The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-02-09
Philadelphia Times.

"A JH'tNfDhc RiOetNei'N HoilNJ 10 III
doubtedly a supreme necessity in
this country to requite our home in
dustry. 1t has ever been the policy
of the government; it has been main
tanned by every President from
Washington to Cleveland, varying
only in degree, and no political party
can hope for success with the people
that does not advocate the full pro-
lection of the wages Of American la
Dor in all industries which are com
petitive with foreign labor.
But there is protection and protec-
ton. There is protection to labor
and there is protection to monopoly,
and the greatest peril that has con-
frcnted the true protective policy of
Washington and Clay, is the power
full effort made during the last dozen
years to prostitute protection to the
sole advancement of centralized cap
ital and monopoly. The protection
to labor, which involves not only
tariff taxes on foreign competitive
products but also the cheapening of
the necessities of life consumed by
workingmen, is the sole aim of the
true protective policy; and any and
every departure from that standard
must be oppression for the many to
enrich the few.
The recent action of the Senate in
amending the woollen schedules of the
tariff, presents the most pointed IL
lustration of protection to Cypress
the people without protecting labor
and benefit only the few capitalists.
The proposition to increase tariff
tax on woods and woollens in this en-
lightened and progressive age, is sim
ply a montrous mockery Of protec-
ton. Looking to the interests of work
ingmen, who constitute the great mass
of the people, it is studied pros
titution of protection to Cypress la
Dor; and looking to party policy, it
is midsummer madness. Itprotects
only centralized capital; it impover-
ishes labor, and it imposes crushing
and needless taxes upon the whole
people.
Who can justify or excuse the in
crease of the present tariff taxes on
wool to increase the burdens Of our
mills and labor? Why tax wool at
alp 1t involves practically no labor
in Us production. Pennsylvania,
with her million sheep, does not en-
ploy 800 able bodied men in the care
of her focks, while every man, wo-
man and child in the State wears
woollens. These woollens are now
taxed over 60 per cent, which is
paid by every citizen old and young,
rich and poor, because there is tax
of 40 per cent. on wool and like taxes
on chemicals, dye-stuffs and other
raw materials. With free wool, which
would destroy no industry, woollens
would be cheapened at least 20 per
cent. to the people, our home mills
and labor would supply all our wool
lens, and the protection and profit to
both capital and labor would be
greater than now. 1t would enlarge
our industry, supply our woollens
chiefly or wholly from American
mills and labor, and would add to the
prosperity of all branches ofindustry
and trade.
But the Senate assumes that the
late election sanctioned the prostitu-
ton of protection to the most oppres-
sive monopoly,-a and IT has increased
the present tariff taxes on every
grade of wool, on every quality of
woollens, including fannels, blank
cts, hats, carpets, women's and chill
dren's dress goods, and, in short,
everything composed wholly or part
lv of wool that is consumed by the
people. This is studied and needless
oppression of the great mass of the
people; it is fragrant prostitution
Of the policy of protection; it lessons
instead of charging our industry; it
increases instead of lessening the
cost of the common necessaries OF
life, and it is perversion of protec-
ton that invites and will surely bring
revolution.
There is another protection coun-
try in the world that does not fur
nish free raw materials to its mills
and labor France, Italy and Ger
many are protection nations; but a
French, German or Italian states
man who proposed to tax the raw
materials of his mills and labor
would be regarded as idiotic. 1t is
one of the cardinal features of true
protective policy to cheaper the pro
duets of industry when it can be
done without cheapening labor; tc
enlarge consumption, multiply labor
and open new markets; but the so
called protection leaders of the Sen
ate tax labor, tax raw materials
limit products, diminish employ
ment and close every market Of the
world against our workingmen
With all this excessive tax proposed
by the Senate, English mills and la
Dor will continue to supply a large
proportion Of our woollens, all o
which could and should be supplied
by American mills and labor, ant
could be so supplied with free raw
materials and at the same tim,
cheaper the necessaries of life t.
consumers. The action of the Sen
ate, especially on tin, steel, wool and
woollens, is the veriest mockery o
protection to labor, and if it shall
be adhered to as the policy of tn
new administration, the greatest pc
ltical revolution of modern time
will come in the Congressional cleo
tions of 1890.
V1,c Eaxauocf WanEIv of III,