The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-11
The Sentinel and Free Trade.

The Sentinel and Free Trade
70 the Editor of the indianapolis Jou rnaI:
The Sentinel of last Saturday says that it
''wonld oppose with all its might and main any
present movement for the destruction Of our
protective system"
Now il would be very interesting to know just
when our free-trade organ was converted. Two
months ago it declared, in an able editorial,
that no man could be in favor Of protection and
remain in the Democratic party. Now it talks
as glibly about preserving 'our protective sys-
tenn as William ID. Kelley or Samuel J. Ran
DALI
The light that shone around the Sentinel
must have been very vivid indeed Q to produce so
marvellous aud happy "a change in ehort
time. Only few weeks ago 10 read Mr.. Ran
dali out of the party because he was opposed to
any movement for the destruction OF "our pro-
tsctive system Il certainly owes that gentle
man an apology. quote from the Sentinel Of
May 20, 1888. Just before Mr.. Cleveland's con-
ventiou: What is to become of the Democrat
who believes in protection' asks the New York
Tribune. 1t isn'ta hard conundrum. because
the Democrat who believes in protection don't
exist. He may call himself a Democrat, or even
think himself one, but he isn't ''As
to what will become of the man who claims to
be Democrat, and at the same time advocates
protection, his destiny is sealed. Unless he re-
forms he will land In the Republican party,
sooner or later and better sooner than later"
The Sentinel seems to have chosen the ''bet-
ter part, and evidently desires TO be classed
among tho .'sooners.' / can hardly imagine
what it was that determined that paper to fight
might aud main to prevent the destruction Of
'our protective system" without it was the ter
rible onslaught made against that system" by
Senator Mcdonald 10 his courthouse speech q
few nights since. The Senator's assaults on the
system have not been equaled By snv other
free trader in the land, not even by MIR Mills
himself He says: II am opposed to the
called protective system upon the ground that it
is violation of the spirit and meaning OF the
constitution comforting the taxing power" I
sincerely hope that the Sentinel will not con-
tinue to fight with all it's might and main to
uphold system" that violates the Esprit and
meaning of the Constitution even for the
present. But the Senator goes further and
says: Il believe that free trade between ma
tons, as between individuals, is the foundation
upon which commerce should rect"
The editor ought to challenge Uncle Joe for q
joint discussion. JOHN B. GLOVER.
The Effect of Destroying Protection.
TO the Editor OF the indianapolis Journals
In 1856 iron sold under protection at scale
prices-s4.oo. There were ninety iron-producine
establishments in the United States Duty be-
ing partially or wholly removed by Democratic
administration in 1857, reduced the price to
g 80; result, eighty furnaces closed down, or
run on greatly reduced time, and but three run
on full time and this was only accomplished BY
reducing wages % to SO per cent. England See
ing our iron resources completely wiped ont,
comparatively speaking, found themselves mas-
tiers of that industry and raised the price to
800. Our free-trade advocates will say, why
| didn't our cefunct furnaces resume business as
the price mp to the original or protection
prices, and 60 ahead and compete with Eng
| lands prices" The answer is easily made and
| fully as easy to comprehend Had our furnaces
| again got into the market with their products,
| England would have dropped on prices again,
| for their profits were as great in proportion to
wages they paid at 81. 30 as our manufacturers
| profits at wages they paid would be az $500.
Another close-down would have been inevitable.
Besides this, men never invest in broken down,
| ruined business. You can't induce any capital
| lists or moderate business to invest his
money in business that has met such universal
| failures. so long st least, as the same causes
| for failure exist. It would have taken this
| country thirty years to recuperate from that
| foolish and invited panic. the result OF tariff
tnkerine, il it had not been for the war. With
ninety iron furnaces then: and over three hun
| dred now, what would DO tho result OF free
| trade on iron, il once brought about No pros
pective war TO right il now. If great reduction
or absolute free trade is carried into effect
| In this country, all European iron countries
| would place their products on our markets at
prices greatly reduced until our furnaces should
| close down. then. as a matter Of policy and busi
ness sagacity, they would be foolish IL they did
not raise the price fully MP to our present
| mcnts closed and our business men inundated.
yet demand for their products we would have
| to pay their prices for whatever amount of iron
| we absolutely bad to have or else shut mp shop.
| To illustrate English greed, take the case of
! Bessemer steel Because they had a patent
| aud they thought a monopoly in that article, We
| had to pay S156 per ton for steel rails. But
| Americans got onto" the process and found it
| could be made for but little moro than plain
iron. Protection WAS thrown around the little
industry, and the result is. that same steel rails
are nov sold for $50 per ton-a saving Of 1924
| per ton to Americans. with a $l7 protective
| tariff besides-snd yet the wags-workers en-
| pioyed in the Bessemer steel establishments
| get double, nearly So the wages in this ccun-
| try that the same class Of wage workers get in
| England. This is one case, and hundreds of
| others might with same results DO given. Bill
| Scott, of Pennsylvania Democratic Congress-
| man and Cleveland's heuchman, wants free
| iron. Wbyl Because he has made his many
million dollars on protected iron-more dollars
| than he can possibly in q legitimate way spend
| In an ordinary lifetime. He wants to deprive
others OF making money even down to the wage
! worker. What does he care If you and starvei
| He has enough and plenty 70 spare. Being one
| OF the first hogs to the swil trough and having
| gos his belly full, be wants to root the trough
over, depriving even the "wusser pig" from get
ting smell only as it is gathered up from the
| mud and filth.
Yet we fear there many poor men. who
are such Dliud partisans that they will not con-
suit interest for themselves and their families.
but blindly vote for their own destruction rather
than go back on the Democratic party, whose
sole stock In trade is ruination TO American in
| dustres and determination 10 make slaye-labor
| ers out Of all who are not able to live without
| labor. REEVES
RICHMOND, Sept 8.
Afraid of the White Caps