The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-05-01
A PROTECTION FALLACY.

JUDGE kfLLkN, OF ietuyivhhin, tne &c |
K nowledged practical champion OF protec' |
lion for prots c,ion's sake In this country, |
In his speech on the tariff few days ago, |
struck the keynote OF the republican par
iy's reply this year TO the democratic agl-
tation Of tariff reform. The butden OF his
speech Was an attempt to prove that the
no,oriously pitlabls condition OF the labor
Ing ol ,ssss In England was the result Of
British freedom OF trade. Since then the
l,ssers lights Of his party, mere reflections
of his protection luminary, have continued
to dwell upon the striking contrast pre-
sented between English and American la
boring people, and have insisted
that the prosperity OF inc
one must be speedily reduced 10
the degradation OF the other. under any
considerable lessening Of the present tarih
duties.
No greater sbsurdlly Of reasoning could
exl,t than tho conclusion that the poverty
and suffering OF the English masses are the
consequences OF highlands policy. Eng
land 4, about the size Of Pennsylvania
only, aud yet Il has population OF over
20 OOO,O00. This vast number, elk or seven
times greater than that In Pennsylvania,
mus, be fed and housed and clothed under
political social and economic conditions
Ia worso and moro burdensome than any
that exist Ia this new world. The supply
OF labor, therefore, 10 not only six times
greater than Il Ia In Pennsylvania, but this
labor Is weighted down sis by
the most tyrannicAl OF social aud
the most unenvable OF political
condilions. lit were freer, ifl wers re-
LEVIED Of tho odious land system, Il it exist
ed in word, under conditions enabling 1t
10 be manlier, II might remove some OF the
evil resulting from us own great redun.
dancy. Oppressed, however, as 1t is by ex-
cessve taxation. oircumrotibed In its field
OF operations and hsmpered by most COM
plicated social and political system, II can
not but live es IL does, from hand to mouth.
with scores of starving applicants for en-.
ployment at every point in England, what
could we expect but pitiful wages and mis-
cradle homes under such ruinous compe'
tltion.
"a Pennsylvania, on the other hand, the
laboring classes possess the came political
force as do all others. II laws Cypress
them or unjustly discriminate
against them II is within their power a. any
time TO correct them. A new and unde'
veloped field, when compared with Eng
land, and spsrsely settled comparatively
where growing investments ard the de
maud for labor keep pace with, IL they dc
not outrun, the increase Of population
there is no earthly reason under nature
conditions Why the wages OF labor should
not bear juet proportion to the prolific o
capital. Tho differences in the conditions
therefore of labor in England and Pennsyl
yania, for instance, are too striking to adj
nit for u moment of the application OF the
conclusions from the one 10 tho other.
The fac. is simply that the miserable
poverty in England results from bad lawi
and irightful redundancy OF popuia'
ton. Her free trado has nothing &c
do with 1t. Indeed, If II were not that she
prices OF living in Great Britain are &c
cheapensd by the absence Of protective
duties IL would be inpossiole for this vas
lahorlng class to obtain even the common
necessaries of life by the utmost industry
| TIE great and constant scramble Tor EN-
ployment. resulting from the superabun
dance Of labor, would ever tend TO keel
wages down, ard frogd IA OF traffic, cor
respondingly reducing prices Of neces
aries, IL an absolute necessity
under tn circumstances. Not unit
Pennsylvania presents the psme social nnt
political conditions as are found in England
not until the competition in the ranks o
labor there 10 as bitter and extended rs il
England, need the Pennsylvsniaps Tea
reaching the level OF the English masses
And when that time comes, If IL should,
greater freedom Of trade with its Chez,
living will be Pennsylvania only and las
hope.
In short, wages OF labor are governed By
the same law that regulates the prices 0
commodities-the greater the supply tn
lower the price. It'll law as ipflex bl
aud comprehensive as the law OF gravita
ton, and is independent OF and outside o
ell the puuy efforts ofgovernmen.t to chang
its nature or control its application. Wher
there are hungry millions seeking employ
ment In ciroumscribed sphere the remun
Grafton OF labor cannot but DE less thar
where q comparatively email number only
as o. hand 70 meet IN sctive end CROWNS
demand. la word. not until Americ' shall
become as old and populous and worn aI
Europe need the American masses
dread repetition here of the present
condition of suffering humanity there.
Such iallacious reasoning as the ultra
protectionists indulge when they assign TO
results causes that have no earthly connec.
ton with them, may for o time alarm and
mislead, but the rapidly growing intelli.
eepce Of the American masses must event
ually penetrate their fimsy disguises and
sophisms, aud when It does, the reckoning
| r;ll ha N rnemorab le ous IN industrial bia