The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-15
THE EFFECT ON RHODE ISLAND.

called upon to consider so much as the
question, how would it affect RHODE
ISLAND? If each section of the Union
answers this question for itself, the re-
suit will be safe rule and principle of
guidance for the whole nation.
The industries of RHODE ISLAND are of
the utmost variety and Of enormous inn
portance. Combined. our factories en-
ploy, feed and clothe directly half our
inhabitants and Indirectly many more
the farmers, butchers, grocers who feed
the factory hands, the merchants who
sell them goods, the railroad and steam
boat men who transport them and, not
unimportant, the newspaper men who
print the news for them, all are abso-
lutely dependent upon the prosperity of
our manufactures. If they fall, the
State is ruined.
Our large industries are the making
of woolen goods, the making Of machin-
cry and other forms of iron and steel
work, jewelry and rubber making. In
every one of these industries, English,
Belgian, French and German capital is
engaged to an enormous extent. Some
of our manufacturers call for free raw
material. 1t is inconceivable that
western farmers would stand free wool
without free woolens, that the Penn
sylvania miner would stand free iron
without free iron ware, or that in the
general smashing of the tariff the rub
ber and jewelry interests could escape.
AS a definition free raw material is
meaningless. As battle cry it means
free trade. at
With free trade how would our big
industries stand? As competitors for
our own markets with equally we'll
organized manufacturers of Great
Britain paying about half our wages.
Would we get our material cheaper /?
No, for the freight on wool from Texas
to Liverpool is about the same as it is
from Texas to PROVIDENCE. Would we
have an advantage in reaching the home
market? No, for cheap ocean freights
work both ways. The competition
would be absolutely even in every par
ticular but one. Lots of silly people like
to buy an imported article because it is
imported. That would work to our
disadvantage.
We could not secure other markets to
make up for the loss of our own. Where
could we find them9 At present Amer
lea, the greatest consumer among ma
tions, is supposed to consume 97 per
cent. of the produce of America, the
greatest producer in the world. Where
could we replace that market? Not on
the continent of Europe, for nearly
every inch Of 1T is protected by tariff.
Not in Great Britain except by under
selling. Not in Turkey and Asia until
we had ousted our British rivals. Not
in Canada or Australia, for these have
built tariff fence and will not throw
off one rail of it. In South America we
should do less well than at present. for
now we can compel trade by the recipro-
cal clause of the Mckinley bill. Under
free trade we should have to fight for it.
There would be absolutely no help for
IL. To hold our own markets, to sell a
single article of RHODE ISLAND manu-
facture abroad, except certain machinery
which Yankee ingenuity has perfected
beyond British models, we must under
free trade reduce wages TO the lowest
British level for piece work. IL is idle
to reply that the cost of living would
be less than now. How could il be
The cost Of living is very largely made
up Of the items of food, clothing and
shelter. Many RHODE ISLAND working
men-none in England-own their
homes. To them shelter would |
be more expensive. Their taxes
would be higher, for poor rates
would become, as in England, an enor.
nous item. The renter pays taxes not |
less surely though indirectly. Food
could be no cheaper, except in the items
of eggs and potatoes. for we raise IL for |
tla worl1 aud tka ,....o ~ n.r.~s.