Daily Republican., 1884-04-18
Mr., Hay ard and che Tariff.

Carter Harrison, Mayor of Chicago,
good, kind soul, did not disturb the
third anniversary of the lroquols CLUB,
but permitted it to hold its orgle IN
peace. and the invited guests to speak
their pieces unmolestcd. Senator Bay
ard, being one of the invited guests,
sent his humble apology for his enforced
absence, caused, as he says, by mea- |
sures of great importance pending be-
fore the two houses of Congress. MIR.
Bayard has succeeded admirably I'M
placing himself upon the side OF free
trade-no, not that exactly he has
succeeded in making an open declara-
ton of long cherished feeling in favor
of free trade never before freely express
ed. Ifanybody ever had any idea that
MI. Bayard was protectionist, heshould
now Danish that after reading the fol-
lowing from his letter of regret
"Ths We flro f IL Q county and the pros,
perty f all classes and occupations dom lnd
the speedy loesening of restrictions upon pro.
duct on and trade, caused ny the pre- ent
tariff laws, which are palpably c0nkesung
every branch OF manufacture prohibiting ex'
cha nges with other nations, HonyulslDg our
home markets with alternate excitement
and depression, an compelling the laborlne
classes to btain their daily bread not by
readiness to work steati'y but by dependence
upou the condition of our hume market alone
and its capacity, htful'y and not regularly, y.
afford them employment. Hope OF reform o.
relieF can he sxnected only from the asceh
cy OF the Dem )cratic party.
The attention of workingmen is call
ed to this paragraph, especially thos
workingmen who are Mr.. Bayard'
warmest political admirers. Th
welfare of our country and the prosper
ity of all classes and occupations dc
mand the speedy loosening of restrit
tions upon production and tade,' say
the distinguished Senator. What r'
strictions The tariff on foreign manr
factured goods, that is it. 1t means tf
repeal of the tariff laws under whic
this country has prospered more in
single decade than some European trt
trade nations have prospered in half
century.
The Senator would if he could col
vince the producers and laboring Inc
that the home market is not sutficie'
for them. That is, he would open fir
and unrestricted trade with foreign n
tions. This all sounds very plausib
in theory, but would it work so well
practice? That is what interests o.
producers and Onsumers more tn;
anything else. Before this country
moves the restrictions upon trade
might be well enough to look at the co
dition of laborers and producers in the
countries where there are no restrictio
in trade. just as the condition of
producers and consumers are there,
it must be with them here, with the
restrictions removed.
Laboring men should take notice tt
it is the opinion of Mr.. Bayard that
only way they can expect relief is
becoming like European free ira
countries. That is, that they mi
work for the same wages paid lal
under free trade.
But how is this to be brought abou
Mr.. Bayard has stated the remedy. l
only hope ofa change, he says, or rel
to be expected must come through
ascendency of the Democratic par
Mr. Bayard is right. If that will
check emigration, shut up Amerit
manufactures and reduce labor to
starvation point, nothing else will.