The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-06-13


high protection are numbered for this country.
High protection is an idea that isas sS,.liyed lis
usefulness. The great masses oil the DeoDle ot
this country understand the true principle OF
political economy better than they did nifty
years ago. Experience is good teacher Ed
ucation has done its work. With population
increasing at the rate OF per cent per an
mum we must devise some means OF Increasing
consumption of the goods we manufacture and
produce. If this end can be accomplished, we
workman who IS not consumer
when out of work to the extent he
would be If employed High protection means
20 reduce consumption. Now, this question OF
consumption is the whole case in a nutshell so
far as the working classes are concerned. A
reduced consumption OF the products made in
this country signifies a lower rate OF wages 70
the working classes. Wages are based upon
supply and demand. If there is a great de-
mand for a manufactured article, employment
is given TO greater number Of people. The
demand for skilled workmen makes the price.
The Mills tariff bill reduces the tariff about 5
per cent
"The average tariff to-day on everything that
we eat, drink and wear is AZ per cent. II does
not seem 10 me that the high protectioniSts
ought to 60 insane over a reduction Of per
cent. in the tariff. As near as | can learn from
what read it looks that way They have
mania Tor the poor workingman that they do
not seem 10 experience but once in four years.
working people Is asked for. il is the repub-
Ican party Of high protection which votes
no. There are few exceptions
''The democratic party is the party the work
ingman must look TO If he wants any favors
granted him. I claim that the Mills tariff bill
does not go far enough. II will not accomplish
all that the president asked for IN his tariff
message. 1t will not reduce the surplus en-
tirely that is accommodating 10 the treasury at
Washington. This accumulation OF the peoples
Il -
tain extent. But little tariff reform is better
than none. A per cent reduction VIII ins
crease consumption and viii have a tendency
to increase wages. Ii wages do not increase
but little, IL will have another effect That is,
the reduction in the tariff will certainly give
employment TO a large numple of people. A
high protective tariff is in the interest OF the
rich to the detriment Of the poor. This is the
platform Of the republican party. Free whisky
and tobacco make their creed complete. The
principles Of the democratic party are in the
interest Of the many instead OF the few. The
higher the protection the greater will be
the difference between the rich and the
poor. With high protection the poor
people have to pay more for the nee
essaries OF life. A low tariff signifies
low prices for such articles as the tariff affects.
Lower prices guarantee increased consumption,
which is sure TO stimulate and increase produce
ton. This being true, how can wages be re-
duced when there is more work to do and less
y
the attention of the working classes TO ons
thing, and that is this: Why is 1t that the high
protectiOnists are fighting the very mild tariff
bill that is now before congress1 Ny opinion IS
that if the tariff should be reduced ell merchans
disc manufactured at the time the bill would
become law would shrink in value in proper
ton TO the reduction of the duty on each artis
Gle. The rich would have to lose; the pooI
would gain. Are the high prOtecuonists 10 be
blamed for fighting to retain their wealth. The
re~N
to fight their battle with is the poor working
men whom they have belriended so often II tbs
past. Perhaps they have experienced a change
Of heart. Ii so, praise God.
Suppose, for an example, the tariff should b
taken OF lumber, which the Mills bill recon.
menis, and other materials that 60 into the
building OF q house. The result would be thsn
the house would cost a great deal less money.
Would this benefit the rich or the poor. The
work. oman could then afford 10 build and
own q house for his family; he would have
home that he could call has own; but the real
estate owners would lose by the shrinking In
the value OF their building. They cannot bs
blamed for standing for protection. The duty
on lumber and other materials that 60 TO oull0
q ship have driven the American flag from the
seas. But very little shipbuildinR is now done
ia this country. We cannot compete with
other nations. High protection has done this,
and driven out of employment thousands OF
skilled wOrkmen, who have had 10 engage in
of protection. The Mills tariff bill, il il should
become a law, would revive and reclaim this
lost industry Of shipbuilding TO certain ex-
tent. Where protection IS the highest, wages
are the lowest. That is, q workman earns less
money in the year. Take the great iron
industry in Pennsylvania Iron has high
protective tariff. There is more trouble in
Pennsylvania with the workingmen than In
any other state in the Union The pauPer labor
of Europe finds haven OF rest in highly ppO-
81 --io
pottery industry of New Jersey, which is highly
protected. ] was reading few days ago, that
that the average pay OF their worktnen was -
per week. The manufacturers claim 70 make
10 per cent. profit on the output OF their BUSH
ness. a very fair profit. We shoe manufac-
turers would be happy with one-hah that
amount on our total sales for the year. The
average wages of those in my employ are about
Sl4 per week when employed, and think It
will average about the same in other factories
In Brockton. This is S. per week more than
the pottery wOrkmen average in New Jersey
OF course we shoe manufacturers do not make
the profit that the pottery manufacturers claim
to. The pottery industry is protected from %
to 90 per cent. Shoes are protected 25 per
cent, which proves that the higher a product
is protected the lower are the wages paid to the
wOrlmen.
'Take the boot and shoe industry. The duty
was taken off OF hides in 1872. Wages have
not been reduced but are higher than they
off II the duty could be taken of OF manutac-
tured boots and shoes and all materials that are
required in their manufacture We could defy
the world to compete with us on our line OF
goods. Boot and shoe manufacturers need
market independent Of the home trade for
their goods. Protection is the highest in this
country of any nation on the globe. II should
be quite the reverse. We should not stand Ia
fear of any nation in the world TO oompetis
ton. We are able to cope with any OF them.
Our workmen are the best They can do more
work in g day and do it better than working.
men of other countries. Our mountains and
valleys abound with gold, silver, lead, coPpvr.
iron and coal and other minerals too numerous
to mention. We have everything TO work
with. Those who are afraid OF other nations
competition are not giving our country proper
credit. In my opinion, can give employment
TO a larger number of workmen more days in
the year under low tariff than can under
high protec i've tariff law, aud not be COM
PEELED TO reduce wages, for the simple reason
that low tariff will put the idle laborer TO
work, increase consumption, put more money
into circulation and give an impetus TO busi::
ress such as this country has not experienced
for many years. w. l. DOUGLAS"
'Brockton, Mass, July 25."
One Victim OF the High Tariff.
Tsr,el q Whitney Merchandise national