National Republican., 1883-06-13
IIottentot TrntIc.

Hottentot Trade.
That the tariff is to be a national issue in
the next campaign is a forcgono conclusion
The democratic statesmen who have been shy
of showing their colors will soon become
courageous. The tariff revision of last winter
committed the republicans to tho principles
of that measure The democrats opposed the
revision, because to do otherwise would have
been an admission that the republicans wero
gifted with the same kind and amount of wis
dom which they had shown in establishing our
union on solid basis, in providing good
financial system, in resuming specie pay
ments, in reducing tho debt, and in the gem
cral management of affairs. The need of an
issue compelled the democrats to resist rovis-
ion, and to back water now leaves them
without tho issue they sought, and without
any other. They are also compelled to the
issue because the funds to run tho next cam
paign must come from the importer and man
ufacturcrs of foreign goods. 1t Is the money
of these people that sustains the New York
and other free trade papers, and they spend it
freely in our elections in tho interest of
foreign trade. They have power enough to
forco tho issue in spite of the democratic
party were that party disposed to shirk.
They will force it. All the circumstances
favor their game. The party will join will
ingly.
The doubt that will arise in the democratic
mind will como from the fear that the labor
ing men will not be able to see exactly how
the sending of great quantities of British
goods here to supplyour markets is going to give
them more to do and better pay. The British
do not stagger at this problem, neither do
their subsidized editors and writer's. 1t is
all easy enough. We, in the United States,
will bo able to make goods so much cheaper
under free trade that we can secure the trade
of tho Hottentots. These Britons know all
about the Hottentot trade. They have made
goods cheap, and have enjoyed the Hottontot
trade. They would like now to let us have
it if we will only turn over to them a good
portion of Yankee trade in return. They
will spend few millions to convince us that
the swap will bo of vast benefit to our
mechanics.
We are told that we cannot sell to the Hot.
tentots now because we do not make goods
cheap enough. Suppose we grant this, still we
are not in any way helped. Are we to mako
ol,n tIat 4 n.
ons in Africa while the Britons at the Same
time are underselling us at our own doors ?
They ask us to reduce our tariff on the ex-
press ground that they, under the reduction,
can supply us with goods at cheaper rate
than our own mechanics do. Their supplying
us depends on this. If they can do this, can
they not do it in the Hottentot trade also ?
And if they do, then we shall not got any Hot
tentot trade. We shall bo like the dog in tho
fable that seeing the shadow in the water
dropped the real bone to secure it.
This talk of promoting our industries by let
ting in foreign competition is too thin, BY
doing so we sacrifice the market we now have
iot NhS o"NN Va S'h'INNihb "iNh bhN way phi-
ties in other markets Mt the moment when
they are telling us that but for our tariff we
could not hold tho market that We have.
When We are driven by free competition from
our own home market we arc at once to set
out to beat them in their old strongholds.
Can tho American workmen be fooled into
such nonsense? Yet this is what tho free
traders are trying to do This is what the
democratic party is going to aid them to do.
They allege that they can beat us on our
own ground If the tariff is removed, and the
beating is to qualify us to drive them out of
the Hottentot trade. Prof Sumner secs
this as plain as a pikestah, but our laboring
men are not likely to sec it.