The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-07-21
A Low Tariff Means Larger Profits ana
Better Wages.

Low Tariff Means Larger Profits anu
Better Wages.
In the interview with our Washington
correspondent printed yesterday, Mr. Wins
dragged two facts out of this tariff discus
sion by the scruff at the neck which the
people ought 10 take good lock AZ,
OF course, when Mr.. Wins or any other
manufacturer expresses hope that the
tariff on raw materials will be taken off or
reduced, he talks from his pocket book.
Well, the pocket book argument Is legiti-
mate, for the only object In doing business
is to make profit Aud the policies Of the
government are always sound when they
jealousy conform TO the greatest financial
advantage of the greatest numDer.
When congress begins In earnest 10
wrestle with this problem II will NOT find
II half as hard to solve rs some timid
people think, The federal revenue can
be cut down TO the point indicated by a
rigid economy without even jostling the
industries of the people. More than that,
II can be cut down In such q way that
great many dollars which II Is impossible
to get nj just now will find their way into
our pockets A wise change In the tariff
will put money In our purses instead of
taking tout.
Speaking OF our ability TO compete with
foreigners In the worlds markets Mr. Wins
says:
Were It not for the tariff on raw ma
terAl the American manufactures would
nave an outlet for his goods In those coun.
tries in competition with the English man
ufacturers, spd also with better possible
margin of profit than the Englisman has. !"
Well that is what we are all after. II
we can increase the bulk of our business
we shall not only reap larger pro6ts, but
the extra demand for goods will give stead
Ter employment and better wages 10 an
immense number of workmen. Two birds
with one stone is profitable hunting. If
We have home market alone We simply
make money out Of each other, but II we
send our products TO South America and
Australia, and perhaps TO England, We
make our profits out of foreigners. With
raw wool on the free list we should stand
good chance to get our share OF the custom
OF every nation on the globe; but with
tax on raw wool every Englshman and
German can slam the door In our face and
shut US out In the cold.
Mr.. WINS says again and truly
THE industry has been fostered In such
q way that II has come TO rely upon the
protection Of the government, and is CON
sequently peculiarly sensitive, IS all foster
ed plants are, to all changes in the market
or the tariff"
II Alexander Hamilton, the father of
protection, could come back and see some
of the results Of his theory he would be
astonished and chagrined. He proposed
crutch for our infant industries until they
got strong In the legs and could stand alone.
All right; but the fact is that the crutch is
becoming more important than the legs.
If Hamilton could look down on this con-
dition of affairs he would say TO our man.
ufacturers, g. wanted to protect you, but
didn't expect you to become helpless. II
the doctors medicine makes you bedrid-
den you had better change the doctor"
American industries are sharp witted and
clear headed, and ask odds of no one. If
there Is market In Brazil they will be
represented, or In Peru, Chile, or Austral-
la. They are not slew to take advantage of
their opportunities But the sharpest Amer
lean merchant will decline contest If you
blindfold him and tie his hands and feet
before you allow him TO go into it, Give
him fair play-he never asks for anything
ulOIc-dIlu fbu arc suIC W uChi u eotd ~
count of him Give equal advantages with
other people, and If he can't make money
it will be useless for the other people to
try 70.
Now we are seeking profitable trade.
We want to drive bargains with the people
of every nation. We have the genius, the
enterprise, the machinery that insures suc'
cess. Give us larger free list, multiply
the number of free raw materials and the
hum of increased business will be heard
everywhere. Open the tariff door wide
enough to let In the raw goods and our mer-
chants will send their manufactured goods
into every foreign mart, and 1t will go hard
with US but we will enter npon an era of
national prosperity such as we have never
seen before.
President Clevelands policy of opening
up a larger market for American manufac-
turers not only commends itself to the
country's pocket, but also TO the country's
patriotism,-N. Y. Herald.