The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-30
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Tariff md Civilization.
itor N the indianapolis Journal:


Without the rudder of theory" to steer
them through the interminable sea of protec-
ton, it is not strange that the advocates of
restriction of commerce beat about upon the
rocks of false inference and contradiction in
the vain attempt to weather the storm of
logic and enter the harbor of clear thought
With a strange mixture of facts and false
inference, and for practical mind, no lit
tie success at "hare- Drained theorzing" our
able ex-chief of the Bureau of Statistics at
tacks free trade from a novel standpoint
He says
The controversy Is about protective tariff in
trade, but the real question lies far deeper 1t
touches our civilization at every vital point
The theory OF European stat esmen has ever
been that our kind of government was unstable
and could not stand. Could they induce us to
adopt free trade. their prophecy of US would
soon be fulfilled If the free ballot were not left
to correct the fatal step. The chief factors
which compel human service In Europe for less
than half the wages paid in America are the en-
tail laws, the limitations on the ballot, and the
general cussedness of the public policy, which
treatment of Ireland. The mistaken theorists OF
this country who are now advocating free trade
belong to the same class who opposed q differ
ent organic system from that of Great Britain
during our early throes OF revolution and sepa-
ration,
After clearly showing that the miserable
condition and low wages OF the working men
of Europe are due to the infamous laws
which govern them; that the high Wages and
general prosperity of the working classes of
Am erica is due to to free land and free insti
tutions, the writer makes the most I'M
warranted conclusion that were it not for the
barrier of protection against the paupers of
Europe all our free land and free institutions
would avail us nothing and we should be
speedily reduced to the condition of the OPP
pressed ones of Europe. He says:
anatiOn must depend upon the organic structure
of those with which such relations are to be sus-
tanned. If the social and political conditions of
the people composing nations were identical,
there could be no just reason for statutory dis
critniDation of one toward the other. But if, some
where IN the organic structure, natural rights
have been disturbed and violated, the nations
having eyoided such dirturbance in their struct-
ure In adjusting their relations can only avoid
the effect of such violence on their own people
by arbitrary provision againt it,
Protection therefore becomes tax, a bur
den which the citizen of the United States
bears for the same reason that he contributes
TO the support of any governmental institu-
ton for the preservation of liberty. 1t follows
that this tax would not be exacted were ali
countries governed with equal justice That
Notwithstanding all differences in skill
climate, natural advantages, and tsmpera-
ment OF people, no two nations occupying
equal positions in the race of life" would be
justified in prohibiting free commercial in
tercourse with each other. Differences in
governments aside, he recognizes the canon
of free traders that free trade is common
sense applied to exchanges. He understands
that it is to absolute free trade between the
States that the Union enjoys such a marked
degree of prosperity. So long as Texas re-
manned republic he would have justified
line OF custom-houses around her borders
but upon her entrance into the Union he
would permit her to freely exchange with
the rest of the States by abolishng the sys-
tenn OF taxation which would have forced her
to develop her coal, iron lead and salt
mines, and induced her to manufacture her
own cotton and wool He is theorist enough
to see that if the protectionist
plea of home market for the farmer
development of natural resources and
saving of freights be the object of protection,
these objects could be just as Well accom-
plished now that the State is under our gov
eminent as when it was republic. He
knows that she does not develop her resources
because it does not pay. Rich in minerals
cotton and wool, she cannot afford to neglect
agriculture for manufactures. He would ad-
Vooste no system to cause the loom and an
vii to take their natural places by the side of
the food and cotton" in Texas, because he
knows it is not their natural place and can
not be until their products can DE so obtained
at less cost than they are now procured by
the exchange of the natural products of the
soil.
Taking the position, therefore. that protec-
ton is taxation, justified by the difference in
our government and the abnormal political
and social systems of Europe, it is not difficult
to come to a direct issue. Does the difference
in the price of labor in two countries Justify
the enactment of protective tariff?
OF all the fallicies of protection that of
wages as the principal factor in the cost of
production is the most deceptive. Because
an English operative receives $40 per week
and the American $18 it is argued that COM
petition on the part of the American is i'm
possible. The fallacy lies in the fact that the
American operative, while earning so per
cent. more than his English rival, works
longer, is more skillful and, therefore, does
more for given sum than his foreign com
petltor. In the manufacture of cotton it is
the cost per yard and not the daily wages
which determines the Americans ability to
compete with England. Mr.. Thornly, who
has Investigated the wages in cotton weaving
establishments, shows that they are graded
by the amount of work done, and taking this
as basis he found that instead of being
higher the rates of wages in America we're
considerably below those paid in England
The comparison runs something in this
WISE Printing cloth, % inches wide, Sc
reed, ID picks, (60x64) SO yards in a piece
Average amount paid in wages for the weav-
ing of this at Ashton under LYME, 246S
cents; Black burn, 1904 cents; Stockport
25o4 cents; Hyde, 1928 cents. English aver
age, 70 cents. Providence, 1925 cents Fall
river, 1895 cents; Lowell, 49, SO cents; Rhode
Island. 1882 cents. American average 1850
cents Printing cloth, % inches wide, 60
reed. 10 picks, (64x64) SO yards in piece
Average amount paid in wages for the weav-
ing of this; In Ashton nder-Lyne, 277O
cents; Blackburn, 29.06 cents; Stockport,
294S cents Hyde, 30. 80 cents English aver
age, 2S.S8 cents. Providence, 22.3O cents;
Fall River, 1920 cents; Lowell, 1920 cents
American average, % 80 cents. In other
words, the English cotton weaver receives
by these estimates in one case 26 per cent
more pay, and in the other % per cent But
Mr.. Thornly goes on to point out that in
spite of this large difference the American
operative makes more money in a day than