Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-07-05
TO RIIUIIIAN SENATOR'S.

TO RIIUIIIAN SENATOR'S. The assertion often made of late in va rious quarters that some of the Republl- can Senators are wavering in their sup port of the uncompromising policy of protection for all American industrles, which was the motive of the election of 1eSS, and the basis of the ta.iH bill adopted by the House Of Representa- tivss, prompts the following respectful address:
 You recognize that the triumph of the Republican party is chiefly due to the yigor with which its leaders espoused the cause of protection, and therefore that it is pledged to maintain that cause by the full force of legislation.
 It is pledged to protect all American industries, and to promote all such forms of industry as have not heretofore been organized in the United States and which our industrial conditions permit us to pursue with the assurance that they may be read;'v ostshiisbed here and ln a reasonable time supply the, home demand for their products.
 Under this pledge you are bound to promote the sugar industry, the tin plate industry and the linen industry. There can be no justifiable donbt that these industries, of great magnitude, affecting all parts of the country, might, and ought to be domiciled among our people, enriching all classes, and reliev ing all classes of vast annual taxation for the benefit of transatlantic capital and labor.
 These three great industries, carried on in foreign countries, now lsvy an annual tax upon tie American people of not less than Sl35,O0O,OOO, in addition to g large sum for transportation in for eign ships. Other smaller industries present similar claims to your recognl- ton, but these three are conspicuous by their importance.
 It IS no answer to the demands cf these industries for adequate protection that prices may be temporarily higher or the volume Of im portance permanent ly diminished. On the contrary, the theory of protection recognizes that to establish and promote a new industry there may be temporary sacrifices based upon the assurance that, once estab- hshed, the industry will supply the home demand at lower prices than be- fore, and besides contribute, to the ex- tent of the value Of its product, to the national wealth, give new empioynents to the people and supply d new body of consumers for the fruits Of agricult- ure.
 It is also an evident consequence of the development of rew industry at home that it restricts the importation of corresponding industries in foreign countries. Therefore the opposition of dealers in foreign productions ought to have no weight when once the establish ment of an industry in this country has been determined to be feasible and Of national advantage. Nor is it valid objection to protection, that certain commodities cost more in lAIs country then abroad, when it is shown that. measured by the amount of labor reqUir- ed to buy them, they are no dearer, but perhaps cheaper than elsewhere.
 The objections to high rate of duty on articles similar to such as are already largely produced in this couLtry do not deserve the attention they evidently re- osive. The whole theory of protection IS based upon.the proposition, confirm cd by experience, that by home ccmpsti- tion the prices of commodities largely produced are reduced to the lowest level possible under American conditions. The degree of protection in such cases does not determine prices, and so long as the protection is enough to prevent de- struction by foreign competition 1t is i'm material how much higher it is. If, therefore, it is Of national advantage to maintain any special industry which has once been successfully established here it is unwise to lower rates, or see how, near the quick you cut. Prices will sure ly reach their lowest possible level. whether you can reduce the duties or not. It is safer not to imperil the in dustry by useless experiments which may prove deadly.
 Hundreds of articles made in the be ginning under a high protective duty have been constantly declining in price under competition, until the home price is even less than the duty lsvisd on the similar foreign product. The opsra ior of this interesting law of protection I. 2! be seen on every side, in all branches O mechanical and manufacturing and min ing industries. It is going on in all tn varieties of iron and steel products chemicals, glass and pottery and textiles Hence ared uction of the duties in any of these branches of industry serve onl. to paralyze. and perhaps destroy, whil, yielding no practical results as to cost O price. consistent with the life Of tho in dustry, which would not come about b the gradual ard h ss process c competition.
 
 IN regard to thoss industries ofwhic we are capable, and which are strugglin