The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-08-30

mission OF duties on all foreign materials
used in
MANUFACTURING FOR THE EXPORT TRADE.
The law is positive that all articles
manufactured for export from imported
materials, upon which duties have been
paid, shall, when exported, be entitled to
a drawback of 80 per cent of the duties
paid on such raw materials. Some use
has been made of these laws. The re-
mission Of duties in 1884 paid upon i'm.
ported material manufactured for foreign
markets amounted to S2,256,63S. On some
articles the drawback is equal to the duty
paid, but in no instance where articles are
imported to be manufactured here and
sent abroad is the duty to exceed 10 per
cent.
And yet we are gravely told by the
tariff refOrmers that we cannot reach for
eign markets on account Of the high tariff
on the raw material, when, IN fact, for
foreign trade, foreign raw materials are
practically free. This principle WAS re.
cogniz:d rs early as the administration Of
George Washington, and has been en-
larged and made applicable to all i'm
ported materials, the drawbacks varying
from 80 to 100 per cent. What becomes,
then, of the cry for free raw materials in
we are not SO much concerned about the
foreign market as we are about the home
market. The latter is the best, and we
have not yet been able to control it, and
until we do, that should be our chief con-
Germ. But If any of our people are signing
for foreign market and value it more
highly than our own, they can import for
eign raw material practically free Of duty,
and after advancing into the higher forms
Of ma fan tTNrn on nd
the worlds markets. Taxed raw mate
rials do not now stand in their way, and
it Is hypocrisy to claim otherwise.
1.-THE markets of the world" in our pres
emit condition are snare and a delusiou
We will reach them whenever we can I'M
dersell competing nations, and not sooner.
Tariffs do not keep MS out and free trade
will not make it easier TO enter them. Let
me give you brief exhibit of some of our
foreign trade, what we buy and what we
sell. In the year ending June, 30, 1884,
we bought of Mexico, the Central Ameri
can States, British Honduras and the
governments of the West Indies and
South America, products to the value of
SIT, 46S 526, and we sold these govern.
ments of our products about 33h per cent
in amount of what we bought OF them, or
about $50, 000.0 900; and as showing that
our protective tariff did not produce this
uncomfortable balance against us, need
only state that more than one half of the
products we bought were not subject to
any tariff tax at all, but were admitted
free of dnty.
Upon what terms can we adopt rev.
enue tariff system in this country In
one way only,
BY ACCEPTING EUROPEAN CONDITIONS,
and submitting to all the discomforts and
disadvantages Of our commercial rivals.
The chief obstruction in the way Of a rev.
enue tariff are the wages paid American
workingmen, and any return to that pol
icy involves reduction of the cost of
labor. We cannot afford, Mr.. President,
to have cheap labor in the United States.
Cheap labor means cheap men and dear
money. would rather elevate and i'm
prove the condition of my fellow citizens
than increase the value of money and the
power of "money.bags." This Is repub-
lie of free and equal citizenship. The
government Is in the hands Of the masses,
and not of the few. This is our boast,
and 1t is proud one. The condition of
the masses, their well being, their in
telligence, their preparation for the civil
duties which rest upon them, depend
1t is essential, therefore, that the best
possible wages attainable shall be secured
and maintained. This is vital and
We caC<lOt without great
danger and serious dif turbance-we ought
not under any ciIG lnnstances-8dopt a
policy which would sCAle down the wages
and diminish the comforts of the Ameri-
can workingmen. Their welfare and In
dependence, their progress and elevation,
al al 1aNn ha ny,A IN
dependence and progress of the republic.
We have no pampered class in this coun-
try, and we want none. We want the field
kept open. No narrowing of the avenues,
no lowering of our standard. We want
no barriers raised against a higher and
better civilization. The gateway of oppor-
tunity must be open to all, to the end that
they may be first who deserve to be first,
whether born in poverty or reared in
luxury. We do not want the masses
excluded from competing for the first rank
among their countrymen and for the ma
TONS greatest honors, and we do not mean
they shall be.
Free trade, or revenue tariff, will OF
necessity shut them out. 1t has no respect
for labor 1t holds 1t as the mere machin-
cry of capital. 1t would have cheap men
that it might have cheap merchandise.
With all of its boosted love for the strug
Cling millions, it is infinitely more inter
ested in cutting down the wages of labor
than In saving 25 cents on blanket more;
intent in reducing the purchasing
pc Her of a mans labor than the cost of
his coat Things are not always dearest
when their price is nominAlly the highest.
The price is not the only measure, but the
wherewith to buy it is an essential factor.
Few men before me but have found in the
course of their lives more than once that
that which was cheapest when measured
by mere price was the dearest when they
were
WITHOUT MONEY AND EMPLOYMENT,
or when their products could find no mar
ket, and finding it, commanded no price
at all commensurate with the labor re-
quired to produce them. Primarily, 1t ID
labor which is interested most In this
question of protection. The man with
money can seek other avenues of profit
and Investment, or can wait for his