The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-03-13


tariff tax he otherwise must bear
1t says TO the man who earns one thousand dollars
per year, and spends $50 for food, clothing aud
shelter Tor himself and his that at least $50 or this
shall be taken from him by tariff taxation, leav-
1t saws TO the man who receives $50 and spends the
amount rs the first, that he, too must pay 800
in the same way, leaving bin but $50 Tree from tax
but il SAYS 10 the poor aborer who but $500 the
average tolers yearly wage in this protected land,
you, too, must Pay $50 TO the government and its
protected paupers, even though IL taxes the list
penny from your wife aud babe This system OF
robbery called protection says 20 every poor toiler
in the land If your neighbor has an income by which
he one thousand, ten thousand. or million
dollars in year. this whole amount IS his. and no
national tax-gatherer, monoPoist shall have the
right to say him, divide but you, who work for
seanty wage, who earn dollar by your hard days
toll and must part with il night to keep the wolf
outside the door to You il comes with honeyed words,
and whispering false pledges in your ear cOntrives
To get portion OF your sOrely-needed mite, and
leave you still its friend
Verify hath ii been written down chat from him
who hath much little shall be TAKEN and from him
who hath little shall be taken that which he
hath" / think never fully understood this text
until studied the philosophy OF protection.
But the burdens that tn tariff lays labor do not
end here wOrk is boon TO be desired as the protee
zionist has ever taught, then every one should have
the treest chance to employ his time and skill 1he
tariff constantly prevents this oh NEE; in numerous
WAYS IL places obstacles in the wOrkman's path TO
hinder and impede his steps. 1T begins by heavily
taxing the raw material which he must mold and
form next the tool and implements with which he
works. the house in which he lives the fuel that he
burns the garments with which be and his family
live All these things he In effect must buy. and
that he may not obtain them easily they are taxed,
TO make them and dear there is but one thing
that he has to selhs labor aye, his liie-and that
is free from protective laws and monOpolist has
yet been heard to raise his voice or shape an
act 10 make this dear.
The wages of labor depend upon the amount of
work to be performed and the number OF hands TO do
it; whatever then will give labor better chance to
Inevitably increase its wages. The first step toward
lettering the condition of labor is To remove its
bonds; place restriction in its path raise no
monopolies with wealth and power to combat and
circumvent the poor and weak. Place no shackles
on the workman's hands when ne reaches out To
grasp from mother earth tie coal, ana WOOD ana
ore, 10 shape and fashion for the use of man; but
give him these unburdened by = tax and freed from
extOrtlOn's cruel grasp. Let no man touch with
sscrilegiOus hands the tools and implements with
which he works, or have the power 70 say to him.
chance TO provide home in which to live the food
and clothing for himself and his and all things else
he needs, 10 the best advantage that he can No
him to pay his feIiow-man tax Tor the right to live
and to il then give To him the power to exchange the
product OF his labor where he will, and OBJ
tain for this the most he can. Give him the
freedom Of the sea let the wind and bear the
fruit of his labor and his brain into the free open
markets Of the world 10 buy Tor him the product OF
other lands and climes when this is done You have
cut the cords that monopoly has woven around the
rise with the strength and spirit OF hercules un-
bound and will laugh to the rules that mau
would make to override the laws of God
What labor needs to-day is opportunity to
reach out Tor the markets OF the world this effort
will cause more competition among employers Tor
Wurkmeu and less among wcrkmen Tor employers,
which WILL Of course, increase the toilers share. II
Is allacy 10 suppose that the American labOTer viii
receive no larger wages than the foreigner II the
markets open for free exchange The United
States the richest nation in natural resources on
the earth; her Institutions are young and demo-
Crac caste has not yet forced tine majority Into the
condition OF serls, bound for all time to support an
aristoeracy above The spirit of liberty, with its
power to inspire and animate the human soul Is yet
tages no nation the earth eau, or does, produce
like the United States. No laborers in any land
work so hard and cheeriuily ours, and be II said
10 the shame OF the unjust laws, under which they
live, none receive so small a portion OF the product
land his home knows that in America
labor produces far more than in his
native land; still but small part OF this extra
product i added 10 the portion OF the workngman.
High wages always means cheap production.
country where wages are low can never long comp Re
with a nation where labor is better paid. The half
starved laborer of Egypt. China aud Mexico cannot
compete with the better-paid wOrSmen Of Europe,
and free trade England with her high wages
undersells the cheap labor of France, Germany ami
Italy with their centuries of protection The United
States sells her farm products across the
than any European state; she would sell her manu-
featured articles as well II the shnckles that bind
could never compete with the free labor of the
North; for intelligence, energy, and ability will
always triumph over ignorance weakness and
despair The strong never need protection against
the weak The American laborer can care for HIM
self ii he but has chance; give him freedom, the
opportunity his skill and strength, make him
man, and rest assured that In the battle OF the
nation he will reflect credit on his native land. To
saw to the American borer that he needs protection
is an insult, to tell him he has had il, Is lie
But the protectionist says that the American
wOrking receives the high ST wages in the world
and therefore taxation is blessing. The Russians
have for lived under high tariff laws and their
laborers serfs is protection responsible for this?
There are many reasons why the Russian labOrer Is
poor, and many why the American working is
better off, America / have said. is the most
fertile nation the earth the pioneers found here
virgin continent eager TO shower lis blessings on all
who asked. No landlords hand was then out
stretched to demand portion OF the product of the
earth. No army, aristocracy or privileged class was
here 10 live upon anothers toll; but the hand that
sOwed the seed reaped the full harvest that the
| erous earth brought forth. As the population
| OF our country rapidly increased, still
| away our west was vast stretch
| Of fertile public land, where the poorest
/ laborer was free to toll, and no man would serve
another for smaller portion than he could earn by
/ working for himself But this vacant territory
gradually melted away through the homestead and
the rhilIoad grant-tniS opportunity lot the ON
ployment OF surplus labor constantly grew less aud,
| therefore, the American, like the European work
/ man became moro and more dependent upon Others
Tor chance u toll. As the pressure Of population
increased the share taken By land and capital con-
stauty grew larger aud the amount left 20 labor be-
/ came proportionatey less. But land in
America j. easy of access compared with the older
nations and with freedom va res would be much iu-
creased. England is nearly twenty times densely
populated as the United States. IL must he evident
that the power Of land and capital take from labor
is greater there than here and without the right 10
trade her wOrkmen could not I've.
We told that protection is good for the ahOrer
because the United States has increased rapidly in
wealth in the last twenty years; that wealth has in
creased is true but from 1850 to 1855, under prOtec
ton, the "a not great in proportion as from
1915 TO 1860. under comparative free trade But II
1 the nation has increased in wealth in the twenty
years just gone what portion OF the community has
pro6ted By the gain Has any share Of this increase
/ gone to the men who toll? ON the contrary, they
| dependent than twenty years
/ ago, and during that time wages have steadily
/ declined. The wealth Of a country Is not always
/ a measure Of the prosperity, happiness aud
Contentment of its people. Fat is not infalibe
sign OF health and when small portion OF
community are extremely fat, there is good reason
20 presume that a large number are very lean. Tn
der the benign influence OF protection the distance
between Dives and Lazarus has grown wider as each
year rolls by; magnihcence and splendOr are present
on every hand, but the hovel with its perjury and
1 want are crowding upon the mansions of the rich.
Along with the great increase OF wealth from 1870 TO
! 1880, census gives other figures that should be
studied by all who love their native land. During
thai ten years of high protection, the males over
sixteen years OF age, employed in factory and mill,
increased - per cent. but the women in the same
occupation during this time increased 81 per cent;
and the little children below sixteen years Of age in
the factory and MILL increased - per cent
hat force during these years OF plenty has been
/ tearing the wife from the wOrkmans home and bis
children from the school? IL IS the greed OF those
whom your unjust laws have made rich and great
that Is sending fathers husbands and brothers to the
street and filling up the factories with the mother
and the tender child In the name OF humanity, has
property been protected quite enough, aud shall
| we not do something for the poor and weak?
But we hear the question asked why do foreigners
/ NnHHr %