New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-21
THE ISSUE FOR BUSINESS MEN

THE issue FOH BOSiNEcc MEM
The business and professional men, the cap
italists and investors in this great commercial
centre, are apt to regard political strife as
something alien to their interests. In words
they admit the obligation of the citizen to dis
charge his part as voter with intelligence.
But in ordinary campaigns their real interest
Is apt to be slight. This year the great ques-
ton of the Nations economic policy reaches
moro voters of this class than usually take
deep interest in an election, and yet great
many are Indifferent, and many more imagine
that their personal interest is on the side of
free trade.
II it were so, what right have they to be in
different or hostile to the interests Of the pro-
ducing millions who form the great body Of
the people? After all it is a question OF right
for the ballot is great trust. and he who uses
it against the welfare of his country in the hope
of some private advantage is not as good citi-
zen or as true man as the humblest and most
ignorant voter who tries to do his duty with
whatever knowledge he has. The welfare of
the millions who produce, by agriculture and
the varied industries makes the welfare OF the
country. If Che policy of the Republican party
has rendered them more independent, more
prosperous, more happy, it has blessed the Ma
ton as a whole, whether corresponding share
of its benefits have fallen to the trading, bank
inc, financial or professional classes or not
But if the millions are doing better, there is
more business for The merchant of all kinds,
from the largest wholesale to the smallest re-
tail trade, more business for the lawyers and
the doctors, the instructors the students and
teachers Of art and science, and even for those
who provide enjoyment or amusement for the
public. Large production and good wages for
the producers always mean large and active
trade, larger and more liberal expenditures in
every direction. 1t is one of the strangest things
in the world that many merchants and bankers
fail to see the necessary and obvious conclusion.
There are a million traders and business men,
let us say, engaged in the exchanges between
producers and traders in this country. With
labor fairly employed, and the volume of pro-
ducton fairly maintained, the business of ex-
change yields comfortable living to these per-
sons. But let the free trade theory be pushed
to its logical result, so that labor here shall be
brought into direct and unrestrained compet-
ton with labor in other lands, paid not more
than half as much in England and still less in
France Germany and many other countries.
Necessarily the wages paid here must be re-
duced toward the foreign level, or great in
dustries must cease at once. Let it be sup
posed that the reduction is but one-third. Then
the millions whose labor provides for the needs
Of seven-eighths of the population will have
less money by one-thrd to spend in the p,lr-
chase of accessories, comforts, luxurics or
amusements.
Cut off a third Of the expenditure Of sixty
million American workers, and how many
traders and business men would have to quit
their occupations? How many clerks and
bookkeepers, messengers and pOrters, would
have to be discharged? How much banking
business of all description would Geese? These
are questions which q sensible business man
will not fail to consider seriously. If ne thinks
that the reduction in wages of labor would not
be as much as third yet some reduction would
he inevitable he must admit. If he argues
that the pending change Of tariff would not
bring completely unrestrained freedom OF trade
vet he must admit that it would as to several
hundred products, placed on the free list by the
Mills bill, of which the domestic production
Is now in value from S500,OOO,OO0 to
81 600, 600, 900 yearly. Each and every re-
ducton or repeal of duty, by cutting down the
reward of some large body of laborers here,
must lessen the volume of business to be done.
1t must lessen the prosperity of the producing
class as a whole, and therefore of the trading,
financial and professional classes.