The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-08-08
THE TARIFF AND SILVER.
Answers to Number of Questions Pro.
pounded by "The Sentinel"


Answers to a Number of Questions Pro.
pounded by "The Sentinel"
To THE EDIToR-Sir: Permit me TO answer
the questions asked in THE SENTINEL of the
25th inst, to which reply is asked of the
Journal.
~ ''Why did wages increase more rapidly
in the United States during the ten low tariff
years, 1850 to 1860 than during any other decade
in the history of the countryP
To compare principle OF cause in nature
with the depletionary policy OF the republican
party, the same or an opposite result may be
produced. The great influx of gold through its
discovery in California and Australia, brought
with it during the decade referred to, con-
tinued increasing supply of the moneyed
standard or measure of all values,
and with it the best times upon
a substantial basis the United States or the
world had ever before experienced. In like
manner again when nature responds to the
necessities OF a growing country and people,
with an increased supply of that standard,
silver, which jointly with gold had been reeOg-
niZed as such from the time Judas sold the
Savior up TO 1873, when the republican party
surrepttiously sought to destroy it-land have
succeeded in doing so for the present as
money standard never prior to the above date
there time or instance in history where
silver was discounted for gold or discrepancy
in value between the two In any degree demon
alizing, when at fixed ratio they were recog-
niZed alike IN law as To coinage, etc., but to-day
through continued diminishing supply with
increasing demand for gOld-the only standard
the reverse result to that cited in the decade
referred to is produced general depression
and low prices) through the destruction of
silver as O money standard and republican
depletion generally.
I'd why have wages in England more than
doubled since that country abandoned the
high tariff policy and established tariff for
revenue onlyr"
Because a liberal policy facilitates and in
duees through reciprocity with other countries
an enlarged interchange of indigenous prod
ucts, as shown in the report OF our South and
Central American commission under the Ar
thur administration, in which it is said that
while forty to sixty trading vessels a month en-
ter the harbor of Buenos Ayres, not one of
them floats the stars and stripes and
that our exports to that country are
not what they were fifty years ago,
When this commission met the president OF
Uruguay with its mission in view Ito negotiate
a liberal interchange IL was asked by him II II
could give any guarantee or assurance that the
congress of the United States would reduce or
abrogate the import duty on wool. The COM
mission could give no such assurance. Hence,
wool being one of Uruguary's principal commo-
dties of export. the door OF negotiation OF a
the Mills bill becomes a law might return the
commission with hope of success.
(3) why are wages at the pauper level in
the high tariff countries of Guropep
Because of the want of policy that would
induce liberal and enlarged interchange be-
tween countries as indicated in the above re-
ply to the second question.
"a. Why are wages in the non-protected in
dusrnes of this country higher than the pro-
tected industries"
Because when placed on an equal footing
with all competition the enterprise, energy
and inventive genius OF the American will en-
able him to compete with all others Take for
comparison the cotton and leather interest that
obtain their material free of duty, and
compare with the wooden interest that is re-
quired to pay high duty on raw materials that
enter into their fabrics. Within the last year
we have exported 100000 Of cotton fabrics
and 100000 of leather and leather
fabrics, and but 100000 of wooden
fabrics. Now, | would ask, did not these
millions worth of cotton and leather fabrics
THAT went out OF our country give employ
ment far in excess of the few thousands Of
woolens, so highly protected in behalf Of labor (P)
The wooden industry to-day is in the most
generally depressed condition of any interest
in this country, In fact, there are but few
wooden mills in this country that can't be
bought for 80 on the 81 of their actual cost.
But pass the Mills bill, giving them free raw
material and, il will place this interest on an
equal footing with cotton and leather with in
creased employment and exports in like ratio,
enabling them to exchange their fabrics to
exchange them for South American wool.
g. why have more strikes and lock-outs
occurred in this country during the twenty
five years of high protection than during the
seventy-fve preceding yearsT
Because OF the illiberal, selfish and circum-
scribed policy of high protection, viii not adj
NIT Of the natural expansion of trade and COM
merce, to give employment and meet the wants
of our greatly increasing population. This
has, with other causes assigned in the reply to
the first question, brought about depressed
and trammeled condition Of our industries,
of the working classes.
g. "Why did the average rate of wages paid
in the manufacturing institutions of Indiana
increase IL per cent in the low tariff decade
1850 to 1900 and only increase II per cent in