The Wilmingtonian., 1884-11-01
THE TARIFF IMPALED.
George II. Rates, Esq.'s FOrcibie PrescH-
tation OF the Issues of the DRy.

tation OF the Issues of the DaV
In his recent Opera House speech Mr..
Bates has squarcly met the issues on the
tariff question. He is the only one Of our
points, thoroughly, one by one, giving argu-
ment for assertion, fact for fallacy, and
marched single-haudtd into the camp of the
opposition He has armed himself from
head to foot with figures and statistics drawn
from Republican sources, These he has
faithfully given to his listeners, combating
! protective arguments with wonderful apt
ness aad force, and the most eogent reason
ing. His speech has furnished us with an
able documentary proof Of the utter weak
ness of the Republican position. lie has
demonstrated to the workiugman the disin-
genuousness of that party in their claim Of
friendliuess. lie believes III tne existence of
discrimirative powers in the minds of the
wolkingmer and has given them matter for
reflection; he has credited them as equally
competent with the millionaire to judge of
the merits involved in the tariff question.
| 1t is refreshing to find speaker ready to
meet the issues face to face, as Mr. Bates
| has done, and not adopt the part of an aitfu
| political dodger. lie has diycsted his argu-
,uant nf II nm rt ison oh IRA cte, aud dtsenSSel
questions solely upon their Citations brought
about between capital and labor.
1t is a matter of great regret t.lat pressure
upon our columns prevents more than pre-
sen,atiom of few of the salient points in
his mastery presentation of facts.
Among numerous references to the Demo-
cratic platform, the speaker quoted the fol
lowing two points, one, 1.-THE relief OF the
people from the burden of taxation which is
unnecessarily imposed upon them" The
other that "the relief should be granted in
such a way, as primarily to protect the in
terests of the laboring man to all possible
extent Also, "But in making reduction
of taxes it is not proposed to injurc any
domestic industries, but rather to promote
their healthy growth" Mr.. Bates remarked
''These words went into that platform with
the unanimous vote of that committee" (the
committee that framed the Democratic plat
form.) "Does that, asked the speaker,
slook as though the Democrats were pre-
pared to sweep away the tariff if they ever
come into power? The Democratic theory
is that there shall be no taxes except for
public purposes. Mr.. A. shall not be taxed
to put money into the pockets Of Mr.. 8 : Is
that a good doctrine or not? The Demo-
cratic party says it will see that the rights of
labor are not invaded and that the interests
Of capital are not impaired. Can any honest
man ask more than that? =
DO you, remember, workingmen, the little
placard isssed by the secretary of the
National Republican Committee, four years
u
read as follows: "Republican protection
means plenty Of work with good wages and !
empty poor-houses. Democratic free trade
means closed workshops, starvation wages
and crowded poor-houses." That was the
promise given to the men who voted for
Garfield. Is the country teeming with work?
Are the poor-houses empty? Are wages
high? The tariff commission shows that
that promise is unfulfilled. Under high pro-
lection in the iron industry out of 703 fur
naces in the land 4G0 are idle, and with
tariff on pig iron Of "A per cent Iron, cot
ton and wool are the three highly protected
industries, and yet half Of the cotton spiadges
are silent and large p0rttoa Of tie ac0ollea
cards, while the same mills in England are
making money, although they have no bust
ness to- according to General Logan. The
truth is we are manufacturing more than we
can consume, and we have gog to do one of
two things either stop making SO many
goods or fad larger market for our pro-
ductons. We must compete with foreign
manufacturers 1t is said that the shoe
manufacturers of New England can shoe the
whole of the people Of this country in SIX
months What are they going to do the re-
naming six months. Now, if the market is
not Increased, there must be a break some
where, something must go. Tnere are only
two ways to decrease the cost Of the pro
duct. There are three Ingredients which
enter into the manufacture of goods-capi-
tai, labor and mateIial--and we must reduce
the cost of one Of the two latter. 1t may be
the material, or it may be the labor, but it
must be one Of them. Reduction in the cos
of labor we certainly cannot afford. We
must therefore reduce the cost of material,
and that involves reduction Of tariff duties
in the raw materials of manufacture. Stop
There is one other way you might induce
the capitalists to take a little less profit.
But you are not willing to take such risk
as 10 depend on that Therefore, if we want
the interests of labor to remain unimpared
we must take the tax off raw materials and
reduce their cost for, as long as we continue
that tax the wages of labor must necessarily
decrease
Mr.. Bates then proceeded to give stats-