The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-09-15

import at ion, and so the revenue for revenue
only" is the Limitation Rcciprocity Of course
falls under ehis denunciatiOn, for its object
and effect are not revenue but the promotion
of commercial exchanges. the profits of which
go wholly to our producers.
Mr.. Harrison denies that the policy
Of the Democrats to-day was the policy
| Of Jefferson or jackson, and character
ICES the present doctrine as destructive
and un- American" He says:
There il not thoughtful business man in
the country who does not know that the en-
actmcnt into law of the declaration Of the Chi
| cago convention on the subject OF the tariff
would at once plunge the country into a busi-
| ness convulsion such as Il has never seen; and
| there is not thoughtful workinsman who
| does not know that it would at once enorm-
ously reduce the amount of work to be done in
| this country by the increase of impcrtatious
| that would follow and neCcssitate reduction
| OF his wages to the European standard. Ii any
| one suggests that this radical policy will net
power what shall he thought of party that is
capable of thus tritlng with great interests!
| The threat of such legislation would be only
less hurtful than the fact.
| And now 4 few words in regard to he exist
| ing tariff law. We are fortunately able to
| judge Of its influence upon production and
| prices by the market reports. The day of the
! prophet Of calamity has been succeeded by tt at
| of the trade reporter. An examination into
the effect of the law upon the prices of pro-
| lection products and of the cost of such arti-
cles as enter into the living of people of small
| means has been made by committee cong
|
| the aid of the best statisticians, and the re-
| port, signed by all the members of the com
mittee. has been given to the public. No such
wide and careful inquiry has ever been before
/ made. These facts appear from the report:
| !. The cost OF articles entering into the use
| of those earning less than $1,000 per arnun has
| decreased up to May, Is92. "a per cent. while
| in farm products there has been an increase III
| prices. owing in part to an increased foreign
demand anu the opening of new markets. In
! England during the same period the cost of
| living increased 1.3 per cent. Tested by their
power to purchase articles of necessity the
| earnings of our working people have never
been as great as they now.
-. There has been an average advance in the
| rate of wages of Is of per cent.
| 3. There has been an advance in the price OF
| all farm products of 1867 per cent. and OF all
cereals s..p per cent.
bureau of labor statistics of the State of New
| York, Democratic officer, very recently
| issued, strongly corroborates as to that State
| the facts found by the Senate conlnittec.
| In view of this showing it is plain that this
| tariff law has not imposed burdens but con-
| ferred benefits on the farmer and the working
| Some special effects of the act should be no.
| ticcd 1t was a courageous attempt to rid oul
| peOplc.of a long maintained foreign monopoly
| on the production of tin plate. pearl buttons
| silk plush. linens lace. etc. Once or twice in
our history the production OF tin plate BIZ q
| been attempted. and the prices obtained by the
| Welsh makers would have enabled our makers
| to produce it at Il profit. But the Welsh max
ers at once cut prices to point that drove the
/
| when this was accomplished again made theil
own prices 4 correspondent of the Industrial
| workers. published At Swansea, in the issue OF
June 10 lsre advises new trial of these meth
| DDS. He says:
1T is clearly the interest of both temploye,
| and wDrkmenl to produce tin-plates, tariff ol
mo tariff. at price that will drive all competi
| tors from the field"
But in spite of the doubts raised by the cleo
| tions of $50. and of the Vaccinations OF
foreign producers to maintain their monopoly
the tin.plate industry has been established II
the United States, and the alliance betweer
| the Welsh producers and the Democratic part
fer its destruction will not succeed.
The President then shows that in this
country the past year there was pro.
duced over $4,000 900 pounds Of tin anG
terne plates. In coniinuanre:
Another industry that has been practicall,
created by the Mckinley law is the making o.
pearl buttons. Few articles coming to US from
abroad were so distinctly the product of star
vation wages.
But without unduly extending this letter
cannot follow in detail the Influences of tht
tariff law Of 1890. This tariff law has eivcl
employment to many thousands of Americal
men and women, and will each year give en-
ployment to increasing thousands. Its repea
would throw thousands out of employment
and give work TO Others only at reduced wages
In considering the motives Of Dem
ocracy's leaders, the President says
The appeals Of the free-trader to the
his preiudices or to his passions. ant
not inircquently ore pronouncedly com
munistic.' But of the outcome, he says
"They will settle the tariff contest il
the calm light OF their November fire
sides, and with sole reference to tn.
prosperity of the country of which the,
/ are citizens and of the homes they hav,
founded for tLeir wives and children"
No intelligent advocate of protective tarif
claims that it is able of itself to maintain
uniform rate oi wages W W.noa5 a rega1d I" for 'ue
| products of labor, but it is confidently claime'
that protective duties strongly tend 10 holt
! M wages and are the only barrier against
reduction to the European scale.
The southern States have had liberal par
ticipation in the benefits of the tariff law
! and though their representative have eener
| ally opposed the protection policy, rejoic
that their sugar. rice, coal, ores, iron, fruits
cotton cloths and other products have no
been left to the fate which the votes of thci
, Representatives would have brought upol
.thcnl. In the construction of the Nicaragu
, canal. in the new trade with South aud Cen
trail America in the establishment of ameri
, | can steamship lines. these States have als
!. special interests, and all these interests will
not always consent to be without representa-
!, Shrewlly, but not quite fairly. our adver
, saries speak only of the increased duties i'm
posed upon tin, pearl buttons and other arti
, cles by the Mckinley bill, and omit atogethe
, any reference to the great and benchciai en-
q the free list prns ahf las
55.:,5 per cent. of our total importations cam
in free ithe largest percentage in our history
, while in 1889 the per cent; OF free importation
was only 3442 per cent. The placing Of suga
: upon the free list has saved to the consumer il
duties in fifteen months after paying tn
bOunties provided for, SS1,N0HH This relief ill
Y been substantially felt in every hou sc hol
: upon every Saturday purchase of the work
ingman.
). One Of the favoritc arguments against pre-
tectiye tariff Is that il shuts us ont from pal
ticiration in what is called, with swelling EN-
f phasIs the markets OF the % world 9r o. II TN tn
! our commercial competitors are not able t
/ bear with more serenity our supposed snrren
{ der to them of the markets of the world. - an
how does it happen that the partial loss Of on
market closes foreign tin-plate mills and plus
: factories that still have all other markets
Our natural advantages. our protective tart
, and the reciprocity policy make it possible fo
us to have alarge participation in the market
OF the world w without ,, opening @ onr n own % to
, and independence OF our people.
> OF bimetallism he says:
4 The resolution of the convention in favor {
> bimetallism declares, think, the true an
! necessary conditions of a movement that ha
upon these lines, my cordial adherence all
. support, am thoroughly convinced that til
free coinage of silver at such ratio to gold a
. will maintain the equality in their commcrci;
: uses of the two coined dollars, would condut
!. to the prosperity of all the great producing an
Y commercial nations Of the world. The one @:
| Scnt1at condition Is that tneSe dollars Sfla
: have and retain an equal acceptability an
9 value in all commercial transactions.
y His further remarks upon this head ar
t but illustrative.
o Concerning regulations Of elections:
In my last annual message to Congress,
n said Il must yet entertain the hope that it
= possible to secure a calm, patriotic considers
tion Of such constitutional or statutol
n changes as may be necessary to secure II
q q choice of the officers of the Government to ii
= people by fair apportionments and free Gle
. tions. believe it would be possible to col
n stitute commission non-partisan in its men
i. bership, and composed Of patriotic wise, ar
. impartial men, to whom consideration of Il
> questions of evils connected with ol
= election systems and methods might
n committed with a good prospect of securir
e or mitigating those evils. The constit
i, tion would permit the selection Of Il
,. commission to be vested in the Supreme Cou
!: If that method would give the best guaranty
4 impartiality. This commission should
~ charged with the duty of inquiring into Il
,,l,1Io Sr,lN;o Of <ho Tau Of oil -