The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-27
SOME SOUND DOCTRINE.
A FINE PAPER ON THE TARIFF CUES
TON AND IT'S TEACHINGS.
An Exposition Worthy OF Serious
Thought and Close Study--A Word
to Bread winners--The Ridiculous
High Tariff Cry.

When 20 tho teachings of nature man shall resort,
The truth he thn win no longer distorE
For in nature God speaks with thousand tongues
~ II were,
Aud in language moro potent than words his
laws doth declare.
There is law in nature prescribed for
the revelation OF each and every inslilu-
ton connected with human existence,
whether IT pertains to the individual or
social sphere Of life, and which includes
legislation, commerce, education and re-
ligion. Twill, for the present, salmosi en-
trely conGne my comments TO the natural
and seli.rcgulating law OF supply and de-
mand. which should regulate the business
world. In business and commercial
point OF view, there is really no cause for
a distinction or discrimination between
the people Of this country and any other
between individuals or nations, the better
for each. individuals got rich 10y cx-
changing their surplus for the surplus of
other individuals, and tho same law APP
plies TO nations. What are our railroads,
steamboats, and other means OF transpor-
iation for but 10 facilitate commerce and
exchanged When so much expense Is at
tached TO this object Of promoting oX-
change, why attempt TO impede it with
tariff What il the sense Of claiming that
this tariff protects labor, when all the tax
that this tariff demands is drawn
from the laborcr and co lsumer? How in
the name OF the commoncst kind Of sense
can 1t bc that the tariff protects the labor
er when what he sells This labor IL left
free 10 be competed for In the cheapest
markets, while what Ihc buys aud the
manufacturer sells has the privilege OF a
tariff that to a great extent excludes COM
petition from outside markets, 80 that no
can charge the laborcr from about ~ TO
lOO per cent. moro for what lac consumes
than II there were no tariff? II the manu-
fnciurcr has been given the privilege Of
the almost exclusive control Of the Ameri.
can market in what ho sells, should not
all the industries have like privilege, and
should not the lnborcr claim a like privi-
lego in what he sells This labor) by tariff
on imported labor, which would give him
the almost exclusive control Of the Amori-
can markets; except when his greed over.
reached hrs judgment, ~ IL oitimcs the
case with the manufacturer But sup
posing that the labocr WIS protected IN
the same way the manufacturer is. how
could Il loo a. the advantage or prosperity
OF the nation2 All wealth II inherent IN
the earth and 10y increasing the price Of In.
Dor and The implements used la the pro
duction of that wealth, n would cost morc
and bc restricted at liz source, aud consc-
qucntly the nation impoverished This
can easily be- seen II We will look nj IL IN
the right way. We know that only for the
production Of cotton there would hc no
Memphis, no milruading, no sicamholting
or anything else, and II there was twice rs
much cotton there would b0 twice ~ much
Memphis, twice ~ much uilruadng and
sicamboailng and every thing else.
The farming industry il the source 81 oil
wealth and the backbone OF the country,
and whatever benefits the farmer benefits
the whole nation. How absurd then ~ /,
that the producer Of all wealth should IL
kept from produciNa inorr Wy 'nirihut
ing a bounty 10 the manufacturer, who d
only a consumer OF wealth. aud whom a.,
country could aud should do without II h,
can not stand upon his own feet. Ncrl,
the business world should be lett free &,
IT. spontaneous movements aud be- guided
by the rs;Gnl aud self regulating Law o
supply aud demand, aud only when this
natural law is being impcdcd 10y trust,
and combines should legislation interfere,
The natural law OF commerce, does moi
need the interference Oi Congress g. pfo'
mote It's successful operation, and Congrs'
should cease To protect what they cal
national but what Arc really class Interests
] am a lahuring man, aud how II Il tina
o. many OF my fellow lahutrrs can enter
tain the belief that tho tamil protect
thcm N a. me n mystery. About the onl
way that ] can account for u u that
crcdulOus ~ the wufkingmcn general
arr, they have taken Il lor granted tha
what Is called protection h rally such
without ever having stopped Ia IN
quirc into the foundation Of III
claim, but have laid it away II
their minds and put seal upo
Il. considering that Il il something bcyon,
the influence Of reason ~ Argument A
an instance Of this ! once presented 4
ihc notice OF an individual who IVA
stuck on the tamil, argument after argu
ment, aud fact after TACT which prove,
the ialsity Of the claim of thc tariff M
protector Of labor, Ia each oi which bee uu
Varyingly answered, Yeas, but then W
when lac thought the scat Oi his ptyiu
dice was bcing endangered, cut lousc, cS
claiming "Aw, You 80 10 -H, W. mw
have protection 90 labor How it h. N.
the lahonng man will cling a. the iauI !
aproicciuf In spite Of all Arguments an
facts which prove 10 the contrary, " 10
decd strange beyond question. How ca
u Nc That This iurn protects oven those ~
g1gcd IN Mc protected industries Whc
There b. no stipulation iu That tamil thI
! cent Of thc yNtm price ,Nn,tyd by th
hrlh shall 30 10 tie hhuryI' No, M
laborcfyr IN not recognized Iu tlr tau
and the manufacturer hires h.s labor
the chcapys, markets, aud sells Dis goo
la the highest How can d be- tlat tho
engaged IN unprotected industries are hv
Gifted by the mul When the, are col
PEELED by Il 10 pay morc iof What th
consume, aud tluy need not lear conn
tiiion by foreigners in iUuIgn count
In the work they do7 They only me-
fear that competition when b comes %,
here. and that it dog5 do. free and a
tammcllod hya taru, so that tAu labor
In this country has al thu dialunta.
Of cheap ioryign labor 10 contend vii
while hc has mono 81 the advantages
cheap iorign goods.
Even suppusing that those engaged
protected Industries did receive bot
wages on account Of the higl prices nj
duccd by the tarn, OF what they mir
iaciurcd. then on the same principle {
man who used the articles mauulaciui
could not afford 10 pay high Wages bccat
the material cost 80 much m0ru on accou
OF the tariff. Thus, II it was ihu case II