The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-08-23


| ward by the Democratic party in the lower
| house Of Congress. 1t is known the Morri-
son tariff bill Its title was specious misrep-
| resentation, Tor 1t pretended 10 reduce war tax
alton, when, in fact, as Mr.. Findlay, OF Mary
land, said, 1t meant 20 per cent. of TO-DAY 10
per cent to- morrow, not to get rid of War taxes
but to get rid of the protection part of the tariff
| law" 1t was a step in the direction OF free
| trade, from which, If 1t had been taken, there
could have been no retreat save by The repeal of
the law. And, instead OF its producing less
revenue. its tendency was to increase il.
SO good Democrat as the Hon. w. W Eaton
OF Connecticut, found 1t necessary, in the course
OF his remarks on the Morrison tariff bill in the
House of Representatives, to notify those gentle
men from the South who were clamoring for
| free trade that they were not acting under the
clause OF the Constitution OF the so-called Con-
| federate States, which had gone down in a
| bloody struggle, but were acting under the
| Constitution Of the fathers of the Republic who
| had given an Interpretation To the general well
| fare clause III harmony with the protective sys-
| tenn. Is 1t not strange that a Connecticut Dem
ocrat should ind il necessary to warn the great
| bulk OF his party against the pernicious doc
| trines which they had recently fought to
| maintain: 1t Is not surprising that he felt it
| incumbent on him to warn this section of the
| Democratic party that they must cease their
| warfare upon the industries OF this country
| and administer TO them fitting and proper re-
| buhe for their attack upon the doctrine OF the
| fathers, that had brought to his State such
| prosperity and happiness Mr.. Eaton was not
| single in his party in administering a rebuke
| TO the free-trade wing OF the Democracy. Hon.
Sam J. Randall and other eminent Democratic
statesmen warned their party that, II they
persisted III advocating that fatal policy de-
struction would not only overtake them but
the country would be plunged III utter ruin.
few facts, briefly stated, overturn the
protection is a robbery and theft on the
farmer. An old saying is TO the effect that
figures won't lie. A useful lesson may be learn
ed by the figures of our census table, showing
the wealth of the farming community in 1860
and 1880 Tor upon both of these periods the es-
| tlInated value was upon coin basis. The num-
Der OF improved farms in 1860 was a little over
100000. Tie number IN 1880 was little over
100000. 1 he number of acres of improved
land in 1860 was little over 10000 0O0 ami the
mum Der. N 1880 little less than 2s5, 10000
SO ii is seen that the farms have doubled in
number. and the acreage of improved LANDS has
| almo doubled between these periods, while
the ratio of inhabitants during the same period
has increased at a much less per cent A greater
advance las been made III the product of the
farms during these periods. Corn advanced
from q total product OF S3s,O00,OOO bushels TO
4,uUu,0uO, or lu3 per cent while wheat went
from 1913, 90 of bushels 400 600 900 bushels
or It's per cent. of increase All other cereals
from l,239OOO,0jO of bushels to 2G97, 600 900 of
bushels, rs per cent. Cotton from
100000 bales III 1859, to 6,g5uUUO bales in
lss2. Fifty years ago SO per cent of export
trade was cotton; now it only amounts to one
third of our expectation The consumption of
cotton IN American manufactures has increased
i'll sIil greater proportions; from AZ, 900
pounds III 1850, We now consume over 10000 900
pounds, with very rapid increase since 1850.
Our wool product III 1850 was four times as much
as IN lNOu. we now produce about 3UO,OlO,UtU
pounds OF wool, ana our manufacturing estab-
lishments pay To the farmers the enormous sum
OF more than SluOuO0, 900 for that product alone
our wool product has become so enormous that
we only import about one-fifth of the wool re-
Quired for consumption in our manufacturing
establ shmtnts, and almost all OF the imported
wool Is of the coalser grades, known carpet
wool, although small proportion OF supertlne
wool tor intermiXture with our products for the
finer qualities of cloth is still imported; but the
amount Is nconsiderable.
IL Is estimated that since 1860 our cattle have
been improved, both 10y breeding and in mum
Der, that the value exceeds the total value of
1860 by $2S7O01 900. The cattle exported in 1860
averaged only SIS head, while the exports of
1881 average SIS a head. In 1850 our entire ex-
port oil animal pro iucts $40, 900 900. IN 1880
ii amounted to SI75, 900, 600.
need not go further into quotations of sta
tistlcs to prove the enormous increase OF our
farm productions ana the advance of prices
over tIc days of free trade. The facts are known
to all intelligent agriculturists
Ii the tariff laws have produced robbery and
theft as freely charged by the dOctrinalrts OF
free trade why is it that such unparalleled pros
perity has been realized throughout the country?
The answer Is easy when the facts are scruti-
mis- d. We consume in this country 30 per cent.
OF our own farm products; we export but 10 per
cent Tha home market is always a better one
than the foreign market. The expectation OF 10
per cent OF our farm products Conclusiyely
shows that We have not yet arrived at the full
tide OF manufacturing prosperity. There should
be such division of labor that this country
could consume the entire product OF the farm
and field This is apparent to the farmer when
he takes INTO consideration the fact that bis
wheat, when exported, comes in direct com
petition with the wheat of the Baltic and
of India 1t is significant to examine
the increase of the product of wheat
the last two or three years. These industries
have been stimulated largely in the last lew
wears in Egypt, Algiers, Australia, the Argentine
Republic and Chilli Add to this the product of
the Baltic and of India, as given us by reliable
statistics, and it will be but year or two before
the markets of Europe will be shut in the face
tITmpT9 | then
this country. that your only safe gnide in the
future Is to look to the home markets for the
consumption of the surplus of the farms This
can only be brought about by increased and
diversified industrial pursuits Thirty per cent
OF the people of this country will produce sutti-
cleut agricultural product for all. There is now
engaged in agricultural pursuits about - per
cent of the people of the country The direct
influence. therefore. which free trade will have
upon the farms of this country will be, first, to
force from the workshop millions of operatives
into the fields; second, to force the surplus
raised for export into an overcrowded M rket
and reduce the price of farm productions to SO
low scale to make them absolutely I'M
profitable, and the farm, to greater or less de-
gree, valueesS.
All past experience proves to US that
FOREIGN MANUFA CTURERS
are not conscientious in the price they charge US
tor their products, when we are in their hands
and helpless If they succeed in abolishing fine
ard in, ermediary woods from the products of
this country, there is nothing TO prevent the
pooling of the price of foreign wool in the hands
of agents on the seaboard aud compelling us to
pay whatever price they desire 10 eXtort. Wool
is a prime necessity-we must have it at any
prtce-and the pooling system would be resort
ed to the moment We were deprived of our wool
product; and, instead OF the money being dis
tributed to farmers, il would go into the
hands of the tlOCkmasters of Australia and
South America, This has been the history of
the prices Of articles that we have relieved from
duty, and which we were unable to produce on
this continent. Plate glass, for instance. could
not he purchased for less than = IS per square
foot until our own manufacturers produced it;
and, with an average duty of 40 per cent. upon
IT, we can now purchase the best quality at
from so to 30 cents IN the market. might emu
merate articles which are familiar to all, to show
that when we place ourselves in he hands of the
foreign producers the price of the article is
enhanced in me market and sold at higher
price than the goods we protect and produce at
our own hOres.
Hon. William r. Morrison, Chairman of the
Committee o. Ways and Means OF the House of
Representatives., and leader of the free-trade
Democracy on the floor of the House. as well as
his associates, all insist that protective tariff
Is hErtful to the labor system of this country
Thor argument is that the tariff givcs a bounty
to the manufacturer that is indirectly paid by
Tue labor that they employ. And, in the next
place, that the laborer is compelled to pay an
increased price for his living in consequence of
this bounty. In answer to these assertions, /
claim that capital and labor in this country
must 90 hand III hand together; that the down
fall of either ruins the other: that, therefore
protection to the manufacturing interests of
this country ls protection to the laborers, and
that bountics to manufacturing establishments
nothing but protective societies among the wage
classes. In the next place, l claim that protec-
ton 10 manufacturers Is a protection to the Ia
bOrer per Sc; for capital is not compelled to seek
manufacturing enterprises, while labor must
have market. The manufacture ccTld make
a much money out of his products by system
of cheap labor he can by high wages with
protection. For example, England is a free
trade country. Her manufacturing interests
are in -four shing condition Her mauuf fctur-
crs are making money. But how is it wi h her
labOyerst Are they able to accumulate property
and acquire homes2 assert that the English
manufacturers make money only because they
have reduced he pay of their wage classes to
the lowest living limit. We often designate it
as "psuper labor" But whatever its designa-
ton m Y be, it is certainly at the yerv lowest
limit to which labor and physical endurance can
be reduced.
Annually there is influx of immigration to
this country amounting to 500, % people These
Immigrants come with their families, and are
laboTers. They come to work and toll in our
midst; to add wealth to our nation They left
their homes in foreign countries for some cause.
II free trade il so much better for the wage and
working classes than protection, why do they
not seek the friendly shores of EngandY Why
do they not enter the workshops OF that free
trade country inst, ad of coming to America.
with her high protective laws Have You ever
heard OF there being an influx of lmmigIat on to