The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-09-27
HIGH PROTECTION.

Gives the Real Causes of Bust
ness Depression-His Opin-
ion Of the Radical Greenback
Fusion.
The republicans use the tariff
question as their great hobby. This
was one of the principal means
used in electing Garfield. in 1880.
And this is again their principal
argument in the present campaign.
They have deceived thousands up
on this subject, and l am sorry to
say that many Democrats believe
that high protective tariff adds
prosperity to our country. | write
this to prove the fallacy of this
doctrine.
The republican party has had
control of our government for near
ly twenty-three years. The first
five years was during the war, and
as large proportion of the male
inhabitants were in the army. there
fore, those not in the army had all
they could do, and of course re-
ceived good wages. The country
was prosperous during that time,
because those at home could not
produce sufficient to supply the
demand. We will, therefore, leave
the tariff out of the question during
that time, and discuss the question
for the balance of the time the
republicans have had control of the
government, which is eighteen
years beginning the first of 1866.
During all this time they have had
high protective tariff. The ques-
ton arises. has the country been
in flourishing condition all that
time? Or how much Of that time
has the country been in a prosper
Gus condition?
From the beginning of 1866 until
1872, the country was in a pros
porous condition, but from the be-
ginning Of 1872 until the middle of
I87o-a term of seven and half
years-the country was not in a
prosperous condition, but during
six years of that time we had the
hardest times ever known to the
American people since the days of
the revolution. 1t is true that the
American people have had fnan-
cial troubles before, but it never
lasted SO long; nor were the peo-
pie ever so distressed as they were
from 1873 until the middle of 1870.
At this time the country became
more prosperous and until the be-
ginning of 1883 we had a season
Of prosperity. In 1883 business
began to be depressed and now
every one is complaining of hard
times. Everything that farmers
produce is very low, excepting corn,
and that is owing to the scarcity.
Many people are out of employ
ment, and labor commands a very
low price. Yet we still have the
boosted protective tariff. Now to
sum up, during the eighteen years
of republican rule with high tariff
all the time, we have nine years of
prosperity and nine years of advers-
ity, showing conclusively that
protective tariff adds nothing to the
prosperity of the country.
1t is claimed that wool has de-
creased in price owing to the fact
that portion of the duty was
taken off Of it. This is incorrect
because wool has not decreased to
any greater extent than many other
farm products, and the same cause
that has lowered the price Of wheat,
cattle, butter, &C., has caused the
decrease in the price of wool. Let.
us compare last weeks quotations,
in New York, with the average of
those when times are prosperous.
Wheat at present is 90 cents, but
ter IS, wool 81, and when times
are good wheat is SI.35, butter 80
cents, wool s., and many other
things in proportion.
1t is claimed that a protective
tariff protects American manufac-
turers against competition from
other countries. And yet the Pitts
burgh Commercial says that nails
are lower than ever known, and
that nails and many other Ameri-
can products can be sent to Europe
and sold for less than they can be
manufactured for there. If this is
correct, and l believe it is, then
protective tariff is dulusion, and
is used only for the purpose of
keeping the republican party in
power.
A protective tariff has nothing
to do with the prosperity of a
country. But the volume of money
in circulation is the great power
that makes or unmakes the pros
perity of a country. If there is a
large amount of money in circula-
ton times are always good and
everything produced or manufac-
tured commands ready sale and
at fair prices.
When money is scarce there is
no demand and everything is low.
For proof we will compare the nine