The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-03-08

rivers, and aboundlng in all varieties
Of soil, climate, productions, and
conditions. Suppose we had re-
versed our constitutional policy and
instead of having the free trade
which has prevailed throughout all
the States, there had been customs
houses erected along the boundaries
| Of each particular State, would not
the picture of our civilization be
reversed?
But, sir, to return to the point
from which | started in the beginning
of these remarks, what is the condi-
ton of your manufactures under this
protective system ? Why are they
depressed? Why are they tottering
on the verge ofunivorsal bankruptcy,
according to their own representa-
tions =? 1t can not, as in 1897 and in
1877 and in 1857, be attributed to
financial crisis, for never was our
currency in better condition than it
is at this time. 1t is perfectly sound
and it is plentiful. There is but one
embarrassment possible--and that is
one which has not yet developed
itself--growing out of the over valu-
alton of our silver, | repeat, sir,
there never was a time when the cur
rency of the country was in a condi-
ton more favorable to the prosperity
of industry than it is now, in its uni
formity and in the steadiness of ex-
changes.
in 1873 there was the same sort of
distress that exists at this time. | do
not say that it grew out of the pro-
tective tariff. 1t was the result of
the sudden contraction of the curren-
> cy following an enormous imitation,
II was one of those terrible currency
disasters-not like the ones to which
/ have lust referred, violent in their
outburst and brief in their Duration
but like some fatal epidemic it spread
deep and wide, desolating one com
munity after another, until gloom and
ruin settled upon all. repeat, sir,
while the protective system is not to
be reproached as the cause of this
widespread distress, it is certainly
true that it could not shelter its pro-
g tected industries from the devastation.
, But, sir, this distressed condition OF
q manufactures is not confined either
to the present time or tho financial
. crisis Of 1873.
0 In 1868, long before the catastrophe
of 1878, when the protective system
d was in full play, what was the coudi
:. ton Of your manufacturing industries
. Sir, | will not trust myself to depic
u that condition, but will quote from {
Senator who is the leading champion
here Of the protective system, and il
d that character sings annually it
n 10 Hiomphe to the Senate. Mr.MoR
rs RILL, of Vermont, i'll 1868, in th'
=, u Senate, made the following remarks
- Look at the industries that are IL
: the present moment unusually depress
ed. Take for Instance the entire woolc
interest There is not nm establishment
, that is not losing money to,dnS. TAX
III the wool grower; not pound of woo
t. rised last year that will bring 10 cent
le per pound of it's cost. Take the cOtto
es interest. The whole circle of manufaC
ct lures are in no better circumstances
=: Look at .he value of THEN stocks. F.
u, instance, take the Bates manuiacturin
II. stock, of Maine And so
al might 60 on almost through the who
er list They all suffer. Take the West
er Ohio, Illinois. or Iowa. Look Mt the
nd hog crop. Why, if they had given ava
or all their hogs, or if they had sl0ughtert
% ~ them q year ago and tn own them ava.
"' they would have been better off to da
on They have absolutely lost their hog ere
o. by feeding out grain to them viii;
cd unfed would have brought more than d
he their pork
n, Mr.. KELLEY, in the House of Re
IT'S resentatives, in speech deliverc
I'M January Is, 1868, said:
le. The loom and spindle, no longer ab
o. TO yield profit to their proprietor
~ stand idle; the fires are extingnished
'et forge and furnace, and the rolling IN
nd does not send forth its hum of cheerf
)er and profitable industry. On one day
,r- last month 1900 operatives i'll the gla
ed factories of Pittsburgh were deprived
~. the privilege of earning wages by hone
=. toll at the trade in.which they we
III skilled: the esta blishments in which tn
ia, worked are CLOSED. In the 81
of productive employment for men
machinery, the smaller holders of bon
The are selling them to save themselves frC
oc. bankruptcy if they are proprietors
"a establishments or to feed themsely
lU' and families in involuntary idleness
ie> they are laborers whose hard earn
hat savings have been loaned to the Cove
in. mcnt in it's exigency. Look where
lye NAV. TO any section of the country,
has hear of shrinkage in the value Of maj
tbo factured goods, or reduction of wages
'n0 of the hours of labor, or factories II
'"> ming on part time or closed or to
ne closed. | present no jaundiced on p
hat tizan view of the case.
the Sir, these are not the accusations
de, an enemy to the protective syste
ion, they are the reluctant admissions a
an, confessions which inexorable f
at extorts. Behold, sir, the fruits of
nts protective system Depression, p
no erty,impoverishment,and ruin in Is
I'm. in 1873, impotent to stem the tide
ned financial ruin that swept far and W
cse the wrecks of capital and labor; ;
'bat in 1888, the entire fabric Of manut
oo, turing capital and labor resting VI
.cea tho narrow and uncertain basis
ieo, Government taxation.
ana Mr.. President, ! intend to disc
ai"i somewhat in full the economical pr
l., ciples of this system, but it has tai
. 'a ~ me so much longer than l suppo
W. w. it would to present the histor
argument that shall not do
b,s There is one point, however, to wi
~ NO . I will call the attention Of the Sen
aas. for | think it is one upon which
in advocates of this system now ma
ula, put their support. 1t is this: that
the difference between the wages of Ia
de. in this country and in England
liza the rest of Europe is so great
ould unless tax is put upon the impol
Ipon article equivalent to that disparit
we wages the American manufacture
lao, Al ,or,,or,>o,, 1in,r or4io1o ;e ,,,,aI, Il