Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-02
PROsPERING UNDER ATARIFF.
The Benefits of Protective Policy Shown
by t.ae Figures of a Free Trade Apostle.

In a recent issue of the Des Moines
Register we find the following letter
from Sac City, Iowa:
Edward Atkinson is one of the best
statisticians of this country, and his figures
on any subject may be received as being
as near reliable as can be made. In re-
cent articles in the Century he deduced
some figures from the census of 1880; and
from other sources, which bear upon the
question of the difference between a pro
tective tariff and free trade. As Mr.. At
kinson is himself free trader, his figures
will not be called in question by those who
oppose protection"
1.-THE average production of grain tc
each inhabitant of the United States has
risen from 10 10 bushels in 1865 to SO Is
bushels in 1880" This is due perhaps tc
two causes: The bringing into cultiva-
ton of the fertile lands of the West, and
the Introduction of improved farm ma
chinery. This-latter may fairly be credit
ed to the results of protective tariff which
has stimulated invention and produced
machinery that enables the farmer to cul
tivate more land. Thus the farmer raises
60 per cent. more grain now than he die
twenty-five years ago. He receives equal
ly good prices for it in 1888 as he received
in 1860, therefore, he earns 60 per cent
more now than then. At the same time
the purchasing power of this money, &C
cOrding to Mr.. Atkinson, is as 1875 1-2 now
to 81 in 1860. Therefore, where the farmer
received $31.5 in 1860 for n part of his sur
plus; he now receives S66.04 10 for an
equal part of his surplus. Certainly the
farmer cannot complain of the workings
of the protective tariff.
Nr. Atkinson gives some figures to sus
tain his assertion:
1860 1880
Standard cotton sheet'gs .O8 10 s .O6 Is
Suit of furniture...... $500 5000
Twelve steel axes 11.00 $50
horse rake ........ 5000 24.00
And these might be multiplied indefl
nitely.
The wages of workingmen in the two
periods are given by Mr.. Atkinson, as fol
lows:
Free Trade. Protection.
WOrkmen of av. cap'ty $1.6S $40
Workmen of sup. skill 237 SOC
The purchasing power of money having
increased under our protective tariff, the
days labor of the workingman has actual.
ly increased from 40 to 20 per cent. accord
ing to the skill of the worker. Surely the
WOrkingman should not complain of our
protective tariff.
At the same time that farmers and
wOrkingmen have thus increased their
earning power under our tariff, the 'Eearn
ing power of capital has diminished abso-
lutely so per cent. and relatively IS pei
cent" Is not this a sufficient answer tC
the charge that a protective tariff favors
capital at the expense of labor?
Mr.. Atkinson states, and truly, that
Labor secured at least 90 per cent. of
the joint product of labor and capital"
He further states: From the fullest in.
veStigatiOn l have been able TO make. |
have become more fully convinced that 80
per cent. is the maximum margin of profit
on all production in this country, and
a nF a npf
OF a normal year IS all thai can be set
aside for the maintenance or increase of
capital. The profits of manufacturing
since 1880 have been less than 10 per cent"
1t is truly stated that any business yield
ing per cent profit will attract al the
capital necessary.
In 1850 the rate Of interest on Western
farm loans was as high as IS per cent; now
1t is as low as per cent
The estimated product per capita In the
protected United States Is 5000; in free
trade England it is $175
Here is a remarkable statement made
by Mr.. Atkinson, yet is fully verified by
facts and figures: Since the end of the
civil war in 1865 and yet more since the
so-called panic of 1873, there has been
greater progress in common welfare
among the people of the country than
ever before"
Wonderful is it not, And all these
things have been accomplished under that
protective tariff which the Democratic
party, under the lead of President CIeve.
land, is seeking to overthrow, to substi-
tute in it's place free trade under the guise
of revenue tariff. If it has been done by
virtue Of this tariff, no consideration
should induce US to change it. If it has
been done in spite of that tariff, we should
hesitate long before we substitute for it
policy which, in every case in which it has
been tried in this country, has brought
business depression and ruin in its train.
JAMES n. MILLER