The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1888-10-10
The Tariff.


sachusetts as in agricultural North
Carolina and that, too, 1t seems,
without regard to party lines. The
Tariff Reform League of that State
is now circulating two strong docu-
ments, one of them giving the posi-
ton of strong protectionists aud Re-
publican leaders in regard to the
tariff before it became a campaign
issue and the other giving twenty
questions" Cor protectiOnists to an
swer, some of which readas follows:
l. Why, under the benign infiu-
ence of our war tariff, are one-third
of our wage-earners out of work one :
third of the time? Mass. Labor
Rep, 1887, p. 294,)
,. Why did wages in Great Britain
go up between 1872 and 1888 8 per
cent, while they went down in Mas
sachusetts during the same period
8 per cent? Mass. Labor Rep,
1885, p. 1872
3. Why did the cost of living here
increase III per cent. between 1880
aud 1873, Notwithstanding the tire
mendous improvements made in
eheapening the cost of production?
Mass. Labor Rep, 1885, p. 1917
1. Why are wages IN free trade
England from 80 to 100 per cent.
higher than they are protected
country on the Continent of Europe?
(U. s. Consular Lab. kep., vol. l. p
l7s.)
). Why does China, which has
nurtured her people under prohibi-
tory tariff for several hundred years,
pay her common laborers 20 cents
day and her skilled mechanics 30
cents a day? u. S. Consular Lab.
Rep, vol. iii. p. 1897
8. How are we able to sell annu-
ally s7O0,OOO,OO0 of the products of
our high-priced labor in foreign
markets against the whole world, if,
as protectionists assert, free compe-
tition in goods means equality in
wages? u. 5. Report on Commerce
and Nav, 1887, p. 49,
:. Why did the wealth Of this
country increase in the low tariff
period-ls50lSG0-l27 per cent.
and in the high tariff period-lS70-
1SS0-Only so Per cent, even after
reducing the census values Of 1870
to a gold basis? tenth Census,
vol. vii, PIP. 3, 4, 13)
s. Why did the values Of farms in
this country increase from 1850 to
1850 103 per cent, and from 1870
to 1880 only 81 per cent? Census
vol. AgrieultGre.)
o. Why was tue average annual
increase in Massachusetts, savings
bank deposits from 1850 to 1850 IL
per cent, and from 1870 to 1880
only 5 per cent ? Mass. Savings
Bank Rep, 1857, P. 6l6.)
10. Why did American vessels
control three-fourths Of our foreign
carrying trade in 1856, and less than
one-sixth Of it in 1885? GUS. Rep.
on Commerce and Nav, 1887, p. 50. }
ii. Whydii Congress, after living
eleven years under a low tariff, vote
in 1857 to make ii still lower, and
why did all the Massachusetts, mem
bers support this reduction? Was
HENRY WILsoS. The SHOEMAKER,
AZ ENEMY OF LABOR: Con. Globe,
81 ses., 34th Congress, rP.97l, 1862. J
II. Why did wages in Massacbu-
setts advance from the high tariff
decade ending with 1890 to the low
tariff decade ending with 1850 50
per cent, while they advanced from
1860 to 1853 only IS per cent ?
MAS. Lab. Rep, 1856, PIP. 1l2,
1851
Il. With Poles, Bohemians and
Italians swarming into this country
free Of duty. how much are our wage.
earners benefited BY the protective
tax on lumber, coal, clothing, salt
aud almost everything they have 70
If - 80 a.