Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-30
Business interests and the Tariff.

Business Interests and the Tariff.
The CRY is that the Democratic party
must not touch the tariff, because the
.'business interests of the country would
be affected. Business interests are being
affected every day, and lately it appears
that in spite Of the high tariff they have
been InterfeUed with in a very lively man
ner. Speculati0ns affect some aud shot-
guns others. In Mississippi the business
interests were affected seriously by
hank failure. caused by speculation in
- Touis- In Pennsylvania "buslness
interests, were seriously affected bY shot
ems. in a fight over a mining property.
In England the other day bold specula-
tor failed for s, 600, 600, and business ia
terests were seriously affected.
Again. in Pennsylvania We ind that
business interests Of the we'll protected
iron manufacturers, who live in palaces
and Who own their private cars and steam
Yachts. threw 5000 wOrkingmen out OF
employment and 10000 women and chill
dren are on the verge Of starvation. The
monopolists are willing to divide 200 to
500 per cent. in good times, but
the slightest depression in business IS a
signal to cut down wages or shut down
mills. Business interests are very sehsl-
/ tive. but they are but very seldom sacri-
feed except by individual careless
ness or want of capacity. The dispatches
bring daily reports Of heavy failures, and
we are told that there is general stagna-
/ ton in business throughout the North,
even with a high tariff. The monopo-
| lies have made SO much profit
out of high prices at home that they have
/ not attempted to build up a trade abroad,
and now that the country is overstocked
/ they have no market for their goods. For
| years past many lines Of goods could be
/ bought for from 30 TO 70 per cent. of list
! prices. This percentage goes into the
/ hands of the middle man and jObber, not
| to the consumer, who is charged as
! much as ever. Cuisines inter-
ests" have pretty well taken care
Of themselves. The consumer, whether
/ he is a merchant, mechanic, farmer,
| planter. or the humble laborer. gets no
benefit from such reductions. 1t Is pri-
/ vate matter, and as there is no competi-
| ton it will remain so. Let there be a
reduction in the tariff. and there Will be a
reduction in the cost Of living in this
country. There viii be cheaper shoes,
cheaper clothes, cheaper iron. The reduc-
ton will iniure no one, but will slightly
reduce the extravaganza Of the princely
manufacturer.
Republican protectiOnists negotiated
the Hawaiian treaty, by which rice grown
in the Sandwich Islands is admitted
free Of duty. Republican protectionist
| officials make a decision by which certain
| grades Of other foreign grown rice are adj
mitted under a low tariff. Republican
protectionists reduced the duty on sugar.
| still. Southern men think that
they can placate that party
by advocating protection. The
| protectionist Of the North don't care a
straw about the South. They do not con-
slider this section worth cOnciliating
Protection is not for the planter, farmer
or wOrkingman, or mechanic, clerk OF
! merchant. 1t is for the owners of coal
! mines, iron mines, cotton, wool and paper
| mills. 1t is a few thousand mOnOpolies
made rich at the expense of 5O,O00,oOO Of
other people.