Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-10-31
National gulitifs.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.

Written loE the SENTINEL:
M. Editor The tariff problem, the
issue which draws the line between
the Democratic and Republican pas ties
should, as most people will concedc inf
its solution in the effort to produce the
greatest lasting good to the majority of
the people. The constitution itself is
founded not for the benefit of few, but
for the well-being of society at large
| When, therefore, we find few manu-.
faCturers, who, perhaps, stand in the
same relation to tho people as to 100,
favored by laws apparently enacted for
tho furtherance of their especial business
to the disadvantage and detriment of the
many, we cannot but be reminded of the
petition of The candle-makcrs to the
Chamber of Deputies at Paris, which
prayed that as their business in their
estimation suffered from the light of the
sun being free to all, the said Chamber
should enact II law forbidding the use of
all windows and other means of letting
in daylight to houses So that by an
enforced residence in the dark, the peo-
pie should be obliged to encourage these
would-be monopolists in their manufac-
turc of artificial lights. Such case AS
this will be instantly pronounced by
every one as absurd. And yet, in what
way does protection differ from this
| may be answered that protection is
necessary in young country, protec.
ton keeps wages high, &c. Truc, but
does it not keep prices high, too? Pro-
lection, IgBiIp,, produces no lasting good
to any one, and TO he majority IL Is an
injury from Me outset
What has come of the protection on
the iron Manufacture 1t answered for
a few years; loBg enough for the manu-
facturers to make colossal fortunes, and
while doing SO they paid comparatively
high wages. But as by degrees all
available capital flowed into so profitable
a channel, it ended in there being large
over production far exceeding demand
Mills were shut down, thirds of tho
men lost employment, while the remain.
der were offered 80 cents day Instead
of their So and 81 as heretofore Did
these high wages, lasting for time,
benefit the working man? Would not
permanent employment at lower rates Of
remuneration be more conducive to pros
perity than receiving high wages for
time, with u total cessation afterwards
Let US consider how protection affects
the price of necessities. can safely
state from my own experience that clothes
are from 25 to 80 per cent. higher in
America than in England. What right
has any one to force the workingmcn to
pay more for necessity than ho need il
q foreign market were open to him ?
People answer that free tariff on such
goods would Immediately reduce wages
II any necessary of life is cheapenod it
must either be that it costs less to pro-
ducc it, or on the other hand the real
reward of labor becomes increased Ii
wages remain the same after the price
of a necessary Of life is decreased, then
it is clear that the laborcr is thus pccu
niarily benefited. II on the other hand,
wages are decreased in proportion to the
increased cheapness Of the nccossaries Of
life, then the real and actuaL reward Of
the laborer remains the same as during
nominally high wages. IL is therefore
evident that the benefits attending de-
crease in price Of any of the nccessaries
Of life are far moro general in the good
they confer than the supposed benefit Of
protecting producers against foreign COM
petition. And, as Fawcctt says, de-
crease in the price Of Il commodity will
lead TO an increased accumulation OF
capital, for the expenditure Of consumers
being decreased, they have greater facili-
ties for saving, and a larger amount Of
wealth is consequently employed as CAPT
tai.
If by tho opening up of foreign trade
the homo production Of an article is rem
dered Improbable, this brings no per-
mancnt loss to the capitalist, but merely
transfer Of capital from an unremu-
nerativc employment to one 10 which it
can be employed with greater efficiency.
In such n case the total production Of
wealth is increased, and tho national cap
ital is consequently augmented.
FINALLY take the middle class, the re-
tail merchants, who are not so closely in-
terested as capitalist and laborer. The
abolition Of protection on necessaries
will enable them TO procure from the
cheapest producers. They are in no
wise injured, for, while they would sell
far cheaper than at present, there is at
the same time no reason against their
making proportionatc profit of the capt.
tai invested, as heretofore.
Here in America the capitalists have
been the favored few, and tho consumers
have aided in making them mllionaircs.
Shall this state Of things continue for
another four long years ? The question
lies in nutshell shall VIC vote for gem
eral prosperity with increased national
wealth, or shall we vote for the exclu-
sion of foreign trade, and tho starving
Of labor ut home, merely for tho sake oil
giving 10 capitalists and monopolists al
/ a.