Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-08-23
The Tariff and the Democratic Party

MY CTh1h pei edN anu IRE pIouuCt OI
| els lsb.r IS admitted iEte this country
free nf asty, 4 manufacturer in Ohio
who pays 81 per day fer labor eeuld
sot rcmp-;e with the for-i.a manu-
facturer. lie could compete as success
fully il labor WAS as cheap as il is
abroad.
The manufacturer being forced out of
| business. thsre s.uld he no demand fol
skilled aIor in that field. Capital would
be put 10 some other uss. but ther,
wsuld he 10 other adequate use for la
nor. rhe latter wsnld be the great sur
ferrr. IL all our p.uple should resort
10 agricultural pursuits the market
would be Over-suppli-d. II III. country
would prosper, ihAref"rP, pursuits must
lie diversified, and - lacUr is the largest
element that enters into the cost of
manufactures. that must bP So protected
Ls - offset the lower wage. paid il Eu-
rope or wages In this country uGst be
reduced 30 a European level, or such of
our industries aS eempste on cur own
field with foreign products are necessa-
rily driven to the wall.
Capital. of cuurse, is istsrested in
protective tariff, but there is 10 class 50
dsSply concerned as the workipymsn.
Under free trade many things would bs
cheaper in this country than they are.
The people wOuld have cheaper clothes
Farmers could buy iron at lower rates.
But whcrs would wolkihgmen find
money to buy cheap clst ies, and if man
ufacturss were driveH out, where would
he farhsrs lind home market for
their produce! The people of this couh-
try engaged In industrial pursuits are so
linked together In interest that one
class cannot suffer without hurting all
The advocates of free trade are selfish
class. While protesting 10 care every
thing for the wsrkiasmon. they care
nothing. Importers could make more
money under free-trads system than
under a protective system. If home
manufactures we're broken down, there
would be larger market for foreign
products. If cur nines were closed and
mills shut mp. Great Britain would
profit by H. and workinsmen would be
forced to emigrate TO Hnd employment; :;
and finding 1t, they would be compelled
to accept the low wages paid in that
country.
The policy of this country is to take
care of itself and its OWN people. and TO
see that workiIsmen are sufficiently
paid to be able to live comfortably, and
properly feed and elothe and educate
their children. Under this policy man
ufactures have become one Of our lead
ing industries. next in magnitude and
Importance to agriculture. Under Il
fIes-trads policy there ceuld have been
no such result.
In theory free trade locks very we'll,
and it woxld wsrk provided all coun-
tries were Oh an equal feeting as re-
CARDS the cost Of labor, but this being
wanting the theory falls. Ir point of
fact. there Is no such thing as free trade
in any country. England comes nearer
To it than any other country, bat it is
net free trade, and the thesry of protsc
tion is gaining ground every year. 1t
does not impose a duty on cattle, but
animals imported from the United
States are affected in various ways, and
.he business is hindered by regulations
far more than 1t would be if direct du-
~ was imposed. Ffssce is severely
protective, rs is also Germany. Hog
produc,s are prohibited on the pretext
that they are unsound-a mere pretext.
If England were able to produce bread
enough to feed the population there
would be duty on every bushel Of
wheat imported. Ne doabl about that.
Much is said absut sur tariff. foster
ing monopolies. Where is the menepo-
ly? Are our irsn furnaces, rolling
mills, coal mines, cotton mills, boot and
shoe factories, &c. nonOpelies? What
branch of business is there that can be
called monopoly? Ii there not too
much competition rather than too little ?
How many leading commodities are
there manufactured In this country that
are moi by reason Of the cheap labor of
Europe imported into this country. not
withstandiag our tariff? II there WAS
no tariff, therefore, it is plain that our
manufacturing Industries would be
broken dow II unless sustained by labor
AS cheap as that which is obtained in
Europe.
That there are irregularities in eur
tariff will hardly be denied. 1t would
be difficult if not impossible, to frame Il
system so complicated that would be
perfect in all Its parts. But irregnlari-
ties are the exception, net the rule. The
principles npen which it rests is cor
rect. rhis experience has fully proved.
Tho Republican party from the begir-
ming OF its existence has advocated the
policy Of protection, and after a quarter
of IA century of experience IL has no
reason to change tina. policy, but every
reason to adhere 80 it. Under 1t the
Nation has grown wonderfully In wealth
and population aud all material re-
sources. Modification from time TO
to time will no doubt be feusd wise.
and will be made; but the principle VIII
not be abandoned.
Bven the Democratic party Is swing
ing around to tho Republican platform
Oh this question. 1t is probably not
sincere. We do not think is is; but they
find Il noliev to assume u virtue, II they