The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1888-08-01
Change the Balance of Trade.
Philadelphia Times

The official report of the exports
and imports of the country for the
year ending on the 30th of June,
shows balance of trade against this
country of $2S, 100000. That is, we
imported or bought from foreign
markets $2S,000,000 more than we
exported or sold to foreign markets,
and the trade of the year leaves the
United States $2s.000,000 poorer
than when the year began.
While we have exported S2S, 000,.
100000 of gold from the country
this year to pay the balance of trade
against u, we have had + es trade 10
cheap labor to. the extent of import.
ing $4,000 immigrants, some oil
whom are criminals .'.d many Of
| whom are Huns, Poles and Italians
who are fugitives from pauperizt
American labor in this country.
We must ch,nge the balance o
trade in our favor or We must stead
lily decline in prosperity. The fami
ly that expends more each year thar
it earns, or that buys more than i
sells must impovertsh its industr!
and send its gold to pay the differ
ence.
| How can the balance of trade b
changed IN our favor? A iudiciou
protective tariff is the proper an,
only remedy. We have a very higl
tariff; higher than any tariff eve
framed as O distinctivelY protectiv
tariff, but it only taxes and oppresse
industry while it gives our HON
markets to foreign mills and Labor
The wooden goods alone importe
last year, If manufactured at HON
as they should be, would have chang
ed the balance of trade from s2S
| 900, 900 against US to at least 800
1000, 900 in our favor, and the pres
emit English manufacture for th
American market is the largest eve
known.
| Why have not these woolens bee
supplied by home mills and home Ia
Dor? To that question there is onl
lone answer. The answer is tha
England gives free wool. free chemi
Gals, tree dye stuffs, etc to her wool
en- manufactures, while we tax gu
home mills and labor Al per cent 70
raw wool with high taxes on othe
materials. Thus with a tax of som
60 per cent, imposed upon the cor
sumers of wooden goods. we largel
paj that oppressive tax for the pri,
ilege of wearing English woolens an
making the balance of trade agaln'
US.
There must be something radical
" wrong with onr tariff laws wher
with bountiful crops aud no sbnol
NAL depression of trade, We impo,
more than We export-that Is bu
more than we sell. The fret purpos
Of a protective tariff is to build u
home industries to supply home mai
! kets and keep the balance Of trad
in our favor; but we overtax consu
] mers by o mockery Of protection. an
give European mills and labor
large share OF our markets by u
suicidal taxes imposed upon the "a
materials needed to prosper our II
dustries.
Il We must change the balance
, trade in our favor, and the only wa
, to do It il TO abolish taxes upon u
nccessaries of industry and of II
. and give our home mills and lab
!, our own home markets with
chance for the markets of the worl
! Let us get down to honest protectit
i TO labor and at once stop the p ote
! ton of extortionate combines al
!. monopolies, and our labor will Ia
: increased employment at better "
i ges, capital will be better reward
: and the balance of trade will be
: our favor.