The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-02-24

have pointed to the magnificent
development of our varied indus
tries, dwelling upon their benefit
to all classes-farmers, capitalists
and labOrers alike-and claimed
that it is due to the existing sys-
TEN of protection.
The great manufacturing indus
tries have been bound to its sup.
port by the belief that their pros
perity depends upon its mainten-
ance. In a word, sir, as | first re-
marked, they have maintained and
do maintain that this so-ealled bur-
den of taxation which the people
say must be reduced is no burden
at all, but a blessing, which increa-
ses the profits of capital, raises
the wages of labor, cheapens the
prices of products, and puts us all
in funds. Its advocates, there.
fore, cannot take a step toward
the reduction of tariff taxation
without contravening the funda.
mental principles upon which the
protective system rests: for if ii
confers all these blessings, if it
does increase the annual product
of the nations wealth, if 1t does
raise the wages of labor and the
profits of capital at the same time
and cheaper the products of con.
sumption as well, to repeal it, or
to reduce it, or to modify it, is
simply to diminish if not to de.
stroy these great and important
benefits to the country.
Mr.. President, think the time
has come when we should deal
more explicitly with the American
people upon this subject. / think
that our friends on the opposite
side of thee chamber should say
and if they do not that | should
say-that protection and low tax.
alton are not compatible. You
can not make the two systems
blend. A protective tax is a high
tax; and a low tax, to the extent
that it does not check importa.
tions, becomes nOn.protectivc,
Why not let the people know the
truth9 They are not averse to
taxation. They have always been
ready to tax themselves willingly
whenever satisfied that the object
is a legitimate one, and the mode
of assessing and collecting the tax
a proper one. Why not declare
to them: If you want the bless.
ings of protection; if you want
our industries maintained by the
aid of the government as great
symmetrical system, you must
make up your minds to pay the
cost and make the sacrifice neces
sary to maintain such q system
and scorn the temptation of low
taxes and cheap foreign goods.
Mr.. Lamar read from the testi
mony of several witnesses before
the Tariff Commission.
Sir, do not these facts create
the suspicion that this protective
system, which has so long been
burdening the people, has some
thing in it which defeats its own
object and causes a blight to per
wade the manufacturing industry
of the country, and threatens tC
blast II in all it's branches2 Can
any advocate Of protection say
that the condition of our manufac
lures, as pictured in these volumes
and reproduced by Senators Oh
this floor, realizes the promises
which were made of a great diver
sifed industry, complete in all its
parts and sufficient unto itself
Sir, putting out of view all the
millions of taxes which it is allie
ged-I think upon good grounds
it has cost our people to produce
this result putting out OF view
the burden and obstruction to the
growth and prosperity of all the
other great industries of the coun
try, l ask is this present relation
of manufactures to the govern
ment, which has been brought
about by the protective system
and which would not have existed
but for that system, a desirable
one9 What is that RESULT A
vast organization of capital and
labor and product, dependent fol
its continued existence upon the
taxes of the government?
1t seems to me that the mos
sanguine admirer of our system o.
manufacturing industry, in reading
the accounts which the manufac
turers give of their own business
would tremble at the enormous
proportions to which they hayt
grown with the slender and uncer
tain foundation upon which the
system rests. They will tell you