The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-05-12
THE TARIFF DEBATE.


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~ cosrsssISc n.
- Dsosrrssse Prspssssssa sd
WHIST - O0ess - IT, Farming In
1rsess-A Measure WHISKY ISL
QnsasuA
lspesial corr.~yund<noe-Tl
ws,HEssros, D. G, Xsys
~ DEBATE on the tariff row PRO
rrrSfne in congress I'll h~coase an
hsstaseaI event to be often referred 10
a tn great debate" lisa great de-
bate hdees, the real audience hAnz
the ~sny millions 81 people inhsbssing
she-e cnirei ssate.. and whore rights
and irstne-ts are effected by the meas
usre nssarr consideration. No measure
for nsaag years has attracted sueh
general Asentisn OF eifsitei sach wide
spread sseeress A. thu. The reason i
ohvioa~. Yoa touch a MAS pocket
by the 10 making power, and you
tssseh his trsrt. Sentiment and rrin-
ssgae gsven hosts Of nsen. bat ie. the
dollar be axAed and q multitude vii
give attentive
The mea<uYs o under eonsissera-
tion l. alleged ON the one sssie 10 be
fraaghf wsfh danger, while on the
ssher IL i ciaDssri 10 be a muifinsent
proposition 1hi- bring . political
qsestion. it nay he thought BY many
IL lie inspprofiatc Ia discuss by one
who writes esp rally ups,f individual
snh5ecf- bsf t<bfving that free trade
or tree trade ~trHiefaeies viii retard the
development AWashingten Territory
and strike n seriUls blow At the farm
ing interests, feel II isa duty IN a
rosi-parti-an -pibt To sound the alarm
of
fxrrsbfYc psSsEE-
! IL matter. not how plausible a theory
may be, II expecxsi results viii not
follow. Theory which fails in the APP
plicasion must go - the wall. That
protection has cheaQHiess In many ar
tieles. none but the feckiess will deny.
The active competition for the worlds
market aud the bnaling up II addi-
tionai competing manufactures in
ereases the supply. - that the infiex-
ible rule II supply ard demand takes
effect and regulates price. This has
been illustrated tinne and time
again. Take for Instance that
great staple and ever expanding
industry. sugar. The direct protection
given the beet sugar interest by the
German government in bounties not
only give the Germans cheaper sugar
Notwithstanding their heayy import
duties on foreign sugar. het because OF
the vast increase In the supply of this
staple in consequence Of protection.
the whole world has cheaper sugar to-
day than it otherwise would have
IL the German sugar producers had
been left 10 shift for themselves and
been crushed out by the Web estab-
li-hei cane sugar interest. Neverthe-
less, Germany has been immensely
the gamer, increasing her commerce,
her capaeity for producing bed, butter
and other products, ard made her
more independent Of other nations.
Instances almost innumerable are re-
corded OF like results in various
branches OF industry. all traceahle to
the infiexiblc Law of supply and de-
mand, coupled with the well known
fact that protection tends to increase
the worlds supply in greater ratio
than than the worlds demand.
Today. II we have a settled policy Of
protection on sugar,W Washington Ter
ritory would have been producing her
own supply of that staple. II would
only be repeating the illustration ~
apply this to wooi, iron, cloth, leather,
or any Of the branches of productive
manufacturing interests. yet i'll each
there are abundant facts that may b.
cited all leading up to the same results.
RIA raKNge's
1t may he said and in fact Is alleged
that the farmer i not interested in
this. that il IL the manufacturer and
Misunderstanding interests. There il nc
other class of citizens more deeply in
terrste,i than the farmers. Wherever
there arc manufactures there farming
pays best, and farm lands advance IL
price accordingly in the same ratio ol
established manufacturing Interests
Thi- Is abundantiy proven by siatis-
tics, available Ia any one. The reason
j. not difficult 10 find. II the Gle
elum iron mines were developed and
/ thousands of operators at work there
does not every farmer III the Column
I bia basin know he would feel the ef-
ftsts of a more diversified and bettei
market? III the Spokane waterfalls
and other water powers unused al
over that great country were utilized
turning the spin,iles of great woolcr
mills. docs not every fa1D,er know
that he would have a better market
not only for hts wool, but also n fal
better market for everything he eoult
raise tn supply the operators in ,hcs'
; factories.
THEE wooL TAXED weoLESs.
The proposed tariff places wool ct
the free list on the spccious plea thai
such II course Will insur. chcapei
clothing. aud hence t~hcfarmter can nj
ford 10 sell his wool lower. The fac
i the average farmer In America, ant
Washington Territory i no exception
cannot stand up against the cheaJ
WOODS of Australia and other countrie.
where labor i onN a nominal prla,
and the iio< Ks roam at will ever vasl
tracts of cheap land. To compete, vi
must have this same cheap labor
cheap lands. low profits or none at all
The result has been already. from tn,
lowering oi the tariff on wool a few
wears since, that there has been a rap
ia desiinc in the number of sheer
kept. quantity of WOOL produced ala,
profits obtained.
New IL Is proposed Ia put this sta
pie on the free list and open mp IN,
way Tor the free importation OF WOO
from all quarters Of the globe.
ruE Result.
l. just a. certain a. that day ~sysccecsii
night. isia; foreign woods will take pos
ses-iea 81 oar markets not at tn,
same reduction in price ~ the amour
ot tariff taken off. bat at whatsveI
pficv ma lie ~nesss>ary Ia drive ON
farmers fairly ta the wall. After III,
vA,ae at oar hu~ks are destroyed ans
are sent Il the shamhles. and car wesl
driven ont % competition. then vii
the forvign Mod growers reap thei
harvest while We arr i-saat hand ant
foot The psice wM vat then lie rera
latest IN the cost IT pfeuiuctioa ba
viii ftu again 90 hat law FIRST qgu.esl
that II - pplv afai demand" Tn