The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-06
HARRISON ACCEPTS.
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lings per box Of 100. II by 20, full weight
basis, let the workmen take half pay for
lew months and turn out more; then
let the masters forego their profits for the
same time" And again that paper says:
1t is clearly of interest 10 both employer
and workmen to produce tin plates, tariff
or no tariff, at price that viii drive all
competition from the field"
Will NOT SUCCEED.
But in spite of the doubts raised by the
elections OF 1890, and of Vaccinations,
the foreign producers maintain their
monopoly. The tin industry has been
established in the United States and an
alliance between the WEIGH producer and
the Democratic party for its destruction
Will not succeed. Official returns TO the
Treasury Department of the production
of tin and tin plates IN the United States,
during the last fiscal year show total
production 1920, $50 pounds, and Tor
comparison the first quarter, ST, 1922
pounds. shows a rapid development of
the industry, over 100000 pounds dur
ing last quarter made from American
black plates, the remainder from foreign
plates. Mr.. Aver. the Treasury Agent
in charge, estimates as result Of careful
inquiry that the production Of the cur
rent year will be 100, 100000 pounds, and
by the end Of the year our production
viii be at the rate of 200, 100000 pounds
per annum. Another industry that has
been practically created by the Mckinley
bill is the making of pearl buttons. Few
articles coming To US from abroad are so
distinctly q product of starvation wages
But without duly extending this letter.
l cannot follow in detail the influences OF
the tariff law of 1890. 1t transplanted
several important industries and estab-
IIShed them here and revived or enlarged
all others. The Act gives to miners pro-
lection against foreign er-hearing
fIead ores, the free introduction of which
Threatened the great mining industries Of
the Rocky Mountain States, and to wool
growers protection for their fleeces and
locks which saved them from further
{ and disastrous decline. The House OF
Representative at its last session
passed bill placing these ores and wool
upon the free list. The people will know
how destructive to prosperity these meas
ures would DE.
ABOUT LABOR.
This tariff law gives employment to
many thousands Of American men and
women, and viii each year give employ
ment TO increasing thousands Its re-
peal would throw thousands out Of en-
ployment and give work to others only
at reduced wages. The appeal of the
Tree traders to the workingmen is
largely addressed to his preiudices or
passion and not infrequently pro-
nouncedly communistic. The new Dem
ocratic leadership RACES at the employer
ana seeks to communicate his rage to the
Semploye. L greatly regret that all en-
ployers OF labor are not Just and consid-
crate, and that capital sometimes takes
itoo large share of the profits. But l do
not see that these evils would he
ameliorated by tariff policy, first, the
necessary effect of which is a severe cut
OF wages, and second, large diminution
OF the aggregate amount of work to be
done in this country. If the injustice of
his employer temptS the workman to
strike back, he should be very sure that
his blow does not fall upon his own head
or upon his wife and children.
The wor kmen in our great industries
are, as body, remarkably intelligent
and are lovers Of home and country
They may be reused by injustice, or
what seems to be injustice, or be led for a
moment by others into acts of passion.
but they will settle the tariff contest in
the calm light of their November fire.
sides and with sole reference to the pros
perlty OF the country of which they are
citizens and OF homes they have founded
for their wives and children.
No intelligent advocate OF protective
tariff claims that it is able of itself 10
maintain a uniform rate of wages without
regard to fluctuations in the supply of
and demand for products Of labor But
1t is confidently claimed that protective
duties strongly tend TO hold up wages
and are only barrier against reduction
Southern
States have had liberal participation in
the benefits of the tariff law, and though
their representatives have generally on
posed the protection policy 1 rejoice that
their sugar, rice, coal, ores, iron, fruits
cotton cloths and other products have not
been left to the fate which the votes of
their representatives would have brought
upon them.
OF INTEREST TO THE SOUTH.
In the construction of the Nicaragua
Canal, in new trade with South and Cen
trail America, III the establishment of
American steamship lines, these States
also have special interests, and all these
interests VIII not always consent to be
without representation at Washington
ShrewdIy, but not quite fairly, our adj
Versaries speak only Of the increased
duties imposed upon tin, pearl buttons
and other articles, by the Mckinley bill,
and omit altogether any referance to the
great and beneficial enlargement of the
free list. During the last fiscal wear
S45S,OOO, I72 worth of merchandise or 50. So
per cent of our total importations came
in free, the largest percentage in our his
tory, while IN 1889 the percentage of free
importationS was only 34,42 per cent
The placing Of sugar upon the free list
saved to the consumers in duties in fit
teen months, after paying bounties pro-
vlded for, SSI,OO0,OO0. This relief has
been substantially felt in every house
nOll, upon every SATURDAY s purchase of
the workingman.
One of the favorite arguments against
the protective tariff is that il shuts us out
from participating in what is called, with
swelling emphasis, the markets of the
world" If this view is not a false one
how does it happen that our commercial
competitors are not able to bear with
more serenity our supposed surrender to
them OF the markets of the wOrldn and
how does 1t happen that the partial loss
OF our market closes foreign tin plate
mills and plush factories that still have
all the other markets. Our natural adj
vantages, our protective tariff and re-
clprocity policy make it possible for us
to have large participation in the mar
kets OF the world without opening our
own to competition that would destroy
the comfort and independence of our
people.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
The resolution of the convention in
favor of blmetailism declares, l think.
the true and necessary conditions of a
movement that has, upon these lines, nv
cordial adherence and support [ am
thoroughly convinced that the free coin
age of silver at such ratio to gold as will
maintain an equality in their commercial
uses of two coined dollars, would conduce
TO the prosperity of all great commercial
nations of the world. One essential con-
dition is that these dollars shall have and
retain equal acceptability and value in all
commercial transactions. They are not
only the medium of exchange, but the
measure of values, and when unequal
measures are called in law by the same
name commerce is unsettled, and the
confused, unwary and ignorant are
cheated. Dollars of unequal commercial
value Will not circulate together. The