Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-21

Il
I may see lit to charge. IL Is q death
blow TO competition from foreign manu-.
facturors and the vitalization OF trusts
Instead Of reducing the tariff charges or
taxes laid under the previous law, and
which had long been regarded as burden
some, tho party in power has increased
them. How does this comport with
previous Republican professions
HIoH-TsRIFP CHARGES.
Formerly the only possible justifica-
ton the more intelligent OF the Repub-
lican leaders had the temerity 70 urge
for advocating high-tarilf charges or
taxes was that they were rendered
necessary by the needs Of the late war;
Yet during quarter Of century OF
| peace these taxes have been maintained
although they bear so heavily on articles
of clothing, household necessities, and
implements Of labor. The poor have
been made poorer by Republican en-
enlargement OF home manufacturers 10
charge high prices. while the rich have
had their substance increased by the re-
| mOyal Of the tax on incomes, on the
capital Of corporations, and on the re-
ceipts OF railroads. Up 10 the time OF
Offering the tariff bill just passed ex-
cuses as ingenious as they were va
rled bad been advanced for maintain
ing the previous high-tarif charges or
taxes. The first was necessity for reve-
nue.. Then came the plea OF necessity
for fostering infant industries Then
an effort was made TO caiole the farmers
by the argument that hIgh-tariif taxes
were essential in order to give the farm
| ers home market by building up home
manufactures Next the advocates Of
high tariff turned their voices to the
mechanics and laboring classes OF the
country, and piped tho wou'd-be Sc
ductiye lay that the burden their party
| had imposed was necessary IN order 70
give the mechanics and laborers hand
some wages. and keep them from coming
into competition with the pauper labor
Of other countries.
But the only necessity they really re-
cognized was that of keeping the Repub-
llcan party in power
MIR. BLAINE's EXPRESSION OK TIE TARIFF.
One by one these bubbles burst as
they drilted against hard facts and stern
experience. The plea of fostering Gin
FAINT industries was Kissed and laughed
from the political arena as an insult to
those 10 whom it was addressed. The
farmer was not long IN finding out that
under the high-protectiye tariff he had
to sell his products In the open markets
of the world in competition with the
pauper labor Of India and other cOun-
tries, and yet was obliged TO buy his
farming implements, wearing apparel,
and household goods at the increased
prices charged 10y the protected home
manufacturers. 1t was not long before
he had feeling Of contempt
for and indignation at the present
bill, whom he realized that, under
the pretence OF aifording protection
to tho farmer, it puts tariff tax on
wheat and corn imported into tins
country, although statistics show that
less than two thousand bushels OF wheat
and less than twenty-five hundred
bushels Of corn were imported and more
than forty-six million bushels OF wheat,
and about sixty-nine million bushels OF
corn were exported. Truly, the present
Secretary Of State and great apostle OF
protection, Hon. James G.. Blaine, sue
clncty exposed the farce when nc
declared, there is not a section or
line in the entire bill that will open q
market for another bushel of wheat or
another barrel OF pork. Yet Repub-
lican reflection upon the common sense
of the farmers did not stop here, but
eliminated in imposing tariff on straw
and "tcaSics.'
MECHANICS WAGES.
Nor have the mechanics and laborers
been less quick than the farmers IN
penetrating the deception attempted to
be practiced on them. They soon saw
that the promised handsome wages
were a myth. They saw that the manu-
facturer3 who were receiving large bene-
fits from the high-prctectlve tariff did
not hesitate, when ii could be safely
done. to make "cut" in the wages Of
their employees or bring about lock
out" or "shut down." thus limiting
stock and keeping up prices, while labor
WIS suffering. They noticed that the
manufacturers were living uxuriously,
and accommodating large fortunes, and that
though the products OF so-called pauper
| labor were excluded from the
country pauper Labor itself was
| b ing introduced, and it took
no supernatural acumen to discern that
it was the employer and not the em-
ployee that was protected. The result
| of their recognition OF those facts was
the organization OF gigantic labor
leagues for self-protection. In the ma
ture of things they reasoned that
they could only gain strength by
union and cooperation, and now
the intelligent mechanics know and
| openly declare that whatever protection
they have ns to their wages comes not
| from the tariff. but from the strength of
| their labor organizations and the de-
mand for their labor. They know that
the wages they receive for making the
articles of their handiwork do net in
any instance even approach the amount
charged by the tariff on similar articles
brought from abroad. They know that
the far larger proportion of the increasd
prices arising from the tariff taxes goes
into the pockets of their employers.
HIGHER PRICES.
The bill just passed only aggravatesall
the erstwhile pretences and receptions
OF the Republican party. As stated, 1t
increases the tariff taxes on nearly all
kinds of Manufactured articles. If 1t
were for the benefit of the mechanics
their WAGES would be increased in SINH
lar proportion. But what intelligent
mechanic does not know by experience
that while an increase of tariff taxes Will
enable the Republican party managers
10 " FRY more fat ont of the benefited
employers to be used in perpetrating
election frauds the mechanics wages
will not be increased one dollar? What
intelligent mechanic does not recognize
that the Mckinley bill brushes away all
former flimsy protestations of Republi-
can interest in the welfare OF the con
sumer aud stands exposed as political
scheme to bind the Manufacturers
through the worship of mammon to the
party in power, and through these in
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