The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-05-11

slave-trade pamphlets, all more or less
distressed to death over the horrible fate
of the workingman, and appealing to the
humane to save him. One pamphlet,
which is now before me, is headed as fol-
lows: 1.-The Foreign Raid Begnn. Pre-
pairing for the Onslaught on American In
dustries." Then follows the startling in
formation that lot of Belgian iron masters
are preparing to flood this country with
cheap iron house and bridge building ma
terial, and have already scattered their
advertising circulars broadcast over the
land ''ln anticipation Of the possible action
of the free trade Congress. The writer
says that Tariff League representative
got list Of their prices on beam iron, and
found that they offered them at $25 81 per
ton, plus 81. A charges and $2S duty
total SIS. 35; and adds that American
manufacturers cannot make such beams
for less than SO. OF course, he says,
1.-The labor cost. more than anything else,
makes this difference! 1t so happens,
however, that the census of 1880 gives US
statistics, furnished by the manufacturers
themselves, of the percentage Of labor in
the working of iron in America that per-
centage is 1877. At this rate the labor
in ton Of such iron in Belgium is about
IS. so, in America SIG so; but the duty is
&2S, and ocean freat 81. A mOre-tOtal
$50 "A, against the Belgian. Now, what
becomes of the $13 "a which remains after
paying the American ironworker THREE
TINES the wages of the Belgian? No man
with common sense can doubt for a mo-
ment that it goes into the pocket of the
manufacturer. He shouts himself boarse
for the money to be given to the American
laborer; he hires men like this scribbler to
falsify the truth in the name of the Amer
lean laborer; his tears roll down his cheeks
in copious and piteous streams for his be-
loved American laborer, but suppressing
his grief as best he may, he wipes them
away AND POCKETS TIE MONEY. Surely
this is An affection surprising the love Of
woman. And 80 the falsehood may be
detected in hundred leading articles of
prime necessity.
1t is astonishing that fallacies 30 often
and 80 completely exposed should be so
persistently and so shamelessly reasserted.
Whenever these assertions are examined
they have been found untrue; whenever
their predictions have been tested they
have shared the fate of the priests of Baal.
The story of quinine always gives pro-
tectionist the chifis instead of curing him.
They said when a repeal of the duty was
agitated that it would destroy utterly its
manufacture in the United States, dis
charging all the labor engaged and raise
the price. At that time there were five
establishments in this country making 1t.
employing 500 hands, and the price was
g. so an ounce. A poor man could not
afford to have chills at such a price for
quinine. But with much hesitation Con
gress took the risk and repealed the heavy
duty and put it on the free list. Every
prediction proved to be the utterance of a
false prophet. There are now twelve qul-
nine factories in the United States, en-
ploying 200 hands, and the price is so
cents per ounce, whilst the workmen re-
ceive as good wages as before. Yet it
would almost appear that they ask us to
believe their predictions to-day because
they lied to US yesterday. A young can
didate for the ministry was put up to
preach his trial sermon. In the midst Of
his discourse he lost his foot, baked, and
lolled out his tongue in manner 80 ridic-
ulous, that the unregenerate snickered,
and the pious were scandalized. A grave
brother rebuked him and demanded in
dignantly why, of all things, he put his
tongue out. "Well, brother" he replied,
II knew l must put out something and
that was all could get out" So it is
with those who enslave commerce. They
are pushed to the wall by the demand for
revenue reform: the spirit of intelligent
inquiry into the methods and the neces-
sity for this enormous taxation, which Is
over1owing the treasury, enriching thou
sands by grinding millions into the earth,
and preparing for the utter destruction of
foreign commerce. They know that their
Infamous combinations with the system
which supports them, are threatened with
exposure to the light, which means death,
and they are obliged to put out something.
The old, faithful, well-worn lie about
the benefit of protection to the working
man, whom they love with an enthusiasm
that discounts the affection Of David and
Johnathan by at least 81 per cent, is the
best and most convenient economic chest
nut they have left to put out.
T. B. VANCE.