Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-17
THE ISSUE In 1884.
EX-SENATOR JOSEPH E. McDON-
AID INTERVIEWED.

E4[A-SfANAxOEe JOSEPH h. MCDON-
AID INTERVIEWED.
Tariff Reform Practically Expounded-
Falsity of Protectionists' Plea in Be-
half of American Labor-Indiana Pres
idential Timber.
The Missouri Republican has interview
ed ex-senator Mcdonald, who just now
appears to be a very prominent candidate
for the Presidential nomination of the
Democratic party. The following is an
extract from the interview:
Nv hat would be the result. Mr.. McDon-
aid, of lowering of the tariff on iron?"
| ''Of course it would render manufactur-
| ing less profitable or improbable at those
expensive localities with the result of in
! clining the removal of furnaces to more
| eligible locations, where, while the manu-
! facturers would realize as much or more
| profit, the country would enjoy the reduc-
tiOn in price of ir0n."
Narrowed down, is not the issue in
1884 between New England on the one
side and the rest of the country at large
on the Other?" questioned.
Il decline to SO construe it," was re-
Piled; 81 am opposed to any arraying of
sections, one against the other, in this or
any other political controversy. 1t is
quite natural that manufacturers who
have enjoyed the benefits of protective
tariff should be averse to it's modification,
and hence the chief opposition to reform
OF the tariff Will exist in the East, the
manufacturing centre. But in consider
ing this question it is proper to admit its
bearing upon the whole country, our
national interests, rather than that of any
one part of it. Now, we have to find
market abroad for two-thirds of the cotton
crop of the United States, i'll it's raw
condition, which is manufactured in
Europe. A part of the manufactured
product of it is returned to our
people, the balance goes for the
worlds consumption. five manufactured
this crop, instead of sending it abroad in
its raw state, we would have the profits
of manufacturing as we'll as producing.
This we cannot now do, because our
manufacturing centres, where at present
established, are not able to compete with
Europe in cheapneSS Of manufacturing.
1t is no more necessary to send cotton to
England to be spun than to ship it there
to be ginned. There is no reason why a
cotton mill, with ample size, equipment
and capital, in the cotton belt might not
0utstrip an English mill. High prOtec-
tion of an industry in given localities.
keeping up the price of its products, on
cOnsumerS-is injustice to the masses, if
there are other localities the surround
ings of which would, with equal capital
and labor, enable cheaper manufacture
ing"
The question of wages of American
operatives has entered so prominently into
the plea OF protectionists, l sounded Mr..
McDOnald's views thereon.
"4es," he remarked, 1.-THE prOtectionists
lay good deal of stress on the higher
wages paid in the United States over those
to operatives in England, France and
Germany. That wages here are nOminally
higher is true, but what the excess is it is
difficult to compute since there is differ
ence in the prices of the necessaries of
life. 1t is singular fact that bread is
sold cheaper by the pound or loaf IN Lon
don than in New York, though made from
flour New York ships to London. Neces-
saries other than food are very much
cheaper in either or the European coun-
tries named than in the United States,
protection making many of them higher
here. AS a general rule, however, protec-
tiOn enhances the profits of the manufac-
turer,
RATHER THAN THE WAGES
of his operative. On this point Mr.. Burch-
ards statistics make entertaining read
ing; they show the cost OF labor in this
country to be bare fraction of the cost
of manufacturing. For illustration he
gives in the manufacture of textiles 1917
per cent. as the cost of labor, 62% per
cent. as the cost of materials, and Is per
cent. as manufacturers profit, including
interest on capital; in cotton fabrics.
labor y, materials 63, and manufacturers
profits 10 per cent; in woolens, labor
1715, materials 62, and manufacturers
profits 2012 per cent; in silks, labor 16,
materials 81 and manufacturers profits
20 per cent; in steel, labor II, material 33
and manufacturers profits 80 per cent.
of these, where the highest-22 per cent
was the cost of labor, the protection
was equal to the entire cost of labor. A
New England statement, which has not
been discredited and is probably reliable,
gave the cost of labor in the manufacture
of ton of steel rails at $52 20, while the
duty on a ton of steel rails was $2S and
the selling price of SAP. The late reduc-
tion makes the duty SIT, instead of $2S.
From these statistics the public can Judge
of the amount of benefit our labor has de-
rived from high protection
MIR. Mcdonald holds that the Demo-
cratic party will successfully repel in
1894 the false charges used against it in
1880, thatit contemplated the repeal of all
tariff laws and the establishment of un-
conditional free trade, when the govern
mental necessities could not permit the
adoption of such policy. AS early after
the last Presidential election as February.
in the Senate as favOring tariff reform in
stead of unconditional free trade in the
following language: "WithOut counting
upon any great increase in our ordinary
expenses, it will be necessary for
us to raise over $200,00O,0O0 annu-
ally, so that our governmental ex-
penses require all the revenue that
we can properly raise by customs duties.
strictly confined to the purpose; there is
no probability that the power to lay and
collect duties on imports will be discon-
tinued so long as our government con-
tinues to exist, or that the incidental
protection will not be all that ought, in
justice to the great mass of our people, be
imposed. Even England in her greatest
approach to free trade has deemed it wise
and prudent to raise a large portion of
her revenue from customs duties" 1t is
upon such practical and conservative
policy, rather than upon any traditional
doctrine, that the party will submit its
candidates to popular suffrage and Mr..
Mcdonald anticipates reversal of the
results in 1880.
Indiana will unquestionably offer one,
if not two, of her sons for the office Mr..
Arthur now enjoys. The Republicans are
divided between Judge Gresham and Ben
Harrison. the latter appearing the favOrte.
MIR. Hendricks, who has just left for Eu-
rope, has some earnest, though not hope
full, friends. If Mr.. Holman, the New
York SUMS discovery, has any following
it is about his own home in the southeast
corner of the State. Mr.. McDonalds
strong personal popularity gives his name
more than a party recognition in this
city. A leading lawyer, who is promi-
nent in Republican councils, told
me that McDonald's nomination would
spike his gun and that of many others of
his party. Another Republican of less
prominence, though influential, stated
openly that he would vote and work for
Mcdonald against any Republican other
than Ben Harrison, while a third, who
had just returned from a trip through the
northern portion of the State, believed
Mcdonald could carry Indiana against
any Republican. EX-Judge j. A. Hol-
man, prominent Democrat, says Nc
Donald possesses, In a remarkable de-
gree, the respect and confidence of both
parties; that if nominated, he will have
the solid vote of his own party in the
State, and, unquestionably, considerable
accessions from the other side.
Wasn't Going to be Beaten.
National Republican.