The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-20

stone would be produced, in certain se'
Itions. In what section is Il we i'm
those articles?" This was sumner 10
him.
HE DID NOT KNOW
whether these articles could be obtaine
at the North Pole and in the Equatorlt
regions.
to be found in the Temperate zon
mainly?" He said, yes.
"Why are they in the Temperat
zone?" He did not exactly know thai
but OF course they were there.
| said, ave have iron ore, coal an.
limestone in the United States. Is
there to lie idle because we can buy !
cheaper abroad, or is it there to be used
That was u queer question, so he turne'
around and said lie did not understand
the question. So repeated it.
He said, "If we can buy iron cheape
abroad we ought to have it," asked
him, "Did God put the iron ore and thu
coal and the limestone for d cheaper
price in the bowels OF the earth in thes'
other places than he did for US"
He said, "What do you mean, sir?"
said, III we have these natural re
sources, are they not the gift OF God L
be utilized? Certainly that would bt
natural law, wouldn't it?"
"Yes," he said, "hut We can get then
cheaper elsewhere"
49," said, "they don't cost any
more in the bowels 6f the earth thert
than here. They are as free to the pur
chaser there as they are in America
Why are they here il the people are moi
to utilize them"
"Well," he said, "because we can gel
them cheaper" and that "because" was
the only reason he would give one.
| said: "'Because'? What do you
mean by because? Is it because the
wages Of labor are lower?"
"Wcll, it doesn't matter what. II we
can get them cheaper we ought to do it. y
Now, my friends. draw your own con-
from such an intelligent an
swer as that. | know
WHAT WAGES ARE ABROAD.
A few years ago ! paid visit to my
native land, but had not been there very
long before became homesick. stood
by the graves OF my parents, but my
thoughts were with my family in pro-
tcctcd America. Though brought up
under the influence OF free trade sur
roundings, my heart and thoughts
turned to the land OF my adoption, where
men were free and labor met its reward.
There was something that drew me
nearer my God and my home in this
country.
In the discussion ] had with Mr..
George three weeks ago last night, he
played the dcmagogue by telling the
audience that Mr.. jarrett was there us
the tool OF the manufacturers: Says he,
Don't you know all these American
are Protectionists? ? and it
follows that he is here in
their interests" could only retort by
telling him this: That if his logic was
good land admitted | was Protection
list and was there 10 the interest OF the
American manufacturers TO certain ex-
tent, it was good on the other side-all
British manufacturers are Free Traders
and Mr.. George is here in their inter
ests. know the condition OF labor is
lGplorable in Great Britain; it is rot
what | should like to see it here. But
il we throw down these gates and allow
the foreigner free competition, then we
have nothing to protect ourselves.
HENRY GEORGE
in this discussion said that Protection
does not protect, because though there
is a tax on the product OF the foreign
labor, that foreign labor is permitted to
come here free. / answered him thus:
"If Protection does not protect for that
reason, then we must levy restrictions
on the labor coming in"
Suppose YOU have strike in the city
of Wheeling. | know the manufacturers
will not think me kind when draw a
picture OF this sort, but this is only a
hypothetical case. The emplOyer-let
me suppose TINT it is Mr.. Wbittakcr's
mill, and Mr.. Whitaker agrees to defeat
his men and have his orders supplied in
Pittsburgh. Don't you see he will de-
feat the men on strike by that process? ?
Then what must you do? You must
prevent that sheet iron being supplied
TO Mr.. WhittakeT's customers.
On the other hand, il Mr.. Whitaker
sends out agents and gets men to come
here and take your places, what have
you to do? To do all you can to prevent
It. That is what you must do with the
foreigner and his prodHcts. The wages OF
the foreigner are so much lower than
wages in this country that the cost OF
must be lower, and il We
permit that TO come in without covering
the difference by restrictive tariff,
wages in this country must come to the
level OF theirs. Applause and cries OF
"That's so."1
could easily illustrate that 10 you in
the city OF Wheeling You used to have
extra for boiling because the compeu-
ton in the East did not Affect you. But
as soon as it did, that brought you to
their level. The same with the far West
wages were high, but ms competition in
creased they came down to our level.
Do that with foreign countries, don't
you see that wages helo must come
down to their level. [Applause. tell
you this: that in England there is bet
Ter price for all commodities OF the farm
than in this country, but for working
men everything is cheaper. The Free
Trader generally argues to meet his au:
dicnce. II the articles can be sold
cheaper in England after being shipped
from this country there, it must be u
very strange transaction, because there
is greater cost in shipping the article
abroad and selling it than here. Why.
then, should the cost be cheaper abroad
than nt home.
After my distinguished friend Henry
George, had made his reply, he stuck his
thumbs in the armholes OF his vest ana
said:
II am an American, born under the
shadow of Independence Hall, in Phila'
delphia. | baye the right to buy where
can buy the cheapest, 1t is nobody's
business where ! buy, whether in Eng
land, France, Germany or any other
country. II / can buy there cheaper
than here thatis my business. The sys'
that attacks
THIS RIdHT TO BUY ABROAD
is an infamous system"
How could answer that?