled by theories that have no facts be-
hind them. They will try to form some idea
what effect any change Of duty will have upon
the cost of foreign supplies, and upon the pro-
duction in this country. 'As they arc not inial-
lible, they may judge wrongly in some respects,
but the chances are that they know more about
the matter without investigation, than they
could learn by applying any mathematical for
mula to it,