Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-10-10
Protection" Deos Not Protect.

|
melancholy scene upon which the
| American people now gaze will prove TO
many minds far stronger argument than
the words of the most eloquent Revenue
RefOrmer. All over the land numbers of
mills, factories and shops, although highly
protected" have been closed, and troops of
workingmen thrown out of employment.
Stagnation prevails, capital is nervous, labor
is in misery. What is the matter? The
New York Tribune, either from a kind of
idiocy or from q constitutional preneness to
mendacity, declares that these disasters are
the result of the agitation of the tariff ques-
ton by the Democrats. Such flummery,
however, can mislead no one The country
understands that the manufacturers, as they
themselves acknowledge, have stopped work
because of the immense surplus of goods
on the market And this overproduction,
which paralyzes business, is the ashy apple
that grows upon projections tree. The rich
booty obtainable under protective tariff
lures into the favored industries many greedy,
but inexperienced and imprOvident, men,
who by their imprudence and lack of thrift
bring embarrassment upon themselves and
their associates in trade. All strive TO clutch
the spoils at once, overproduction ensues,
and reckless cupidty defeats ITSELF At first
a high tariff loads its bene6ciarius with pill
lage, but ultimately, If free competition be al
tosoed, the effect will be dffused through the
industrial system, and although prices will
still be much higher than if there were no
tariff, and the people will consequently still
be robbed, yet the manufacturer will receive
no more than men engaged in other pur-
suits. Whenever the profits of any branch Of
industry are higher than those in the other
branches, the tendency is for capital and
labor to flow into it, until the gain be re-
duced to the common level. This natural
effect of the tariff system, American manu-
lecturers have to u considerable extent
averted, or at least postponed. They have
kept prices up by forming dishonest COM
blnations; they have been shielded from
domestic competition by patents, and after
1t was apparent that they had gotten all the
spoils they could under one tariff law they
have boldly demanded still higher duties
chairman Morrison, of the Committee of
Ways and Means, is a witness" says a writer
in recent issue of the North american Re-
0teao, ITO the fact that the chimneys of the
Vulcan Mills at st. Louis stood smokeless
for years, and meanwhile its owners received
a subsidy reported at 100000 year from
the other mills of the combination for not
making rails, with, however, no payment to
its men for not working" This device of
the manufacturers of steelrails is but a sam
pie case En- emo dasce Omlles. The history
Of protection is the record of mushroom
growth, followed by periods Of depression,
wretched shifts, and lusty cries for more,
more, more
Out OF thcrown mouths protectionists are
convicted. They claim that, though the i'm
mediate effect OF the tariff is TO raise prices,
the home competition will at length bring
them down again We have noticed al
ready the various stratagems by means of
which the manufacturers often dodge this,
to them, great evil. But, granting that some
such reduction in prices does come, it must
be acknowledged that il can come only
when the supply exceeds the demand, and in
its wake il will surely bring diminution of
employment and lowered wages. For il
would be folly to suppose that the manu-
facturcr will stand all the loss accruing from
glutted markets. Yet this is that peerless
system that "protccts" laborl The plain
truth is that in all the chills, spasms, and
depressions which afflict the protected" in
dustries, the workingman must submit to
have his nose held to the grindstone I'm
certain work, poor pay, penury, want and
starvation are the blessings which "protec-
ton" bestows upon him.
Ii alter so many years of stimulating ply
SIC manufacturers still have no sustaining
principle of life, if they are still sickly and
frail, is it not a fair question tn ask Does
projection" protect Is not the whole sys-
tenn, not only gigantic wrong, but stu
pendous failureY
In these gloomy days there is one sweet
thought which should soothe the heart of
the distressed Suassr. lie is protected"
IT'S true there is no bread in the cupboard,
but how small d matter is that, when he is
proudly conscious that he is protected"
His children are in rags, yet ought he TO be
consoled, for, you know, he is protected"
II may send dagger to his heart when he
sees the burning, salty tears course down the
wan cheeks Of her whom he dearly loves,
still there is bright bow in his cloud he
remembers that he is protected"
History furnishes but few instances Of
more pitiable delusion than that which in
wraps the protected" American workman.
Although the pertidy of those in whom he
put his trust is clearly shown, he still will
listen TO their shallow bans. In spite of
bitter experience, he continues to believe the
prating Of the Republican party about the
benefits Of the tariff, and the dignity of labor.
The workingmen know that the very same
men who proclaim in turgid rhetoric their
determination to protect Americans from
the pauper labor, are the first 10 import the
scums of Europe, and the garbage-eating
Aslatics, in order that our countrymen may
be displaced by cheaper laborers, and the
safes OF manufacturers be filled to overflow
ing They know also that many members
OF the Republican party fought against the
bill to keep out the hordes of filthy Chinese
coolies, who, moved by no noble aspirations
and caring not the snap OF their fingers for
our institutions, were pouring into the coun-
try to degrade our civilization and pollute
our society. The foul presence of such crea-
lures, with their dirty habits, their opium
dens and their cellars OF prostitutes, could
only tend To vitiate and poison our national
life. Yet, repeat, many Vi the Republicans,
true to the Instincts of their party and hid
ing their real motives under garb OF weak
sentimentalsm voted TO let them come
How much longer will American laborers
be the dupes Of such party? How much
longer will they go ~ the polls, "like dumb,
driven cattle" and cast their ballots for men
who, however loud their protestations, Gin
wardly are ravcning wolves"
LEE DAVIS LODGE