The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-23

West is filled up, when the crowded East can
no longer find ampler or better room in the
West than at home, when we begin to approx
innate Europe in density of population, then
our labor will get as little relief, by way OF
increase in wages, from protective tariff as
labor now gets in France, Austria, aud Ger
many from such tariff. 1t will be like the
picture on the Liverpool docks-a mere strug-
gle for something to do. How illusory high
protective tariff is under such conditions, and
how little aid it can really afford is attested to
by United States Consul General Jusseu, OF
Vienna, in his report of AprillS, 1887, found
in Consular Report No. SO, for September
last. Here is what lie says:
THE EFFECT OF A PROTECTIVE TARIFF UPoN
AUSTRIAN INDUSTRIES.
The reasons which were given for this state of
very interesting and quite remarkable, considering
the source from whence they came. As the cause
the house of peers feels called upon to mention ~
the armed peace OF Europe; (2) the industrial COM
peton; and (S the tariff war between the nations Of
Europe, burden which, as these gentlemen admit
the nations of Europe can not possibly carry much
longer. And what is more remarkable still is that
not only the liberal press but the semi Official and
highly conservative organs coincide in this view,
and proceed to show that the protective tariff was
principally instrumental in bringing about the
present condition of things.
As a matter of course these journals claim that a
highly protective tariff was at first when the expen
order to enable the people to carry the burden OF
internal taxation, but they admit that this tariff
system led to the tariff wars under which Europe is
sequence the industries of Austria find themselves
suddenly cut off from foreign markets and confined
to the demands of home consumption, and that home
aOnSUmDti0n decreases constantly lpnQ affected by
the same causes which curtailed the export trade,
and that at last the industries of the Empire stand
face to face with commercial crisis.
For this dilemma, so freely admitted the RENE
dies of universal tariff reduction and international
tariff conventions are proposed, but together with
this proposal the admission goes hand in hand that
concert of action of the nations of Europe in this
direction is under present circumstances out of the
question. And, finally, after all these arguments
and considerations, the conclusion is reached that
nothing is to be done except to leave things in
stdtu quo.
This, too, illustrates how, under such con-
ditions as Austria is in, protective tariffcan
not only not protect labor, but also fails to
help languishing and depressed industries.
When labor finds nothing to do, when in
dustres find no market, the patient, in either
case has got beyond tariff relief.
But will pursue the bearing of the tariff on
the wage question no further. My object has
been not to show that the tariff gave no relief
to labor, but to point out truly and honestly
Just the extent to which the tariff can reach in
fixing wages. While am in favor of fair
and Just protective tariff-a low tariff as call
it-I am under all circumstances opposed to
tariff that reaches beyond this point
to what term high tariff The primary OBJ
ject of tariff justly protective is, as have
already suggested, increased production.
Where this result can not be fairly reached,
or the tariffs too high, then there is no war
rant for it, and there should be an abatement,
and in any tariff tax or other tax abatement
preference should always be given to the ne
cessaries of life. l believe that there are
many items in our tariff list that are either too
highly taxed or are not fair objects for pro-
lection, or that being among the supreme
neeessaries of life should for that reason,
under the present condition of our Treasury,
be freed from tariff taxes. Under this belief
l have introduced bill putting sugar, mo-
lasses, rice, salt, coal, lumber, manila, jute,
and sisal grass and twine from the same on
the free list. The following table, based on
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1887, shows
the effect of such policy: