The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-05
CLEvELAND'S TARIFF BRIDE.


where the value of the farm lands Is low.
tt
CLEvELAND'S TARIFF BRIDE.
If Cleveland stands by the Chicago plank
Of tariff for revenue only. which means
'.free trade" all around-the withdrawal OF
prote ction from both the producer OF raw
materials and the manufacturer-wekn know
what will happen; We know that Ameri-
can labor will have its wages cut down to
the level of foreign labor in all competi.
tive industries. The importer would like
this for he knows perfectly well that an
increase of tariff duties will necessarily
diminish his profits, and that 1t Is not the
consumer, who finally buys his importa-
tons, who bears the burden Of the impost
to any considerable degree, but that 1t IL
the foreign producer or manufacturer, the
transferrer across the seas. the importer
and the wholesale dealer here upon whom
this burden, or tax, falls.
This proposition of the Chicago platform
to withdraw all encouragement, protection
or defense from American industries and
American labor Mr.. Cleveland did not
fully accept; for the present his tariff re-
form would stop with the admission OF
raw materials free Of duty. which is moth
ing more than the Mills bill Of 1888, upon
which Mr.. Cleveland was beaten four years
ago for reelection. In lSSO-l8S4-tSS8 and
at intervening periods this Democratic
appeal to the East in favor Of free
III 70 70
ers of the West, and the judgment
rendered by those farmers from Ohio
to Oregon was in favor OF protection.
The Western farmer certainly does
not concur in this appeal to New England
and New York. If New England, with
New York and New Jersey. should vote to
open the ports of the United States for tho
admission Of raw material free, Of duty,
she would soon hear from the producer in
the Western states. The wool growing
Western farmer would not long MAINTAIN
a protective duty on wooden manufactures
when the duty on wool had been removed.
How long would these farmers. who had
been shorn of their wool market by its
surrender to the importers of foreign wool,
hesitate to retaliate upon the manufact-
urer, who had made their feeces worth
less by urging the repeal of the duty on
wool2 The Democracy would not dare to
long continue protection for the manufac-
been repealed. and no protectionist would
maintain the cause of the manufacturer
after he had abandoned that of the pro-
ducer.
With the duties on all raw materials re-
pealed, all the producers Of raw materials
would pertorce become free traders and
the protective system would be robbed Of
the element of justice now exhibited in
the mutually of the benefits it confers,
and the manufacturers who support free
trade in raw materials would be the chief
sufferers in the end since free trade In raw
materials. which Cleveland favors, will In
augurate, as consequence, freedom OF
trade in all manufactures into which such
raw materials may enter. This Is the "cat
under the meal" in the Mills bill. as was
pointed out by the Republican opposition
to Cleveland's reelection In 1883. Grant
ing for the sake of the argument that the
assumed decadence of New England 10 due
to the growth of manufactures and
the spread of manufacturing industries In
the South and West how would FREQ
trade in raw materials help New England
against the competition Of Alabama and
Wisconsin, All the states Of the South
and West would gain or lose by free mate.
riais in an exact ratio with New England
and she would not be any better off than
before. But as a matter of fact New
England has not suffered decadence under
protection. By the protective system ha,
come full compensation for the decline of
her shipping in the Investigation of In
Gustries; In the increased demand for
labor and in the advance of the rate Of
wages. 1t Is true the business of raising
cattle. horses, grain, butter and cheese for
the market once held by the East, is now
held by the states of the Mississippi val.
ley and the great plains OF the Rocky
mountain states. No tariff could have
prevented this inevitable consequences
of circumstances and conditions, but
the protective tariff prevented the
utter prostitution of New England,
since in these thirty years OF protection
great manufacturing towns have been
| erected. The farmer population of New
England has not materially increased, but
there has been an enormous addition to
| the body of consumers. The Eastern
| farmer in crowded Massachusetts, produces
| milk, fruits, raises vegetables for both
| local and city markets. The great increase
| in our foreign trade between 1S70 and 1880
| came under protection. and no such gain
| can be shown under the free trade period
from 1892 to 1851.
| New England knows that protection has
meant for her prosperity; she knows tina
! this prosperity is menaced by no perils
| from which other sections of the country
| are exempt; she knows that free raw ma
| terials would be the initial step to full free
| trade, which would be ruin of her manu-.
features. New England knows that Cleve-
| lands policy" of free raw materials Is
| not q policy al all. much less practicable
| principle of tariff reform: it is only bribe
| that it would be inane to accept, for free
| raw materials would preciptate full frss
| trade, since every Western producer O!
| raw materials would rise up and demand
as his uitimatum: Give Us protec.
| ton all around or full free trade" The
Mills bill is a brlhe; its acceptance
| by the East would force free trade, and
| EsS- ia mara EEaiv 70 acSa-, - -