The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-07-12

traders, tnen MT. iihy anu MS asso'ioeos
were still more radical free traders, be-
cause they never at any time proposed to
fix the duties upon imported goods as
high as this bill leaves them. If the dem
ocratic party and the president of the IT,
S. are the enemies of American indus
tries and the allies of British merchants
and British manufacturers, then the
statesmen who framed the protective tar
IFS of 1916, 1924, 1928 1912 and 1851
were much greater enemies of those IN
dustries and much more valuable allies OF
British interests"
Now all the organs in the country
are publishing this, we suppose, as a
knock down argument, but indeed
and in fact it is the veriest sophistry.
1t does not take into consideration
the changed conditions and therefore
fails to note the fact that rate of
duty that afforded sufficient protec-
ton at the periods mentioned would
to-day be practically free trade.
There are several elements that are
factors in affording protection to the
manufactures of one country as
against another. Among these may
be noted: LIST, distance. For ex-
ample, if goods are wanted in ten
days and the foreign market cannot
be reached and the goods obtained in
less than 40 days, that alone would
afford a large amount of protection.
I'd, freights. If freights are high
between the buying and selling coun-
tries, it is protection to the manufac-
turers of the purchasing country. Sd,
wages. If wages are low in the buy
ing country and high in the selling
country the manufactures of the form
er are largely protected against the
latter. But if the reverse of this is
true, if wages are higher at the pur-
chasing point than at the selling then
protection can only be afforded by a
duty sufficient, at least, to balance
the difference in wages. Now then
let us look at these several conditions.
LIST, as to the matter of distance. In
all the periods mentioned by Mr..
Carlisle we were distant from Europe
from 20 to 80 days, whereas now,
with our fast running steamers and
magnetic cable, the distance is re-
duced to Z Or s days, practically the
distance has been annihilated. Then
as to freights the difference must be
nearly as great. That our readers
may appreciate to the full extent the
low rates of water transportation be-
tween this country and Europe we
state, as an actual fact, that freights
from Liverpool to New York are, in
many cases, if not in all, lower than
the narrow gauge rates from Brattle-
boro to this point. SO there is prac-
tically no protection in that matter
where once it existed to a cOnsidera.
BILE extent. Lastly, in the matter OF
wages the difference is greater still,
and of vastly more Importance as af-
fecting the protective rate of duties
In England, our principal competitor
in manufactures, under her system OF
free trade, wages have steadily de.
clined until to-day they are lower
than at any time in her modern histo.
ry, so low that it is said that one sew.
enth of her population can be classeC
as paupers. Whereas, the direct re-
verse of this is true as to the United
States, so that to-day, taken upon {
gold basis, wages are higher than a
any past period, in fact two-third'
higher than the earlier periods nance
by Mr.. Carlisle and nearly, if no
quite, one-half greater, than at thu
time of the passage of the Morril
bill. So, it is perfectly patent tina
Clay could be a sound projections
in advocating rate of duty that to
day would be virtually free trade
and it cannot be that this Kentuck,
pro-English statesman, Carlisle, doe
not know it if he does not then he i
grossly ignorant, and in either cas-
he and his brother, Mills, cannot es
cape the charge of being "enemies o
American industries and the allies o
British merchants and British manu-
features"