, 1888-03-29
The Tariff.
Portland New Northwest

In the Portland World, OF March
oth, appears long article of some
i've columns, on the tariff proposi-
ton. clipped from the n. Y. Star,
which We suppose is to be the dem-
ocratlc bible on the question, as it
appears to be exhaustive from DEM
ocratlc standpoint. In order to be
posted upon the one great question
which bids fair to be the principle
plank IN the platforms of the two
great political parties that will ask
for the votes of the people we read
the whole article, monotonous as it
Wa', and from 1t we extract some
points which we think suffi ,ient to
condemn 1t to the working man who
stops 4 moment to consider 1t says.
Il, has been established that the
southern otton mill saves from S5 to
$40 bale on its raw material by reason
OF Its nearness 20 the cotton fields If
1t IS The lover figure, mill using 10000
bales year will save 100000 The
Southern mil, of course. does not want
protection
Ii the Southern mill does not want
protection 1t Is simply because labor
IN the South Is SO nearly on the par
with European pauper labor and be-
cause the Southern aristocracy are
determining TO keep it in its present
condition. We read only few davs
since, of an organized scheme of
Southern philanthropists for the pro
motion OF thousands of these part
colOred labOrers from the South to
Northern states on account of the
| starvation rates paid them there
1t is we'll known that labor in the
South is paid moi more than one half
/ that it is in the North
We raise about foar fiilhs of all the
cotton that Is grown. Last year we ex-
ported $206, ,222, ,0j7 Of cotton. We do
not use as much Of our own raw mater
ial as the British mills use. Each bale
costs the New England manufacturer
more than - less than ike bale costs
| his British rival. The saving 10 the
SoRtheruer over the British mill owner
is Moro than $40. The Manchester or
Oliham manufacturer imports his cotton
from the United States, India and EgyDt
He pays freight charges for thousands
of miles Of ocean carriage He spins the
cotton, Weaves 1t into cloth IN his mills,
and ne pays his lahor, man by man, as
much as the American pays his"
The last claim of this proposition
is SIMPLY false, the man who penned
it either knew he was stating a false
hood, or knew nothing of the rate OF
wages paid in Europe. II wages
were so good in Europe, why is it
that all the laborers Of that country
who can save enough from their
wages to cone to America immigrate
Tie cost of living in Europe is not
more than one half as general rule
of what it IS IN the United States
and the World would have US be-
lievs that they pay man for man as
Huch as the American pays him.
Ii that were true we would advise all
eur foreigners to migrate to theil
homes at once.
If the above statement is really
true. our manufactures ought to be
encouraged still more. We ought tc
be able to manufacture all the cotton
goods we use in America at least
We ought to haveza home market fol
our labor. 1t doesn't pay us as ma
ton, any more than an individual, tC
send gold and silver away to pur-
chase anything that can be made al
home. 1t is that constant drain OF
our coin and the want of employment
of onr working classes that makes
times hard. If one would see good
times IN community, let him go to
that community where the working
people are constantly employed
let us have manufactures, let. Us
hear all around the buzz OF the saw
the whistle of the engine and the
ring of the anvil, and then we Will
also hear the pleasant jingle OF coin
in the laborers pocket. We Will see
his children going out to Sunday
school looking fat, healthy and clean
dressed in comfortable garments
We will see his wife at church with a
smiling countenance peeping out
from under a new Bonnet, and in his
house we will see neatness, plenty,
and happiness smiling on every
} hand. But establish free trade il
you will. or reduce the tariff until
you have your cheap woclen goods
and cheap cotton clothing, and
cheap railroad iron, and cheap cul-
terry, and cheap furniture. and cheap
labor if you will, for cheap labor is
the inevitable consequence of these
Where peace, plenty, comfort and
happiness now dwell, will be sgualid
poverty and want, and rags, and deg
relation and crime, profanity and
Drunkenness, will stalk abroad, and
anarchy, and outrage will walk hand
in hand with murder, rape and arson
In 1922, the tariff was taken off of
foreign goods, and nearly every man
ufacturing industry in the United
States closed. In 1924, the protec-
tive tariff act passed, and times inn
mediately became good and lively.
From 1880 to 1886, the people clam
ored for free trade again, Congress
passed the act, and from then until
1912, the whole country was para
yzsd with hard times. Old men of
to-day yet remember those Wretched
times And all who are not blinded
by party prejudice, and the enchant-
ment of the name Democracy, do not
desire repetition.
Toward the close of the article the
writer uses this language:
"Thn result is that British cottons
are worn not only all over Europe,
Africa and Asia, but in every part of
the two Americas. The people of
the United States themselves import
more cotton goods than they export"
If that is true ii is a burning
shame upon the American people, a
disgrace to the industry, economy
and loyalty of the country as we'll as
an insult to American craftsmanship.
A farmer who buys moro hay and
oats, and bread stuffs, and meat, ard'
feed. and vegetables, than he raises
on his place is considered Moss
back. 1t is like the old fellow up
the valley who owns 1,200 acres of
fine land, and has 300 head of cattle
upon it, and yet lives in an old rattle
down antiquate3 house, and buys all
his meat and bread stuffs, and but