New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-24
thrift POSSIBILITIES.

There is no Tariff bill to be passed this
year, say some of the Free Traders. The story
is current among them that disagreements OF
protectionists will make the passage OF any
measure impossible; that some New-England
manufacturers have frightened members OF
Congress with threats that unless they vote for
free raw material they cannot be reelected
It has an ancient and fishlike SMELL this story
but serves useful purpose in betraying the
hope of enemies of protection.
1t is no new thing to find wide differences
of opinion among those whose general behef
in the protective policy is colored by their IN
dividual interest in getting special advantages.
There can always be found some men who
care less for the National welfare than for in
dividual profits, and if they are not many they
are often noisy The great majority OF those
who are interested in manufactures in this
country have a genuine desire for the public
welfare, and would urge protection Of home
industry just as earnestly if they were in
no way pecuniarily interested To men of
that stamp it seems proper to ask first what
duties are best for the country, and then to
adjust their private business to such conditions
if they can. The men of the other stamp, who
ask first and all the time how Government can
be brought to fill their pockets, and who neither
think nor care whether any measure contem-
plated is for the public good, have no right to
be called Protectionists, and no claim to be con-
sidered with favor by Congress-
1t has been the constant endeavor of Free
Traders to make it appear that manufacturers
generally are of the latter class. The repre-
sentation does them gross injustice. Nor has
the effort been especially successful but of
late the Free Traders have found some en-
couragement in the attitude of certain New
England manufacturers who desire free iron,
free coal and free wool. 1t does not follow
that all the men who wish these changes are
Indifferent to the public welfare. Some OF
them never were ProtectiOniSts, but have been
trained to believe that tariff for revenue only
would be preferable. Others are no doubt
sincere in the idea that the country would be
more prosperous if, regardless of the producers
of materials, certain manufactures should be
stimulated to the utmost by free materials and
high duties on products. But whether sincere
or selfish, all these men alike are giving delight
to Free Traders, and playing their game
No system of protective duties can be upheld
in this country over a single election which
does not begin by securing reasonable and
adequate defence to the large industries by
which materials of manufacture are produced.
The fact cannot be too often recalled to
mind that the growers of wool far outnumber
those who work it into cloths, and the miners
of ore and coal, and the smelters of iron, far
outnumber those who roll or forge or cast the
iron into forms for use The ruder and less
skilled labor, too, absolutely needs defence
more than the skilled labor which is applied
in the latter process of manufacture. It's wages
are lower, and its exposure to foreign com
petition far greater The philosopher or the
manufacturer may forget these things, but the
farmer and miner do not If NewEngland
should ever get ready and be able to deny
adequate defence to the industries of Penn
sylvania and Ohio, Michigan and Montana,
New-England would need to be ready, not for
some modified form of protection, but for alb
solute free trade.
This year Congress meets under explicit
obligation to the people to correct defects in
the tariff, so that it may be effectual for pro-
lection. There is ten-fold more danger in d.
regarding that obligation than in failing to
please those in any State who wish departure
from the protective policy just where it suits
their convenience.