The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-08-12

the agricultural products, except flax
seed, when put at their proper relative
| Importance, were 1857 per cent. higher
in September, 1891, than in June, 1889.
May not in the light of this report
and the facts everywhere observable, re-
mind Mr.. Cleveland that in the year 1892
we are confronted by condition and not
a theory.
The truth is that the protective tariff
has cheapened every manufactured pro-
duct, not by oheapening labor, but by
its high rewards, securing from labor its
highest efficiency. Manufactured goods
are cheaper to-day than they were under
the revenue tariff policy inaugurated
forty-six years ago, and which continued
down to 1861. They are for the most
part cheaper than before the passage of
| the tariff law of 1890. A days labor will
buy more to-day than it ever bought
before. The products of the farm will
buy more of the everyday necessities of
| life, more cloth and cotton, more iron
and steel, more glass and pottery, more
sugar and salt than the same quantity
would ever buy before. Substantially
everything which protection directly
affects has been reduced in price, except
labor. 1t alone has been able, amid the
most general reductions of prices, to
maintain its own.
Mr. Edward Atkinson, free trader
and a Cleveland Democrat, said in the
May Forum "There has never been
period in the history of this or any other
country when the general rate of wages
was as high as it is now or the prices of
goods relatively to the wages as low as
they are to-day, nor period when the
workman, in the strict sense of the word
has so fully secured to his own use and
enjoyment such steadily and progress
sively increasing proportion of con-
stantly increasing product"
The same gentleman in the Boston
Herald says:
''Since 1880 there has been marked
increase in the rate of wages or earnings
of all occupied of every kind above the
grade of common laborers. So far as
the writer has been able to obtain the
data, this advance in rates of wages may
be estimated at from 10 to 30 per cent.
as compared with the rates of 1880, the
propOrtionate advance in each case
being in ratio to the relative skill re-
CURED In the work. The wages of the
common laborer have not advanced very
much, but lie has been rendered able to
buy more for his wages on account of
the reduction in prices The skilled Ia
borer has secured the highest rate of
wages ever known in this or any other
country, and can also buy more for each
dollar. The advocate of free trade who
denies this advance makes mistake"
THE FOREIGNER PAYS THE TAX.
1t is said that the tariff laws of 1890
is grievous wrong upon the consumer.
have before me the Bermuda COlOniet,
paper published in Hamilton, Ber-
muda dated April 23d, 1892, containing
the proceedings of the Colonial Parlia-
ment, which had under consideration at
that date the American tariff, and how
its burdens were to be removed from the
inhabitants of that island, You will OBJ
serve that the producers of Bermuda
believe they pay the increased tariff
under the new law, Notwithstanding the
tariff reformer's claim is otherwise.
And they have appointed commission
to come to the United States to secure a
ducts. This is the language of the mes
sage to the Governor:
1--WE are directed by the House of
Assembly to bring to the notice of your
Excellency the serious loss that the peo-
pie of Bermuda have suffered, and which
they are likely in the future to sustain,
by the high rate of tariff that, by the
present laws of the United States, is
charged on Bermuda products shipped to
that country, and to especially ask that
your EXcellency will be pleased to take
into consideration the following state
ment which is submitted with a view
of endeavoring to obtain-with the sane
ton of the Imperial Government and the
Government at Westinghouse reduction
in the tariff above referred to. The
amount of Bermuda products shipped to
the United States from January to June
inclusive, in 1890, amounted in value to
$3.50, 755 II. On this amount, under the
old tariff rates, the duties amounted to
not less than $50, 243 0S. In 1891 the
quantity of produce shipped to the
United States from January to June
amounted to 1881 1872. On this amount
under the new or Mckinley tariff, duties
were payed amounting to not less than
$134, $40 %. Thus while the value of
products shipped to the United States in
the year 1891 was SIS, 400 less in value
than in 1890, the amount paid as duties
was $40, 642 20 in excess of duties paid in
the former year, making direct loss to
the growers in each case of large per
centage of the amount, as the market
value of our products in the United
States will not allow of any advance in
price commensurate with so heavy
tariff"
That being so, who pays the tax? They
assert they cannot add the tariff to the
price to the American consumer, so he
gets it at the old price, Notwithstanding
the increased tariff that is, the consumer
pays no more for Bermuda products
that he did previous to the new law; the
Bermuda producer gets less and the
American Treasury more money. Who
contributes that money to the Treasury,
the foreign producer or the American
consumer?
This will indicate to you how the
foreign countries regard this tariff.
They hold it to be burdensome upon
them-a tax upon them which they
must yield up to our Treasury if they
want to enter this market. Similar dis
cussions are going on in Canada, in
France, in England and in other coun-
tries.
CLEVELAND AND THE CONSUMERS.
We increased the tariff in the new law
upon a number of foreign products
which compete with home products; but |
IL