The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-01-03
"a cAMpAIoN OF EDuoArIoN."


"a CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION"
From the Manufacturer.
Last week Mr.. Cleveland announced
that he and his party are about to begin
Campaign OF Education" for the
purpose of dispelling the intellectual
gloom which envelops the tariff Gues-
ton In the minds of the American
people. Educated men who read the
speech in which he made this deelara-
ton were strongly impressed with the
conviction that MFR. Cleveland himself
is sadly in need OF the kind of educa-
ton which enables persons to use the
English language foreibly and cor
reetly. But, it is, perhaps, too much
to expect clear and elegant expression
from a speaker whose, permanent
mental condition may be described
fairly, II rudely, by the word mud
died. The plan of campaign devised
by Mr.. Cleveland has not yet been re-
Nealed, and, as the subject is one of
largo and general importance, We may
possibly be permitted timidly to sug-
gest some of the lines upon which the
camnaigners might very properly
attempt to move.
The destructive and ruinous effects
of Inc protective policy upon the
American people might he illustrated
by the fact that although they are but
4 fifteenth of the population of the
earth, they consume one-half of the
iron and steel, three-quarters Of the
tin plate, one-third of the wool, one
third of the coffee one-third of the
sugar, one-thtrd of the copper, one
fourth of the cotton and one-third Of
the coal, and that they have one-half
of the railway mileage of the world
The oppressive nature of the tax on
raw wool might be demonstrated by
the fact that low wool prices have
always followed the imposition of high
wool duties; by the fact that wool
prices have declined since the McKin-
ley bill was passed, and by the further
fact that the low price of animal food
caused by the existence Of a great
American sheep industry has far more
than compensated for every doligr
paid at the ports for duties upon for
elgn wool.
The hurtful consequences of laying
duties upon steel rails might be shown
by representing the manner in which
prices have fallen from s135 a ton to
a35 since we began tho manufacture;
by pointing to the fact that the price
has been lower horo than it was In
England; by showing that we now
make more than one half the worlds
supply, aud by reference to the cir
cumstanees that freight rates upon
American railroads are lower than
upon the railroads of any other coun.
try.
The pernicious effect OF the protec-
tive system upon the American work
ingman might lie proved by indicating
the fact that he earns higher wages
I,,.s In -,
country, while he buys his food at
than any man of his class ON the rolf
| ing globe.
The dimenslons OF the injury in
| llicted upon the unfortunate American
farmer might bc shown by quoting
the Fact that of his gross product OF
So, 700, 100000, all but $3.50, 10000 is
consumed Mt home, and this surplus
would be consumed at home II We
should supply ourselves with the
manufactured goods which we now
buy abroad. The Kind of blessing
promised to the farmers by free trade
might be outlined 10y indicating the
facts that British farmers have lost
50, 600, 0De, 600 within fifteen years from
ya1ueai that British land is going out
of cultivation Mt the rate OF l00,gG0
ael1s n year and that agricultural
| laborers, ont OF work, are crowding
The British cities IN II condition Of
starvation.
The degree of stupidity exhibited by
| the American people Ia a5llerins to
| protection might be made manifest
by pointing To the fact tliat of nil the
great nations of the world but one adj
here's To free trade. The exact situa.