Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-02-15
Protection that Does Not Protect


There is little in common between the in
yestigation that is now being carried OH by
the Senate Committee on Education and
Labor and that which was set on foot in
1878, and yet it is somewhat startling to be
told that the laboring classes are again in
need of legislative aid. when it has been
again and again maintained that this coun-
try was the laborer's paradise, and that since
1879 it has furnished remunerative employ
ment to all. That this statement has been
overdrawn, and that the condition of the
working people, who. having nothing but
their labor Oh which 10 depend, live from
hand 10 mouth, is not what il should be re.
cent events have only too clearly demon
strated and when it is added that the chief
difficulties have occurred to the laborerS
employed in the most highly protected in
ulstrles-the iron, cotton and wollen indus
trlcs-one OF the chief causes for this result
has been named. Whatever limits the mar
ket for the sale of products limits also the
power Of production and market that is
created by artificial means, as the ''home
market Of the protectiouist contcssedlv is,
is necessarily q limited market, for the
measures for producing this market are con-
| fined in their results. Further, the cost of
such market land dear market is cost.
~ marketj acts rs :: tax upon all who deal
III it. and rs it is an unnecessary tax it
should be abolished. One of The best means
for improving the condition of the laborer
IN this conntry-and the remedy will apply
both TO those in highly protected industries
| and to those engaged in the thousand and
one operations which do not and cannot de-
rive any benefits directly or indirectly from
the tariffs to reduce the burden oftariff'
taxation. II dead weight on industry and
It's taxes are sure as death: in no way can
they be escaped " y. Htyald.
"Onc olth most striking signs of the tar
i'll agitation is the manner in which work
ingmen are taking hold Of the tariff lords.
Thus the Knights OF Labor in this city have
declared
Whereas these philanthropic protection
lists not only resisted the Just demands of
their workmen for wages consistent with a
protected industry in 4 market where cap.
Ital was protected from foreign competition
by direct legislation. but with Infamous
meanness endeavored 10 hire and imnort
the 'pauper labor itself from Europeat pau
pcrZng prices, for the express purpose of
detraudng American labor of its fair share
III the mutual protection contemplated by
protective tariff:
RsSolred, That the Central Labor
Union repudiates the effort now being made
to make defrauded American labor mere
political tool for enhancing the profits of sell
fish capitalists, who always have ignored
every obligation which organized labor was
not powerful enough to compel them TO
fulfil.
During the Embellishments convass it
was the aim Of the Republican journals and
of the Republican stump.speake to con-
vince the workimgmcn that constant en-
ployment at high wages was indissolubly
connected with the permanency Of high
tariff. Through the timidity Of Democratic
leaders and in the face of the U;or2d's pro-
tests, that specious but wholly untouuded
argument was not met, and undoubt edlv
the loss OF Indiana and Of this State jeyen
allowing the great expenditure of Rcpubli-
can money, not little Of which came from
the managers Of subsidized industries, may
be traced to the cowardly omission. Now.
however. that Republican discussion itself
has shown the lahorera and workinsman the
FOLLY Off high taritfin relation to the wages
question. the tariff issue will lie more dan
Scrous Tor the protcctionisls to raise