New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-20
THE LOGIC or PROTECTION.

True friends of the protective policy have
special occasion Just now to consider carefully
the sources of their power and their recent
victory. A change of eight thousand votes out
OF over eleven millions cast last fall would have
elected Democratic President and Vice-PreS-
ident, a Democratic Senator from Delaware
making the Senate tie with the Vice-PreS-
ident's casting vote controlling and Demo-
cratic majority in the House The protective
system gained its great victory by the power
Of certain arguments over the votes Of the
working people, and it is not wise to forget
what those arguments were.
1t was claimed that the protective system
increased the demand for and therefore the
wages of American labor, and lessened the cost
of living because the free competition of home
producers surely reduced the prices of products.
The array of facts sub United to prove these
claims was overwhelming. The history Of
protection for twenty years, and its
actual results convinced the people.
The Republicans claimed that the object Of
the protective system was TO encourage more
capital to undertake the work of production in
this country through assured control of the
home market, the largest and best in tho
world, and thus Of safe though not eXorbitant
profits. 1t was argued that the natural and
free competition Of the producers would render
it impossible to eXtOrt unreasonable profits, and
would inevitably push down the cost of prod
uctS to the lowest point consistent with the
health, growth and prosperity of the industry.
The facts appeared to the people to sustain
this reasoning. But how would it have been
if tba nroducnpc tbuc accIrad of tho homa
market, had banded themselves together to
stop competition, close part of the works and
raise prices?
1t is clear enough that such combinations
might have been profitable to the producers, at
least for a time. But their obvious intention
would have been to deprive the people of the
benefits promised by the protective system
If, instead Of encouraging more production and
development of industry, the result had been
to close part of the works already in exist
ence, and to tax the people in order TO pay
these works for producing nothing, is it prob
able that the country would have approved that
policy? If, instead Of stimulating competition
and reducing prices TO all consumers the system
had resulted in an arrest of all competition, in
great advance in prices, and in the accumua-
ton of many millions Of profits by few cap
italists at the expense of the public, is it not
possible that more than eight voters in II 900
might have been willing to see such abuses
corrected by the defeat Of the protective Sys-
tenn?
Victory in Delaware gave control of the
Senate to the Republicans. An important cause
of that victory was the closing of great ship
yard by the bad faith and unjust partsanship
Of Mr.. Cleveand'S Administration. So the
closing of works in any other branch Of indus
try throws out of employment part Of those
who are trained to that industry, forces them to
seek work at other establishments of the same
kind, and thus drives down the wages of labor.
Whenever a combination Of producers shuts up
works in which American trained workers arc
employed, it threatens the wages Of all others
in similar employment. Such step is direct