Grand Rapids herald., 1892-09-06

High protection, lOg protection, al
unconstitutional A democratic con
gress holding this view cannot enact,
nor 4 democratic president approve any
tariff schedule, the purpose or effect
/ OF which is 70 limit lmportStiOns or 10
give any adyantags 10 al American
workman or prod ueer. 4 bounty might,
| Judge, be given 20 the importer, un-
der TINS view Of the constitution.
Crusade Against American Interests.
Rec proclty of course falls under this
denuneiatiOn, for IT'S object ana effect
are not revenue, but the promotion of
commercial exchanges the profits or
which 20 wholly 20 our producers.
! This destructive, un-Amerlcan doc
trine was not held or taught by the
historic democratic statesmen whose
fame as American patriots has reached
! this generation, certainly not by JET
ferson or Jackson. This mad crusade
| against American shops, the bitter cpl
thets applied 10 American manufac-
turers. the persistent disbelief of every
report of opening tin plate mill, or
| of an increase of our foreign trade by
reciprocity, are as surprising a. they
are discredltable. There is not n
| thoughtful business man IN the country
who does not know that the enact
ment into law OF the declaration
| OF tho Chicago convention upon the
| subject OF the tariff would at once
| plunge the country INTO business con-
| vulslon such as IL has never seen, and
| there IS not a thoughtful workman
| who does not know that II would enor-
| mOusly increase the amount of work
! TO be done IN this country by the IN
| crease of lmportatlons that would fol-
| low, and necessitate 4 reduction OF his
wages TO the European standard. IL
! any one suggests that this radical
| policy will not be executed If the de-
/ mOcratic party attains power, what
! shall be thought OF party that is
! capable of thus trltllng with its great
! interests? The threat of suca leglsla-
! ton would be only less hurtful than
the fact. A distinguished democrat
| rightly described this movement as
challenge to the protected industries
TO a fight of extermInatlon; and an
other such rightly expressed the logic
of the situation wnen he interpreted
| the Chicago platform TO be an invita-
ton to all democrats holding even the
most moderate protective views.
Results of the Existing Tariff.
! And now few words III regard to the
| existing tariff law. We are unfortu-
nately able To judge Of lis influence
upon production and prices by market
| reports. The day of the prophet OF
| calamity has been succeeded by that OF
the trade reporter. An examination
| into the effect of the law upon the
prices protected products ana of the
| cost of such articles as enter INTO the
living of people of small means, has
been made by senate committee COM
posed OF leading senators OF both
! parties, with the aid OF the best statls-
ticians and the report signed by all the
members of the committee has been
gwen TO the public. No such wide and
| careful inquiry has ever been made.
| These facts appear from the report.
! First-The cost of articles entering the
use of those earning less than $1,000
| per annum has decreased up to
May 1892, S.4 per cent while
! In farm products there has been an in
/ crease in prices, owing III part TO an
| increased foreign demand and the
| opening OF new markets. In England,
during the same period, the cost OF
! living increased l.9 per cent. Tested
/ by the power to purchase articles OF
necessity, the earnings OF our working
| people have never been as great as they
are now. Second-Ihere has been an
! average advance in the rate of wages
| of .75 of / per cent. Third-The-e has
| been an advance IN the price OF all
| farm products of 1867 per cent, and OF
! all cereals, 1888 per cent. The ninth
annual report OF the chief of the
| bureau of labor statistics of the state
| OF New York, a democratic officer,
| very recently published, strongly cor
roborates that statement Of facts found
by the same committee. HIS extended
| inquiry shows that in the year imme-
| diately following the passage of the
| tariff act of 1890, the aggregate sum
| paid IN wages 10 that state was S6,377,-
| 925 IN excess and the aggregate produc-
| ton, S3l ,3l5, l30 IN excess of the pre-
cediDg year.
Tariff Not Burdensome But Benefit
In view of this showing of an increase
| in wages, of reduction in the cost of
articles of common necessity and of
| marked advance IN the prices of agri-
| cultural products, 1t is pam that TINS
| tariff law has not imposed burdens,
1 but mas conferred benefits upon the
| farmer and the workngman. Some
| special effects of the act should be no.
tced IL was courageous attempt to
rid our people of a long maintained
| foreign monopoly ID the production OF
| tin plate, pearl buttons. silk plush,
| linens, lace, etc. Once or twice Ia our
history the production of tin plate had
| been attempted, and the prices Oh
| tanned by the Welsh makers would
| have enabled our makers 70 produce II
| at profit But the Welsh makers at
once cut prices 10 point that drove
| the American beginners out OF the
! business, and when this was accom-
| pilshed made their own prices. A cor
respondent of the Industrial World, the
| Official organization of the Welsh tin
plate workers, published at Swanza, in
| the issue of Juno TO- 1892, advising a
| new trial OF these methods, says: "D0
not be deceived. The victory OF the re-
publIcans at the polls means the reten-
ton OF the Mckinley bill and means
| the rapidly accrung loss of the 30 per
cent OF export American trade. Had
| there been no democratic victory IN
/ 1890, the spread of the tn plate manu-
I facturers in the United states, would
/ nave been both rapid and bonahde. II
/ i not vet too late to do something 10
I reduce the pTlces Of plates. Put them
/ down 70 sbilngs per box of 100
pounds. 1920. full weight bass. Let
I the workmcu take halI pay for few
months and then turn out more Then
I let the masters foreg0 profits for the
same time. And again that paper
[ says. 1T i clearly the interest OF
[ bota employer and workman 90 pro-
dure tir plates. tariff or no tariff. At