The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-30
InneeIn,.n Frce Trader.

The tariff debate ~ washington 10 uo
yeloping some queer phases Of economic
insanity. The case Of Senator Morgan,
OF Alabama, will illustrate the point.
The Senate was discussing the duty on pig
iron, and it might have been thought that
that a Senator from Alabama-a State SO
richly endowed with mineral wealth, which
she has begun to develop-would have ap-
preached the subject with something like
an enlightened mind. But Senator Nor
gan is Democrat, joined to his idols, and
though the developing industries OF his
State were involved, could not break away.
And he found an argument tosupporthis
case-not much Of an argument it is true,
hut here 1t is as we end 1t reported in the
Congressional Record:
do not want them TO stimulate the iron
interests Of Alabama so that they VIII at
sorb ali the labor OF shat country. we are
Obliged to have something 70 live upon some
grain and provisions OF different kinds. We
6rs obliged 10 have cotton; we must have q
Ii,tle sugar and syrup, and fruits and the
lie. II you put up the price OF labor IN
Ina iron manufacturing districts IN my
State. 80 that man can earn dollar and
malta day there, when man can only earn
50 In rs cents on farm, shall expect the
same thing TO occur there that has occurred
In Massachusetts l shall expect to see the
farms 20 TO eieces and ruin; the land depre'
cin,e in vale, and all the interests OF the
country concentrate in the manufacturing
industries, all the labor be drawn TO them.
4
A more atrocious plea was never adj
vanced against the development OF Amer
lean industries against the right OF the
American people to devote themselves to
the most remunerative employments. he
would not have the humble toiler in
Alabama treble his income-earn three
dollars where he now earns one-because
it would make labor scarce in the cotton
fields, or force the planter to pay more Tor
II. He would sentence the people oil his
State to perpetual agriculture, the least re-
munerative OF all labor for wages. he
would have his State dependent solely
on its fields for its living, no diversity OF
industry, producing raw material but turn
ing little or none Of it to manufactured
products
It ia to this ditch that the Democratic
free trade policy leads, but the Alabama
Senator is the first Of his party to make the
admission with complete frankness. Garry
the idea little further, and it were better
that these flourishing manufacturing COM
munities in the Ohio Valley were swept
of by thetlood, or laid in ashes never to
rise again. Then perhaps the thousands
of men who are now able to support their
families and buy homes would be driven
back to the fields to work for farm labor.
ers' wages. How does this proposition
strike the workers in the iron and glass es-
adjustments who are told that the Demo.
cratic party would look after their welfare
II it only had a chance2
Senator Morgan's State might come up
ON worse fate than that OF Massachusetts,
"a busy, prosperous, intelligent common
wealth. Massachusetts, with her co untless
industries needs no tear from Alabama.
Somebody ought to have put these questions
to Mr.. Morgan in the Senate, where he
would have found It awkward to dodge:
Massachusetts can not compete in grain
with the great western fields OF virgin soil,
what would she be without her manuiac-
lures? How many ruined Massachusetts
farms, not cut up into town lots or sold
as sites for manufacturing establishments,
can the Senator point to?
If It be his sincere belief-and that can't
be, because Mr.. Morgan is not fool-that
manufacturing depreciates the value Of
land, let him come here and offer to trade
farm lands in Alabama for farm lands in
the vicinity OF Wheeling. 1t would sur
prise the Alabama statesman to see how
many times the value Of his land he would
have to bring along for "boot." Mr. Nor
gan's doctrine may be agreeable to the
people OF his State, and even this there is
good reason to doubt; but It wouldn't be
considered. wholesome in West Virginia.
In fact it would not be tolerated in any
community Of well.iniormed, thinking peo-
pie.
The cultivation Of cotton is carried on in
Egypt with little cost for labor, but the
Egyptian tellah is not the happiest Of
Gods creatures. The farm laborers OF
free trade England are very little less mis-
cradle, and there is no hope but emigra-
ton to America for the agricultural classes
OF Ireland.