Daily Republican., 1884-02-05
Light from MUrrrsOn's Consmilt es
kNOsH.


where a new tariff bill is being doctored
and put together to present TO the Com
mittee of Ways and Means As ex'
pected, the light as it comes in glaring
fittul flashes, only holds out hope to the
foreign manufacturers, with not ray
of cheer for the American manufacturer
and the American laborer. The bill
proposes horizontal reduction of g
per cent in addition to the reductions
of last winter, before the real effect of
those reductions are known.
The new bill is particularly hostile to
American chemical industries, the tar
iff sched,le of which has been in opera.
ton scarcely six months. The Tariff
Commission, aided by some of the most
skilful chemists in the country, framed
the new schedule, and reduced the I'M
port rates to the very lowest figures,
tried, along comes Mr.. Morrison with
his foolish, yes more, wicked bill re-
ducirg the rates still 90 per cent. less,
That This reduction will make chemi'
Gals cheaper in this country cannot be
denied, Int let us see at what a great
sacrifice we are to have cheaper chemi-
Gals
Twenty years ago, before the present
tariff law was put in operation, only
G,Go0 persons We're employed III the
chemical industry, the capital employed
was but little over $13,00O,000; the
wages annually paid aggregated about
$1,000, eco, and the products reached
about S.2,000,0 600. OF course this small
trade did not meet the demand for
oh, meals in this country, and we were
dependent upon foreign countries, and
had to put up with very inferior
grade of medicines.
Now let us see what twenty years of
protection has done for this country III
the manufacture of its own chemicals.
The number of persons now employed
in this industry aggregates 10000, the
capital employed $50 900, 600, and the
annual product has reached in value
$1lS,000,000. This is the industry that
is to bear the first attack Of Mr.. Morri-
sons practically free trade bill. 1t
simply means the breaking up of the
chemical manufactures of this countr Y
at time when at the best business is
not good and the throwing out of en-
ployment thousands of workmen. Who
would this change benefit? Let it be
answered and re-echoed every where,
foreign manufacturers only whose only
object will be to send us their poorest
goods and reap the richest reward.
The change strikes fatal blow at
the trade in sumac, an important and
growing industry in the South, by
which thousands of poor people make a
living. It will also ruin the glue in
dustry, and bring disaster upon the
corn sugar industry that last year con-
sumed twenty million bushels of corn.
We are apprehensive that the people
will have something to say about this
change. Their love for British manu-
factories is not 50 strong that they are
willing to give up a growing industry
of profit to thousands Of workmen, that
English workmen may live and our
own starve.
The next American industry vicious
ly attacked by the Morrison free-trade
bill is the manufacture of earthenware,
something that strikes at an important
business of Delaware, as HoCkessin val
ley contains the largest and best deposit
of kaolin clay for the manufacture of
earthenware The proposed twenty
per cent. reduction would practically
break up every pottery establishment
in the Union. These manufactures for
some years past have not been in a very
tiourishing condition, and will be eX-
tremely sensitive to any change. The
reluctance TO discharge a large number
of workmen alone intervenes to keep
some Of them from operating longer.
In this industry the difference in the
cost Of labor i'll this country and in
Engl; nd Is 12j per cent, that is, the
wages here are twenty-five per cent.
more than double what they are in En-
gland. The proposed reduction means
exactly thar in order for this country to
compete with England in the manu-
facnlrr Of earthenware, wages here
must BE- reduced down to what they are
in England. Even now under the
latelyarrangcd tariff, more ofthis class Of
goods are imported here than are made
III this country. With all these dis
advantages staring us in the face, Mr..
Morrison proposes by his twenty per
cent reduction bill to practically wipe
the pottery business ont Of existence in
this country.
This reduction proposed by Mr.. Nor
riSon and his free trade committee
strikes directly at the interest of the
working people in every industry. II
simply says in plain language not easily
misunderstood that workingmen must
take twenty Per cent. less wages than
they have been getting. Iron workers
who got 50 IA week must take ST..
Factory operatives who have been
getting so a week must take s.. Ma
ChiniSts, wood workers and labOrrrs at
the Harlan 4 Holingsworth Company,
the Pussy 4 Jones Company, and in all
Wilmington industries can tell what
they are to get by computing dollar at
eighty cents when they receive their
wages, but by computing II at one nun
drcd cents when they pay of other
bills.
The proposition to make such a sweep |
ing reduction at the present time is
entirely uncalled for and can only re-
suit in undermining our manufacturers
and unscttiing the business Of the
country. Instead Of decreasing the
revenue Of the country it will increase
it, as cur home market Will be- opened
for the immense surplus stocks Of Eu-
rope without any corresponding gain III
the markets of foreign nations. AT the
best il can only end in disaster. But
we do not believe that such a measure
will become a law. The common sense
of the people will revolt againstit it. Th"
free traders are i'll power IN the House
now. but we have faith in the people,