The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-05-10

is not applied to all our industries, it
does protect them all. This it does
by diversifying the occupations of the
people, making a large home demand
for the products Of industries not di-
rectly protected, and by removing the
excessive competition which would
exist if those now employed in direct
ly protected industries were forced to
abandon them and swell the number
in other pursuits.
Thus carpenters, masons, and
many others whose occupations are
not protected by tariff, because the
articles they produce (houses) cannot
be imported, are benefited by the de-
mand for houses from those who are
earning their living in industries which
would not 60 on without protection.
They are also protected by being re-
lieved from competition with men who,
but for protection, would be forced tc
become carpenters or masons to get a
living.
The farmer is protected in similar
way, by increased demand and dimin-
ished competition.
A tariff for protection does there
fore benefit directly and indirectly the
whole people, and it is unjust to as
sumo that it's benefits are for a small
class and at the expense of all the
rest.
When the opponent of protection
claims that the direct benefits are only
for those engaged in the protected in
dustry, is is evident he has not care
fully examined the facts. Let us
consider any one of these directly
protected industries-the wool manu-
facturers, for example-and see how
far the protection goes. This branch
of manufactures is carried on in all
the States. 1t has made a market
for 800, 100000 pounds of American
wool. In 1880 it employed 161, 557
persons and paid in wages SAL, $780,
0S7. But 60 into village where a
wooden factory has been started, and
inquire how many persons and indus
tries it supports. 1t has utilized the
water-power which before lay idle.
Every horsepower of water so used
exerts the productive power of eight
men. If it is 100 horsepower
which would be needed for amedium-
sized wooden mill-it represents in
work the power of 800 men, adding
to the comforts and wealth of the ma
ton, which, but for protection, would
never have been utilized. Such a
factory would require the services of
about $50 persons, representing with
their families not less than $50 men,
women and children. This popula-
ton, concentrated around the mill,
demands houses, fuel, food, clothing,
and personal services of all kinds. 1t
sets in motion and brings together
all the industries which provide these
wants; the carpenter and mason and
painter, the lumberman and brick
maker, the workers of coal and hew-
ers of wood, the farmer and gardener,
the butcher and baker, the tailor and
shoemaker, the store-keeper, the doc
tor and lawyer, the preacher, the ho-
tel-keeper, the blacksmith and team
ster. All these, and many more,
congregate around the factory, and
find occupation and flourish, where
before was unoccupied land and I'M
used water. The owner of the land
finds his farm mine, and the State
gathers taxes where no one before
lived to pay them.
This is the fruit of protection, and
to say that the manufacturer alone is
protected, or that he alone gets the
benefit of the tariff which enabled
him to build the factory and operate
it, is surely erroneous. Now, to look
further. Go inside the factory. You
find it is consuming wool-probably a
quarter of million pounds yearly
bought from farmers near and far a
way, and which they could not other
wise have sold. 1t is built of brick
or stone and lumber, and has furnish
ed hundreds of men with profitable
work in building. 1t is full of costly |
the fruit of the toll and
the skill of the miners of iron, and |
the mechanics who wrought it. They |
have had their share in the enterprise.
A more critical inspection shows the
use in the wooden factory of an almost
infinite variety of articles grown and
in various places, some
near at hand, and others far away,
but nearly all, and all might be, in
our own country. There is starch
from potatoes or flour; there is soap