Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-05-26


the bill. Wealth comes
from a mans in T. B. REED
| dustry. Diversified industry which protection
fosters gives the needed opportunity and COM
petition gives the lowest prices.
II it be true that by having their goods manu-
featured abroad the people of the United
States as whole would become richer and
more prosperous; would have their houses.
better furnished, their tables spread with
finer linen, and covered with more health
full food; if their bodies would be protected
by warmer woolens~> from the cold OF Maine
and by finer clothing from the burning sum
OF Texas; if they would, on the whole,
and from generation to generation, enjoy more
OF the comforts and Injuries OF life, and would
themselves be more intelligent, more indie
pendent, and better fitted to be the citizens;
OF Republic already great, and destined to
pire, then hH all means sink National preju-
dice, burst the barriers of provincial narrow
ness and with one accord adopt not merely
the present bill, but such legislation as would
treble the spindles of Europe and destroy our
own, such measures as would put cut our fur
naces and illumine those beyond the sea.
Napoleon was right when he said that Europe
must be Cossack or republican,: Lincoln was
right when he said the United States must be
either free or slave. The house divided against
itself has to unite or fall. The revenue reform
argument was either false pretense or covered
its essence a benefit q curse.
The President was the leader of the Democ,
racy. He was also the dispenser of patronage,
and as he was rapidly shaking the dust of Civil
Service reform off his feet he was assuming con-
troll over his party. There was but one free
trade. and the President was its prophet.
There are remarkable figures to be deduced
from the Presidents message; figures which
must light up the pathway of Democratic duty
with the electric light of conscience. In 1887
600 of wooden goods were imported,
paying Ss7,000,O0O of duties, 30 per cent.
on cost and duties. This went to the
Government. Three hundred and ffty.
six millions of domestic wooden manufactures
were brought that same year by the impover-
ished American people. Under the radiant
light OF the message, it would be seen that
$4,000 600 of that money went into
the gaping pockets of manufacturers and
were lost forever to the down-trodden
people. We imported s31, ZOO, OoO worth of silks;
we manufactured s46,0Oo,OO0, of which S16,-
100000 lined the purses of the plunderers.
The same story could be told of every pro-
tected industry, until the total OF more than
S1.OOO,OO0,00o of the peoples money rolls
into the pockets of these licensed robbers of
the poor. If this message from our ruler
be true, every factory is the abode of
robber baron, more fell and sure
than ever swooped down q European bill.
side to harry cavalcade Of honest merchants.
In every mine lurked a more dreadful
giant than ever before bmelled the blood OF an
Englishman. But what do the friends Of vir-
tue propose to do with these wicked people?
The castles of the maraudeJs were still to
smoke up on the hill-tops, and the tall Chin
neys were still to break the skyline of this
unhappy country? They are to be allowed to
rob within Z per cent. Of what they rob now,
and as compensation they were to be let
loose upon the markets of the world where
obaiTr foa1y
to reap larger wealth and pile up statlier mill
IONS -..... ..r.r.S -.
If the President was right, and the gentle
men did not dare to doubt him, an annual trib-
ute was paid protected manufacturers out of
the pockets of the people, more impoverishing
than ever was exacted by an Oriental despot.
In the race OF duty to free the people from this
iron yoke, you gentlemen stand higgling
about the amount of the tribute. Instead of
S47 for every hundred they proposed to give $40
OF the people money, and throw into the trade
the markets of the world. If it be a tribute,
be bold and sweep it away. Why
did they hesitate? Was it because they
dared not be caught lowering the wages of the
|aboring men who have votes? Is it out of
mercy to the capitalists that you falter? Do
you say there is capital invested under our
laws, and we must keep faith with those who
have invested it? Whether faith should be
kept with such vampires, is for you to soy.
But surely no better faith need be
kept than to pay back every cent they have
invested. If the President be right, and John
Randolph Tucker be right, If the honorable
, and gallant member be right, if j. S. Moore,
who fixes the tribute of 1882 at 81 ,OOO, COO 900
more than any of u.s. be right, if they all be
right, then every year more than 81 900, 100000
come out of the people for these men. -
He did not propose to defend protection. Its
vast growth within the last quarter of a cen
tury, defended it better even than eloquent
orations Russia, the granary of Europe. had
abandoned free trade, with the stirring result
that, whereas, in 1876, before the duties were
raised, she bought 100000 hundred-weight
of British metals and paid therefor $50, OOO,.
600; she got the same quantity in 1884 and paid
only $4,000, 600 for it. Austria, Germany, TIA
ly, Mexico and the Dominion of Canada, that
child of Britain herself had all joined the army
of protection. 1t was the instinct of humanity
against the assumptions of the bookmen. It
was the wisdom OF the race against the wisdom
of the few.
For nation to get out of itself, or out Of the
earth, all the wealth there was in both it was
not necessary for the nation to buy cheap or
sell dear. That concerned individuals alone.
What concerned the nation was how to utilize
all the work there was in men, both in muscle
and brains OF body and of soul, in the great en-
terprise OF settling in motion the ever-gratuit-
GUS forces of nature.
Here in the United States were 100000
people, with all the varied characters their
numbers indicate. Some had faculties fit for
farming, some for the management of machin-
cry, some for invention. The problem before
Congress was what system would get from all
these creatures, so different from each other,
the maximum of work and wealth and wisdom
There was only one way to get the best work
out of men, and that was to give each the work
he can do best. You can only accomplish this
by diversifying industry. TO diversity industry
completely in country such as ours, there
was but one way given under heaven among
me n. To enable the American people them
selves to supply all their wants you must give
and assure to the American people the Ameri-
can markets.