The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-04-28

Va WIG COuhucut III WhS" "hSiS 20
the most protection, present per-
picking problems which the tariff
advocates In the United States are
unable to solve to their own satis-
faction. Nor can they explain, In
accordance with their theories, the
phenomenon of wages in the -four
ishing colonies of Australia, where
the earnings of labor are much
higher than in most portions of this
country. and where the protective
duties are extremely low. Never
theless, our tariff mongers insist
that by some occult process this in.
direct method of taxation keeps up
the wages Of labor in the United
States, though the theory utterly
fails to work anywhere else on the
face of the globe,
So far from maintaining the
wages of labor, there is no lack of
proof that the tariff has just the op-
posite effect-of depressing wages
and lessening the means of employ
ment. The outer wall which the
tariff has drawn around the country
by taxing crude materials has shut
the products of it's manufacturing
industry and skill out of the
markets of the world. Within the
inner tariff wall wich the "Trusts"
have reared American workingmen
are put at the mercy of Monopoly
for their supplies of the necessaries
of living. BY the former process
of taxing raw materials OF labor
the cost of production is enhanced
to such degree that the foreign
market for the surplus is cut off,
while the home consumption is dis
couraged. Production soon out
strips demand, and as inevitable
results the wages of labor are de-
pressed and the opportunities of
employment diminished. Manu-
facturers may form "rrusts" to
check supply or may close their
mills and factories for awhile, but
the discharged workingmen, whose
capital is their daily labor, must
suffer the loss of their earnings, if
not, indeed, starve.
Under the other process of opera
ton, behind the double wall of
Tariff and "Trust," the purchasing
power of wages in diminished by
the artificially enhanced cost of the
necessaries and comforts of every
American household, while sup
plies are limited by "Trusts" and
Monopolies operating under shelter
of the tariff workingmen must pay
more for their clothing, glass,
earthenware, salt, and other neces-
saries of living, or consume less OF
these commodities. They must pay
higher rents for houses in which
the cost of nearly all the materials
enhanced by at least 90 per cent,
or content themselves with less
comfortable homes. At the same
time the 'Trusts" and MOnopolies
organized under the tariff to limit
production, and thus increase the
cost of commodities to workingmen
diminish the means and opportuni-
: ties of labor.
: These truths concerning the
: practical operation of the tariff
would be disputed as little as are
the axioms of geometry but for the
fact that there is a tremendous in
:, terest in falsifying them. Upon the
. pretense that protection gives high
. wages and emplyment to the labor
y which it plumbers, rests the whole
, fraudulent fabric of the tariff
When American workirgmen shall
. have become convinced that the
> tariff, so far from protecting them
> is their oppressor, the system will
. fall to the ground without blow
'' .
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