The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-30

market have no iron to offer but our
make; and so on to the end of the list.
This is the protective tariff theory,
which is the scarcity theory" first
herein stated. / will carry this rea-
soning little farther. AS exclusion
lists, producers, or high tariff advocates
we would consent to the ippIing,
yes, even to the suppression of all rival
manufactures. These, then are the
logical thoughts, conclusions and de-
sires of the high tariff producers, in
their scarcity theory, which, if they
could be realized, would drive the
world backward into barbarism. The
sail would prescribe steam, the oar
prescribe the s. il, and so on backward
you go, to the mule, and your mer.
chandise to the foot peddler. The fax
break and the old spinning whe /
would exclude cotton and the spinning
jimmy; and thus on backward until
scarcity and want drive men to the
guiches and caves as his mCst COM
fol table home. These are the natural
consequences and logical deductions
from the high tariff theory. which you
know is certainly the scarcity theory,
which the democracy oppose.
Now let US fairly and candidly con-
slider the other side, i. e., the interest
of the consumer, (Which embraces the
masses of the people). He goes to the
markets to purchase his family neces-
saries, he there meets q score of his
friends, neighbors and eountrymen, ,all
wishing to purchase family necessa-
ries, and all wishing the markets abun-
dantly supplied. You look at the
throng that wish to purchase, you say
ers interest is the public interest. All
look with pleasure upon abundant
harvest. AS aconsumer you take pleas
ure in the wonderful Inventions which
so speedily and cheapiy perform the
heavy labor, and to the iron road and
speeding cars that efface distance. You
desire to see every barrier to improve.
ment cast down; your interests run
| WAth PuOAAO AhNOASStS1 JOu w
sire all the comfor's of life for as low q
price as they can be afforded in the
markets your most extravagant wish
in this matter is in perfect harmony
with that of all good society. it is ut.
terly imp ,ssible to be otherwise. 1t ID
apparent and certain then, that to pur.
sue the immediate interests of the pro
ducer would invariably be to pur
sue the anti social interest. anti-publie
interest, and to run backward toward
the cave aud the mule, while if we
take the interests of the consumer as 8
basis, we find that we are in harmony
with the general public interest. Let
us recapitulate little. The producer
wishes his articles to be offered for sale
scarce, chances of supply narrow, and
prices high. The consumer wishes
, abundance, large supply, and prices
reasonably low. These statements are
rs mathematically true as that twic.
, two are four. Now, the protective tar
iff system, as me have seen, favOrs anu
takes part with the scarcity system
, and against the buyer, for its object is
, to make scarcity, against abundance
Now let us see what is the natural ol
logical sequence of this scarcity, ol
protective tariff policy on the public
or the country at large. 1t ia JUS. this
foo ish fallacy, '%that the country j:
rich aud great just in proportion es il
is in want of everything" And YET
these protective tariff howlers, of both
parties say we must favor this scarcity
theory, we must make.the monOpolisi
strong markets, aud ito effect this we
must shut cut all goods and necessaries
of life only what are ised or manu-
factured at home. so as TO thereby dI
minish the supply and raise the prict
!, for the benefit of the millionaire mon
opolist. Have we not clearly, in con
sidering the matter, shown that it can
never result in benefit TO the common
man, whatever his calling may be. TIC
illustrate, we now have so cal ed pro
tective tariff. Suppose today we could
have a full and complete inventory Ol
all the necessaries of life for the people
in the United States, and know just
what there is ell told. Now suppose
that tomorrow the protective tariff
laws are repealed, end in just three
months we take another inventory OI
all the sugar, tea, coffee, cloths and
goods of every description necessary
for food, clothing and comforts of oul
people in our country. Can we be sc
dumb and lost to reason and honesty
as to believe that the supply of these
necessaries will not bave largely in
creased by the repeal of the said pro
;ective tariff. The sole object of the
protective system is to prevent such
from abroad and to diminish the sup.
ply and thereby create scarcity, sc
tlat we shall be compelled to buy the
goods that John Doe & Go. have made
at any price at which they see fit tc
, place them on the market. These
, monopolies have formed syndicates
and trusts, which include all the pro
dHctions of their kind in the United
States; all other goods of the kind
they make are by this protective tariff
excluded from our county, cannot
come here unless whoever brings them
has them examined in our custom
house and duty, or tax, of from 40 to
so cents. and on some articles more, is
added to every dollars worth of them,
which amount must be then added to
their price, which price with the addi
ton we must pay when We buy the
goods, making them cost one half
more to double what they would if
the tariff had not been put on them
which must be paid or they cannot
land ON our shores So there is little
or none of that kind of goods in the
market only those made by. John Doe
& Go, and those belonging to their
syndicate, or trust, monopoly" which