Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-21
oLARKsoN.s DEmAaoar.

In New York, on his return from Eu-
rope, ex-Headsman GARRISON had this
to say concerning his experience abroad:
But purposely visited the peasant dis
tr1ctS. l wanted to see their exact condi-
ton. Such misery and sQualor ! never
have witnessed. Let an American voter
| go over there and see what free trade has
done for the English working man and wo-
man, and he will come back q Republican
and protectionist, if he never was before.
Among our recent cable dispatches
was the following brief announcement
from Berlin:
The restitution among the lower classes
in Germany is becoming intense. Pota-
toes, the usual price of which Is IL marks
per bushel, now cost 6 marks per bushel.
Bread is becoming dearer every week.
Every branch of commerce is suffering,
and many bankruptcies are announced.
In Germany the protection theory has
been carried to the extreme of "pro-
tecting" the food the workingman eats
for the supposed benefit of the farmer.
1t is pity that General GARRISON did
not travel more extensively in that
country and learn something about the
"misery and sQualor" which exists
where there is no free trade. While he
is on this line of investigation he might
make brief sojourn in the mining dis
tricts Of highly protected Pennsylva-
mia, and other States Of this highly pro-
tected country. 'In portions Of the
coal, coke and iron regions of Pennsyl-
vania," says the Philadelphia Record,
''the number of unemployed working
men with destitute families may be
counted by thousands"
Recent labor statistics show that
while the condition of the American
laboring classes has been and is growing
steadily worse as to the amount OF
wages received and their purchasing
power, the condition Of the English
working classes is growing steadily
better.
Mr.. GARRISON continued:
The policy of protection is gaining in
strength both in England and France. 1t
Is dominant in the latter country, which IS
returning to the axioms of Colbert, who
said: ~ would make France as indepen-
dent of the rest of the world as possible
and the rest of the world as dependent on
France as possible"
How comes it, then, that the Euro
pean countries having the highest tariffs
are of the least commercial consequence
in the world? Germany, France, and
Italy are high protective countries, yet.
Free Trade England can give them nine
points in ten and beat them in the
world OF commerce and in their own
markets. Instead Of these high tariff
countries being ''independent OF the rest
of the world" they are not nearly so
independent as Free Trade England,
whose flag rules commerce in all seas.
And as for the world being in any way
dependent on the countries where high
protection rules, the idea is absurd.
They voluntarily ALLEVIATE themselves
from the rest of the world.
Even in the United States, where Nc
KINLEY has carried the protective
policy to an outrageous extent five
eighths OF our foreign commerce is car
ried in English ships. Mr.. GARRISON |
An American can keep in his pride when
abroad in everything save one. When he |
sees the harbors and ports of foreign lands |
and passes over the seas of commerce ana |
scarcely finds an American flag, he real
ICES that here is one thing where he cannot |
be proud of his country. When he does
see the American flag flying at the peak be-
tween the water and the stars, he feels
such a pride in it and its colors and WHAT
means as he never felt before. But he
seldom has the opportunity, that he real
Ives painfully the fact that his country APP
plies the principles of protection TO It's own
interests everywhere else except upon the
sea.
Exactly. Our lawmakers can, by the
laws iron hand, compel Americans to
have no dealings with the rest of the
world and force them to pay exorbitant
prices to a favored class Of themselves,
binding American enterprise and handi-
Gaping American labor; so, when we go
beyond the jurisdiction of our own high
protective laws we find ourselves no
match for Free Trade England.
The statistical abstract OF the United
States for 1890, which has just come to
hand, shows that in 1867 out Of a total
tonnage entered at the seaportS Of the
United States of $780,, 1856, 5,120,695
were f,,eign and ALAS, 691 American.
Under system of gradually increasing
protection it stood thus in 1890: Out OF
a total tonnage of 17,42s, 724 entered at
American ports ii, O24, 14O tons were for
eign and but 3,4O4, 5s4 American! And
of this foreign tonnage entered at
American ports over 100000 tons or
about 70 per cent. sail under the flag OF
Free Trade England!
IRON ORE SHIPMENTS.
The Immense Amount Being Trans
ported Over Various Railroad Lines.
pr-rrSprrpc Iulv 2O-The amount of