Evening journal., 1888-09-01
THE PRESIDENTS ERROR
A Criticism of the Presidents Tariff
Message by Hon. James G. Blaine.

4nerNdHt Dt non. james q. Bidine.
The Philadelphia Ledger yesterday
published several extracts in advance
from a contribution from Hon. James g.
Blaine, which is to appear in the Septem-
Der number of the American Magazine
entitled "The Presidents Error The
article, it is announced, contains about
., 900 words. Mr. Blaine takes for his
text the following paragraphs from Presi-
dent Cleyelands tariff message to Con
gress in December last by the last
census it is made to appear that Of the
4 1872, O99 of our population engaged in
all kinds of industries 1870, 403 are en-
ployed in agriculture, 4014, 23S in
u, 934, SIC Of whom are domestic
servants and laborers,) while 1870 256
are employed in trade and sportation
and 3, S37, 112 are classed as employed in
manufacturing and mining For pres
ent purposes, however, the last number
given should be considerably reduced
Without attempting to enumerate all, it
will be conceded that there should be de
Quoted from those which it includes
$50, 1913 carpenters and ioiners, 2S5 40l
milliners. dressmakers and seamstresses.
112 726 blacksmiths, 1873, 756 tailors and
tailoresses, 1O2, 413 masons 16, 24l'butch
ers Al 800 bakers, %, 0s3 plGsterers, and
A, s0l engaged in manufacturing agricul-
turgl implements, amounting in the ag
gregate to 1,214 023, leaving :, 623 $50
persons employed in such manufacturing
industries as are claiming to be benefit
ted by high tariff
Mr. Blaine summarizes the Presidents
argument rs an assertion that those per
sons not employed in what may be term
ed protected industries have no interest
tn q protective tariff tie asserts that q
slight analysis win serve to show that
the President is wholly i'm error BY way
Of proving this error he takes up one
after another Of the classes of skilled
mechanics mentioned by the President as
not interested in protection and inquiries
where they will find work if the protec-
lection system is destroyed or impaired
to the consequent arrest and impairment
of all business enterprises. His argu
ment is that every class placed by the
President in the list of persons not af-
fected by The tariff would be Immediately
influenced to their disadvantage by the
general and specific arrangement of bust
ness enterprises that would follow any sac
cessful attack on the system Of protection
Strangely enough, the President neg
this argument either from design or
oversight, TO notice what effect the
serious reduction of the tariff would have
on the 1910, 256 men employed in trans
portaton, viz, on the railroads, coast
wise vessels, river steamers and barges
canal wagon and stage lines The var
led ways Of transportation represent an
invest nent of thousands of millions of
dollars Of American money and give en-
ployment to nearly two million of men.
whose earnings support 5000 900 people
Whatever impairs American manufactur-
ing, strikes at the great transportation
interests. Iron ore admitted free from
Spain coal admitted free from Nova
Scotia, wool admitted free from Austria
liza, all favor British ships at the expense
/ of American railroads. The further the
President goes in the direction Of
the doctrine laid down in his message
the more direct and the more deadly
is the assault on the whole
organization of American industries.
In another case he follows this argu-
ment in this manner: 1T might have
proved advantageous to the President. as
it would assuredly have proved interest
ing to the people, if he had caused an
accurate official inquiry to be made into
the close connection of the transpOrta-
ton and manufacturing interests. and
how both in turn are indissolubly linked
with the agricultural interest, to the
great profit of all three The very fig
ures which the President quotes prove
the immense home market which the
farmers have in the United States. In
round numbers, over 1000 600 are en-
gagged in agriculture. while nearly 10, Geo.
900 are engaged in other industrial pur-
suits, and constitute, with the families
dependent upon them, an enormous
market for tie products Of the farmers
Every enlargement of that home market
IS boon to The farmer while its dimi-
mutt N would be his direct and iTrepara-
Bile loss
Mr.. Blaine thinks President Cleveland
might wisely have inquired how many OF
the unaffected classes were called to their
several employments in consequence of
the general prosperity Of the country
brought about by protection. He sug-
gests that if these industries had been
once started, the President would Ger
tainly have been compelled TO take into
consideration every class of laborers in the
country as directly or indirectly bene-
fitted by the tariff, and he intimates that
new impressions might have been formed
BY the President after such an examina
tion Of the unity Of labor's demands and
interests He concludes by saying that
the Presidents recommendations as to
reduction of the tariff strikes far more
severe blow at labor than at capital, and
that its effect if enacted into law, would
be baleful in giving capital an exaspera-
ting control over labor such as now pre-
walls where free trade is complete.