The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-05-16
rree.Trade vs.. Protection in England.

Union OF Manchester, an address was
delivered by Mr.. H. J. Pettifer, Secre-
tary of the leagues Labor Committee
and the Workmen's Association for the
Defense of British Industry, in the Ma.
tional School, Cheadle, on Wednesday
night, March 20, from which we make
the following extract:
Mr.. Pettifer, who had warm recep-
ton, having stated that the association
of which he is Secretary is composed
entirely of workingmen of all shades of
political opinion, proceeded: l want
you to consider whether the way taxes
are levied in this country is the best way
for the working classes. The chairman
has reminded you of the taxes on inn
ports. They aie raised on articles which
we cannot produce ourselves--articles
which il they were allowed to come in
to the country without a penny duty,
would not reduce any mans profits or
bring down any mans wages. Tea.
coffee, tobacco, currants, raisins, or arti.
cles of that description, and we levy
about S2,OOO,OOO every 12 months on
them, but silk, satin, velvets and kid
gloves, which we could produce for our
selves, we allow to come in without a
penny duty in any shape or form, and
that is what we call Free.Trade. The
chairman told you something about
cheapness. j believe one of the great
causes of the trouble in this country is
that
CHEAPNEss HAS RUN MAD.
We all agree that something is the mat.
ter with trade. Some tell us there is
something the matter with the land,
some say it is the drink, some say it is
the church, some say it is the royalties; +;
everybody has got cause and remedy.
We who call ourselves fair traders do
not say for moment that our present
fiscal policy is the cause Of all the trouble,
nor do we put fair trade before you as a
sort OF cure.all, but we simply say that
the adoption of our policy would make
things much better than they are to day.
The policy of this country has been to
make everything as cheap as possible,
and there is something remarkably
curious about this cheapness. Every
man is always ready to buy an article
any other fellow makes as cheap as ever
he can get it, but he always wants an
article he makes himself to be as high
in price as he can possibly get it. 1t is
cheapness for the other fellow and dear
ness for yourself, and among the finest
examples of that are the
TRADES UNION
OF this country. Now, l am going to
take some share OF the blame for them,
If there is any blame in the case, because
am trades unionist. But what does
trades unionism mean? 1t means that
instead Of having cheapness for our own
labor we combine to get the highest
price we possible can for it, and that is
the strongest form of protection you can
have. We combine to compel every
man who works in our particular trade
to demand a certain rate OF wages for q
certain number of hours work, and il
any man came into the shop and was
willing to work longer hours for lower
rate of wages we should do all we posi-
bly, could to get that man to demand the
higher rate or 60 in for shorter hours
and if he would not do it we should
even goso far as to strike against him
and every trade union in the country
would uphold us for doing 80. Mind
you, that is if it is our own countrymeI
we are dealing with, but if it is the
foreigner who is working the longer
hours for the lower rate of wages we say
ooh, let him send his articles into
this country as much as ever he
likes, for that is Free.Trade, and we
don't intend to have any Protection
here" If we protect ourselves against
low wages and long hours in our own
country, why should we not protect our
selves against the very same things on
the Continent Hear, hear The trade
unionists themselves seem to be begin
ming to draw the line about this cheap
ness. 1t seems that even for them it il
possible for some things to be little bit
too cheap, and they are now carrying on
an agitation in London and other great
cities to stop the very cheapest thing o.
the lot,
PAUPER IMMIGRATION
Into this country. They are beginning
to draw the line at the German, the
Italian and the Polish Jew, but I cannot
see why they should begin to kick up .
bother about these when they come
into this country, and yet say nothing
when they stop in their own countrie.
and make an article and send it here
Hear, hear.] The result, so far as VIZ
are concerned, is exactly the same. If
Polish Jew comes into the east end o.
London, and, into one Of the sweating