The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-26
Let Us BE Careful.
of az IndianapoIis Journal:

10 the Editor Of the Indianapolis journal:
The protectionst's theory Of the tariff regula-
tons Of our country is based upon the simple
proposition OF protection to home laborers and
to home rnanufactofies, and to furnish us q
source Of revenue for governmental purposes
The needs of the governments are some $500, 600,
600 annually, and Of this great sum over 1900,
090, 900 are derived from the Republican system
Of protection, thus relieving as of the odious
and dangerous measure Of a direct tax upon the
people for the support Of the government "a
measure that has proved dangerous in every age
and in every country
Our industrial system must be encouraged and
protected for two weighty reasons to leave all
others out Of consideration One is that labor
may find employment; the other. that we may
have home consumption for home productions
TIE one Of these reasons is contained in the
other. 1t is known that 80 per cent Of our peo-
pie engaged in agriculture viii produce enough
for our entire population. We already have Az
per cent engaged in agriculture engaged IN
producing-A per cent more than is required to
furnish our population the necessaries Of life.
And il is not difficult TO see that any closing Of
our Industries would only have the effect TO
drive the laborers thus thrown out Of employ
ment to agriculture as means Of support
This would still further augment the number Of
producers and still further reduce the number of
consumers. This would be unfortunate TO as in
several ways First it would reduce
the wages Of what Watterson calls
price Of the products of the farm. The first con
dition would result because of the increased
number of laborers thus thrown upon the
country; and the second, because larger per
cent of our annual crop supply, 80 per cent, Of
which is now consumed in our own country,
would have to seek foreign markets And with
the vastly increasedand still increasing acreage
Of Russia Australia, India New Zealand the
Argentine Republic, Canada, ETC., our ex
port trade would be Of no profit since ii would
be brought into direct competition with the
countries above named, with which, owing to
the lower scale Of wages paid for labor by
these countries, we could ia no sense compete.
IL is already known that everywhere in the
wheat-produeing counties there will be asur
plus Of that cereal this year. In our own c0an-
try, as il is, otfr surplus will be far IN
excess Of anything In previous years Can we
help matters by still further lessening the Num-
Der Of our containers, which our freetrade
friends. by letting British trade yandals destroy
our industrial system, would be sure TO dol
The wheat crop Of 1854 is estimated to be SIG, !
600 900 bushels This exceeds the yield Of 1882
by 1200O000 bushels and that Of 1888 BY lI8
000, 900 bushels, and the average crop Of the last
FIVE years by 60, 100000 bushels This increase
we have in our own country alone. But the god
of harVests has also smiled upon other cOun-
tries this year as well as upon our own In
England the area under wheat is g. $50 900 acres,
compared with q ia 900 last year. This will
give England $4,000, 900 bushels Of the 100000
900 annually consumed by her, leaving only l20s
600, 900 as the import needs of the United King
dom. To supply this she has Russia, with a
large crop Of This years yield, besides heavy
stocks Of last years crop, and the countries
named above, with their enormous increase.
Frances crop il also so large this year that small
import will be required for her needs
Now, suppose the Democratic policy of free
trade, which would despoil our industrial sys.
tenn and change thousands and tens Of thou
sands Of its workers from consumers to produc-