The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-02
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

present state-happier than mankind ever
touched before. If we would continue in that
state We must hold on to industries-er-
large, elevate and multiply them. They are
more to US than territory, more than foreign
trade, more than peace"
heverting to the question Of wages, and con-
trastlng those In this country with the wages in
England, he referred to the free-traders' claim
that with protection in Germany wages were
less than here. Germany" he said, "has re-
modelled her tariff on protection principles, and
already her Industries have been ouickened and
wages slightly improved by il. That German
wages VIII ever exceed English wages may NOS
occur 1t will depend upon whether Germany,
with protection can reach q greater general
prosperity than England with free trade For
l repeat. wages rest not on protection or free
trade merely, but on general industrial pros
perity. Where the conditions are such that
protection increases the general industrial pros
perlty, 1t raises wages; where the conditions ara
such that free trade increases the general indus
trial prosperity, there free trade raises wages.
Protection is indispensable to America, said
the Judge, for free trade is rot the road to di-
vsrsifed and prosperous industry. Free trade
means free competition with al the world. For
America to MAINTAIN competition with the world
and keep up her present rate Of wages is impos-
eiole. I've would have to compete he contin-
ned with England, Ireland, Scotland, France,
Germany, Belgium, Holland. Denmark, Italy,
Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal. which coun-
tries contain. in the aggregate. Isl, ,000, 900 OF
peopie. IN al tnoee countries there 10 surplus
OF labor, and wages average little more than half
tie rate paid in this country. They contain
millions of skilled artisans, embracing every
branch OF art and msnufacture. The railroad
and steamship have brought all these people
within ten days travel of New York, aud they
are within an hours reach by telegraph. For
the purpose Of business competition they
close to us as our neighbors in Canada, or in ad-
joining States. One of two things would neces
sarily follow competition-either American man.
n ha Lar 70 rodr hA
wages Of their employees 70 substantially ths
same rate with that paid in Europe, else
abandon ali branches of manufacture open TO
European competition, except those, il any
there should be, In which we enjoy some advan-
tace equal to the difference in wages The act
ual result of free trade would be- doubtless,
that some industries would be abandoned, aud
others continued st reduced wages, until the
whole standard OF American life would be
brought down to substantially the same level
with that Of our European competitors. II We
could have the industries without the tariff. /
should not care for the tariff. But against the
watchful competition of a hundred and eighty
seven millions of people across the ocean, We
could no more maintain our Industries and our
wages without protection than q farmer
could raise q crop OF corn before the
eyes of thousand hungry cattle
without any. fence about his field.
We have now about sixty-tbree millions of peo-
ple and will have q hundred millions IN the life
time of some of rs Between all these people.
over all this territory, and in al these produc-
tions have unresiricted free trade The
oranges Of Florida and California, the wheat or
Minnesota, the rice of Georgia, the corn of Iowa,
the iron of Pennsylvania, the copper OF Michi-
ean the boots of Massachusetts, and the beef OF
Illinois are all interchanged as freely as though
they were all produced in one county We have
moro free trade among ourselves than all the
nations Of Europe would have with each other
if they should abolish all their tariffs.
The Judge then passed to the consideration OF
free-trade arguments. taking ND first its effect
on prices, as to which he said the true measure
of prices is not money, but labor. A days work
is the ultimate unit of value the world over,
and the final proof Of the chsapness Of commodi-
ties il the quantity ofithem that dayslwork will
buy. In regard to foreign trade he main tanned
that the foreign manufacturer has the advant-
age of the American, as all the elements for his
production cost less. Next there was the dam
ger Of the markets becoming glutted under free
trade. America had no merchant marine with
which to reach the worlds markets, and Co
spend hundreds or millions Of public money
necessary to build one would drive the Demo
cratic party into conniptions The speaker, aft
er referring to the other stock arguments OF the
free-traders, said protection was coeval with the
Union. His speech was frequently applauded,
and will doubtless bring forth good results.