The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-04-16

whatever to the welfare of the whole
people, and when the bill is finally
passed it will be seen that those in
terests have succeeded in deluding
the farmers and working men by a
pretense of protection, while their
robbery by the favored few has
been increased and made more ef-
fective by the Mckinley BILL
Parkers6urg Ne,cs.
Humbugging the ToiIing Mass
es In the Name of Protection.
The Huntington Gazette says:
at is encouraging TO know that all
big and little Democratic newspa-
pers are struggling with the issues
involved in the tariff question. 1t
is to be hoped that in their efforts
to obtain Hight, they may happen to
stumble on little knowledge. IL
is not the best way to find prosper
ity for the poor toiling masses of
America that when any large work
Is to be done of a commercial ma
ture 10 give it to others in foreign
country to do, and then bewail the
fate of the enforced idleness OF
American working men. That is
the policy of the Democratic party. +"
That is not the policy of the
Democratic party, and if Republi-
can editors would make as vigorous
struggles to state the truth as they
do to mislead and delude the "poor
toiling masses of America, it would
not only be dollars in the pockets
of the toilers, but there would be a
decided changes of political senti.
ment in the masses of the voters in
fovor of that policy which is so con-
stantly distorted and misstated by
these political Ananiases. The
Democratic principle on the subject
of the tariff can be stated in few
words. 1t is so to adjust the burden
of taxation that every American in
dustry which needs it will receive
such adequate protection as will en-
able it to compete with and under
sell foreign manufacturers in Amer
lean markets, due allowance in such
adjustment always being had for
the increased wages and comfort OF
American workmen, but to lay no
dollar of taxation on American con-
sumers for the mere purpose of en-
riching trusts and bolstering up
monopolies.
This proposition is easily stated.
Illustrations could be cited in many
instances to show that in all it's pro.
posed tariff legislation, the Demo.
cratic party has consistently adher-
ed to this policy. We shall make
but one, which will illustrate the
whole matter and distinctly show
the difference between the two par
ties on this subject:
In Europe, with a lower class OF
material and labor, steel rails can
be made and sold at fair profit for
s23.5O per ton.
In America, with the greater cost
of wages and material, the same
article can be made and sold for a
fair profit for S27.50 per ton. Hence
the difference is four dollars per ton
in favor of Europe; and free trade
in that article would destroy the
American manufacturer. Docs any
one propose free trade to close up our
steel rail industries and dispense
With American workmen? No!
Four dollars 4 tan import tax would
place the American manufacturer on
terms of equality with his European
brother. Does the Democratic policy
stop at four dollars and thus invite
in foreign competition? Certainly
not. Mr.. Mills and his Democratic
colleagues say: Let us make pro-
lection to our home manufacturers
safe beyond a preadventure, and
they place the tariff at s11 a ton.
Now the foreigners rails cost him
before he can invade the American
market s23.5O, cost and profit, plus
s11 tariff, or s34.5O, while the
American adds to his cost and pro.
fit of s27.50 per ton, an extraordi.
nary profit of Sc per ton more, and
still is able to undersell the foreign.
er. Is that not fair2 Oh, no, cry
the manufacturers ard the RepubIi.
can party in chorus; that will never
do. You must let the tariff alone
at s17 per ton. Any reduction
from that figure is free trade; so the
tariff is permitted to remain. Now
mark the result: a mere tyro in
tariff investigation will see that il
the foreign rails cost s23.5O and the
tariff is s17 per ton, he can't sell
here for less than s4O.5O, and is shut
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