The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-06-21
Protection Paragraphs.

MEATY sTATEMENTS FROM SENATOR PtATT's
TARIFF SPEECH.
If the President of the United States is a
reetrader, he ought to be willing to be called
So and not consider it an epithet if that word
is used to define his position.
Free-tra,ers know each other. There Is
some bond of union and sympathy between
them so that they know each other on sight,
and know each other when they speak, either
to one another or to the people.
| think | make no mistake when | call our
late minister to London free trader Henry
George is frcc-trader, the only person in the
land, so far as | know, who uses the word
free trade in its most radical and absolute
sense. He thinks the Presidents message was
Il free trade message.
The present incumbent of the presidential
chair could never have been elected if he had
written that message previous to the last pres
idential election. He can not he elected now.
unless 1t can be explained away to the demo-
cratS in Connecticut and New York and New
jersey.
What is free trade? There is but one answer.
Nowhere where The English language is spoken
has the word free trade,' as used in reference
to the operations OF government, As used in re-
ference to taxation, any other significance than
that of anti-protecton
DO not let us juggle with words any longer.
DO not 90 to the people of TIE United States and
say to them the democratic party Is not free
trade party. because it does not intend to abol-
i>h the custom houses, because it intends to
keep lp revenue tax, but just let us have this
l>sEa boldly made, does or does not the DEM
ocratic party propose TO take off the protective
feature from our import duties? If so. | con-
tend, and the whole world bears me out in the
definition. that it is for free trade.
Did the President or his ''better-half'' ever
buy calico: If he did he must know that
the tax, a> he calls it, the duty, As the protec-
tonst calls 1t. is q cents per square yard upon
calico. lie can buy the American article for
less than that at retail stores here in the city
Of Washington.
The truth is that everybody, except the dude
and the millionaire. can be clothed cheaper in
| this country than i'll England. and in woolen
clothing, too; and apprehend that we are not
Very anxious to reduce the tariff duties for the
purpose of heueiitng the dude and the million
are
The Wage-carncrS in this country own more
property than all the other wagc-earners of the
world put together. The wagc-earncrs in Con-
nerticut and Rhode Island own more property
! than the Wagc-carncr> 0f the whole world out
side of the | 'nied States.
No protectioni>t claims that protection of it.
self makes higher wages but it does this. il
makes il possible for the manufacturer to pay
| higher wages than can be paid under a system
| OF free trade. Strike down these protective
| uties and it wouI,. oecome Impossible for the
+ manufacturer TO pay the rate of American
wages now paid. If he is to have no protection
h" must stop or meet foreign competition by
paving foreign wages. That is so plain that
| ''hc who runs may read"
| Let us see about these ''immcnse profits" |
| quote from Brad>trcct'> of saturday, January
| Il. the dividends for II years of the cotton
| mills in Maine, Massachusetts, and in New
| Hampshire. For the last three years the aver
| aye Is . IL per cent. upon the capital employed.
| If were to name the order in which the diff
| fcrent classes are interested in the maintenance
| Of protective tariff, | would say, first the Ia
| borerS everywhere, in whatever field they wipe
| the sweat from their brow: more than any
manufacturers are the wage-recciving men of
this country interested in its preservation. The
| blow hits them first and it may As well be un-
| defstood, and they are coming to understand it
| all over the land. First, the men who work
| III manufactures. the artisans. are hit: next,
| agrlculturi>t> and the men who work on farms;
| next. manufacturers in other sections of the
| country where they are not is well established
and where the industries may indeed be said
| even now to be infant industries; next, those
| engaged in transportation; next. those engaged
! III mcrrlaldisc and last, and least. if YOU
| place. the manufacturers of New England.
hen in the preparation of the bill advised
| by the leading free traders out Of congress in
| this country the proposition is made to purchase
| the support Of New England manufacturers by
| free wool. by free iron. by free coal, tell YOU
! that they mistake the manufacturers of Com
| nectirut and the rest of New England.
| Why is it, ask, if the President of the Unit
"d states is not free trader, that he selects for
| the free list those particular productions into
| Which the greatest percentage of labor enters?
| 1t is "A question that may not be answered here.
| hut il will be asked in the coming months and
| ii must find an answer.
| Free trade i'll raw materials means no trade
| for the manufacturer.
| admit the necessity of some reduction
| in the income of the government. but am not
| to he frightened into an abandonment of the
| protective system in this country by the pre>i-
| dents rawhcaa and hloody-boneS figures.
| deny tie necessity for this accumulation in the
| treasury.
| This administration seems to insist in keeping
| the surplus III the treasury, and not paving it
| out Tor the benefit ofthc people: and no reluc-
| tion il taxation. Is the President and >ccrc-
tary of the treasury are pleased to call it, no
| reduction of the amount of our annual income
| Will relieve the treasury from this accumulation.
| Why has this accumulation been permitted:
| Why has taxation not been rcducCt-the taxa
| ton which created from year to year this accu-
| mutation: Why ha, the democratic party in
| power in that section of congress which origi-
mates measures of this character not sent to this
body some bill looking to the reduction of taxa
| ton: II stood pledged by its platform. by the
| professions of It's leaders on every stump and
| At every hI>tin@> in the United States, immed-
atejy upon its accession to power to take steps
IL