Evening journal., 1889-07-22
PROFESSION AND PRINCIPLES.

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The protectionist journals find that the
question Of war-taxes during peace will
not down. The election Of Mr.. Harrison
by trading in New York and by bribery
in Indiana has not had the desired effect
Of settling the policy that the business
interests Of the country shall be univer-
sal and optional beggars for such sums
as their own cupidity suggests.
II the sugar trust cannot exist with
out tax of 80 per cent. and the steel
pool cannot exist with $17 per ton ON
rails and 6S per cent. on beams they
will have to CO. The new furnaces in
Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Ken
tucky have demonstrated that iron does
not need and should not have the protec.
tion Of $6.83 per ton which badly located
and poorly equipped mills Of Pennsyl.
vania and Ohio have demanded. In com
menting on this aspect of the tariff issue
the New York Tribune says:
II was claimed that the protective sys-
tenn increased the demand for and there
fore the wages of American labor, and
lessened the cost Of living because the
free competition Of home producers
surely reduced the prices of products.
Even the ''protectionist' Tribune dares
not assert that protectionism does in
crease wages OF decrease the cost
Of living. II the bene6ciaries OF the
tariff taxes ever believed that at all, they
do not assert it now. They cannot, in
the face Of the general depression in
those trades which were the chief benef
Charles Of the system. The claim that
the protective system prohibited compe-
tition with cheaper foreign goods, in
creased the price Of wages and at the same
time lessened the cost of goods by com
petition, was always anomalous,
delusive and illogical. The pro
position that a prohibitory tariff,
which increases the cost OF foreign goods,
at the same time decreases the price Of
domestic goods, is contradictory and
absurd. The prices of certain classes Of
goods have decreased all over the world,
not because Of taxes laid to increase the
prices, but because Of improvements in
machinery and better facilities. II prices
have fallen here they have fallen
relatively in England The "pro.
tectionists" Of intelligence qualify
such propositions as those with it is
claimed. Continuing its article, the
Tribune asks:
Who are the enemies Of the protective
system, thenS Those who unreasonable
reduce the wages Of labor. Those who
combine to close part Of the works in
any industry. Those who force con.
sumers to pay higher prices for products.
If capitalists engaged in production wish
protection upheld at future elections
they must be true to their profession and
principles.
How can those manufacturers be ''pro.
tectionists" and not protect" them.
selvess Is it possible that the tariff
laws can be laid for a class of manufac.
turers who will be respectfully asked and
expected not to take every possible ad
vantage Of themf Does it not seen
a little foolish TO give the Carnegiel
a protective tariff law of 6s per cent
and then beg them to be true to theii
professions and principles" while the,
are reducing the wages Of their workmeI
20 per centum. There are more absurd
ties in single protection article" thar
could be crowded into an article on an,
other subject, except possibly, an articl
ON the color Of an invisible bug.