The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Ex-senator McDOnaId's FaIIacies on the
Tariff.

convention in Indianapolis, with that respect
(which anything coming from a man so dis
Hinguished honestly deserves. | find in such re-
port of it as 1 perl1sed, that this statement,
Though marked with ability, was full of fallaeies
= Into which no man who had made the study of
political economy could have been betrayed.
Hhe two points which he appears to lay down
with distinctness are, first, that 'crcumsclip
ton of the tariff is necessary on the ground of
expediency, and secondly, that it is necessary for
the purpose of enhancing the yearly income of
Hhe artisan OF mechanic or laborer. quote
1t was good thing to have a market for surplus
products of agriculture bat not safe to rest our trade
with foreign nations upon one branch of the pro-
constantly increasing. Englands necessities COM
peed her to purchase of the United States and she
was cur best customer, but the time might and
That before many years, when her colonies would
furnish her breadstus and provisions As to cotton
he thought it not likely that the factories of Eu-
rope would ever refuse TO receive all we were willing
10 export but it to interest to make that
small as possible by using more of it at home. The
infllntes in the composition and makeup of for
leigh trade he said, attracting less the
attention of the public and public men, especially
those who believed the time was fast arnroachino
when must shape policies far to meet the
Yshanges which might occur in foreign trade. In
hhe natural products our natural advantages had
Enabled TO oustrip all other nations, and to enter
F4he foreign market open to such productions with
every advantage on our side
This is the most prominent point in his speech
THE second point, which is less prominent, is
more important.
On the question of labor he said it was a fact well
known that the higher prices of American goods and
kwares, which had heretofore kept them out of the
foreign markets had resulted the benefit of the
Baborers engaged in their production. The fact had
been often demonstrated that labor not paid
the price of it fixed any scale dependent upon the
profits of the capital invested He discussed the de-
cadence of our merchant marine and its influence upon
our trade and showed the interest of Indiana in
mon with other States in the development and growth
OF our foreign commerce
These two points contain the gst of the whole
platform for the reduction, circumscriptiOn, or
humiliation Of the tariff from the point of view
whence Mr. Mcdonald looks at it, and whence
his party looks at it. Were that point of view
correct should not and would not assail it; but
st is totally and alb intio incorrect. shall argue
fhe question absolutely clear of the merits, or
dement's, of the tariff except upon these grounds
adopted by Mr.. Mcdonald The gentleman
talludes to our commerce with England, which is
our best consumer in breadstuffs, and states
that che will, before many years be furnished
with her own breadstuffs from her colonies, and,
beside her breadstutfs she will be furnished with
lher own provisions. Now the period at which
England viii be furnished with her own bread
stuffs and her own provisions will arrive when
Ianaas soo is abb able to supply them and
Kalends She cannot get them nearer and
to expect them from Africa, or New Zealand or
Australia, is an oyerstIetch of imagination. The
COSI OF transportation leaves inc | llbeQ SltIPS
mistress and arbiter of that market during Mr..
McDonalds life time, during the life time of his
son, and during the life time of his grandson if
he have any. Canada possesses a climate which
VIII repel the producer of breadstuffs until the
question of population in America arises to give
AN increased market for home consumption in
the United States. under which the increased
value of breadstuffs and provisions at home will
prompt Canadian settlement, for the purpose of
raising breadstutfs and provisions cheaper for
the European as well as the English market.
That period cannot well come within hundred
years, and then, have no doubt, adventurous
spirits will arise to brave the winters of Canada.
But while there is a double market in the United
States, the market for home consumption in
ereasing every day, and the market for foreign
consumption, aided by system of railroads
pete dpder the circumstances, for fifty years,
the time of competition of the British colonies
with the United States is very distant indeed.
On this head of the argument of expediency,
from Mr.. McDonalds stand point / maintain
fhe honorable gentleman is showed under in
more respects than one
Now if any one attempts to lay it down that
Canada can produce breadstuhs and provisions
as cheap as the United States l say no. Canada
requires more fuel and fuel costs. Canada re
quires more hurried labor for her seasons of GER
cal and meat production, and hurried labor re
auires population. Acre for acre to produce
equal to acre for of the United States, Cana
tdian effort will cost as much and half i'll her
best days
But, it is ON the cotton question that ex-Sena-
tor Mcdonald is unfortunate. England has
climates within her government whose cotton
production will be stimulated by her as rapidly
as she can, and to tell the truth, England is no
1aggardin industrial enterprise I do not say
this, at all, estimating the industrial enter
tanning the skill of her craftsmanship.
The day is near when England that never hest
tated at the opium trade, whose history contains
records so detestable will set up cheap labor in
3IinductaO and (ieNlO11 and V,orpt ST ne in
the cotton trade, and it may be our turn to cry
out for protection cotton in the march of
events, instead Of stating as Mr.. Mcdonald does
we are not afraid of any country in that regard
and that Europe will always be earnest to buy
from us. England possesses the climates, if we
look at the map. All she requires is the facili-
ties, and to enlist the enterprise to provoke the
She facilities Our cotton trade is less safe than
our agriculture
Now the most serious point, though as l said be
fore the point which he makes least prominent,
is, that the high price of American wares and
goods keeps them out of the European market
and that this has not resulted to the benefit of
the laborers engaged in theirproduction, because
the price of labor was not and is not fixed on
any scale dependent the profits of the capital
invested. AT first sight this seems very fair
and very honest statement to be made
= in a community like ours, in which the interest
of the laborer. the interest of the handicrafts-
man is the first and highest interest.
But will Mr.. Mcdonald or any one else point
out how the interests of the laborer or the
handicraftsman are to be made to bear share of
profit in the calculations of capital We will
take that definition from man like Mr. Melon
aid with the greatest respect and at the highest
value As yet no economist has shown just
mode in which the deriyative value of capital
can be made common to all whose labor is called
forth by it. and the discussion of the question
has called forth the capacity of great and mass
i've intelligence. If Mr.. Mcdonald would solve
the question world full Of justice would be
thankful to him.
But is that question to be solved by merely
what is called 'f1ae trade" or hazy regulation
of the tariff! We win see. We shall take
England as the model country of free trade
England is possessed of that qualif-
cation for nearly forty years England
nlannfactllre hefnra that ne1ind LIN to that