Wisconsin Afro-American., 1892-11-05


principle that is TO control all taIIff Sched-
uleS. There may be differences of opinion
among protectlOnlStS as to the rate upon
particular articles necessary to affect an
equalization between wages abroad and at
home. In some not remote national cam
paignS the issue has been-or more cor
rectly, has been made TO appear to be-be-
tween high and low protective tariff,
both parties expressing sollcitiouS regard
for the wages of our working people and
for the prosperity of our domestic indus
tries. But, under more courageous lead
erShip. the Democratic party has now prac-
tlcally declared that, if given power, it will
enact tariff law without any regatd to
Its effect upon wages or upon the capital
invested in our great industries. The mai
Ority report of the Committee on Platform
! to the Democratic National Convention at
| Chicago, contained this clause: THAT
| when custom house taxation is levied upon
! articles OF any kind produced in this cDun-
| try the difference between the cost of labor
| here and abroad, when such a difference
| exists, fully measures any possible benefits
| to labor and the enormous additional i'm
! positions of the existing tariff fall with
| crushing force upon our farmers and work
| ingmen." Here we have distinct admiS-
| sion of the Republican contention that
American wOrkingmen are advantaged by
a tariff rate equal to the difference between
| home and foreign wages. and declaration
only against the alleged additional i'm
positions of the existing tariff law.
Again, this majority report further de-
| clared: But IN making a reduction in
| taxes 1t is not proposed 10 lnjure any do
! mestic industries, but rather to promote
! their healthy growth. Moreover, many
/ industries have come to rely upon leglSla-
| ton for successful continuance. so that
| any change of law must be at every step
| regardful of the labor and capital in
| unIV Inr hlUn or HTnic cgIO hnF
many of our industries depend upon pro-
/ tective duties for their successful con-
/ tinuance and a declaration that the tariff
I changes should be regardtul of such indus
| tries and OF the invested capital. The
! overwhelming rejection of these PROPOSE
! tions which haG before received the sane
| ton of Democratic National conventions
| was not more indicative of the new and
more courageous leadership to which the
| party has now committed itself than the
| substitute which was adopted. This sub
| Stitute declares that protective duties are
unconStltutlonal-hig protection, low pro-
| lection, all unconstitutional. 4 DemOcra-
tic congress holding this view cannot enact
nor Democratic president approve, any
/ tariff schedule, the purpose or effect of
! which is to limit impOrtatIOnS or to give
any advantage to an American workman
or producer. A bounty might, judge, be
given to the importer under this view of
the constitution in order to increase inn
portant importationS, and so the revenue
for revenue only is the limitation.
RECIPROCITY WOULD GO TOO.
Reciprocity of course falls under this de-
nunciatiOn, for its object and effect are not
revenue but the promotion of commercial
exchanges the profits of which go wholly
to our producers. The doctrine was not
held or taught by the historic Democratic
statesmen whose fame as American pa
triotS has reached this generatlOn-cer-
tainly not by Jefferson or jackson. This
mad crusade against American shops,
the bitter epithetS applied to American
manufacturers, the persistent disbelief of
every report OF the opening of tin plate
mill or of an increase of our foreign trade
by reciprocity are as surprising as they are
diScred table. There is not a thoughtful |
business man in the country who does
not know that the enactment into law of |
the declaration of the Chicago convention |
on the subject of the tariff would at once |
plunge the country into business convul- |
sion such as 1t has never seen; and there is |
not a thoughtful working man who does |
not know that it would at once enormously |
reduce the amount of Work-to h" "on9 N |
-his country by the increase of importa-
lions that would follow and necessltate q
reduction of wages to the European stand
ard. If any one suggests that this radical
policy will not be executed if the Demo
cratic party attalns power, what shall be
thought of party that is capable of thus
trifllng with great interests? The threat
Of such legislation will be only less hurt
full than the fact. A distinguished Demo |
crat rightly described the movement as a
to the protected Industries to a
fight of determination; and another such
rightly expressed the logic of the situation
when he interpreted the Chicago platform
to be an invitation to all Democrats hold
ing even the most moderate protection
views to go into the Republican party.
THE PRESENT TARIFF LAW.
And now few words in regard to the !
existing tariff law. We are fortunately
able to Judge of its influence upon prOduc-
ton and prices by the market reports.
The day of the prophet of calamity has
been succeeded by that of the trade re-
porter. An examination lhtO the effect of
the law upon the prices of protected pro-
ducts and of the cost of such articles as
means has been made by senate commit
tee composed of leading senators of both
parties, with the aid of the best sUatIsti-
clans, and the report, signed by all the
of the committee, has been given
to the public. No such wide and careful
inquiry has ever before been made. These
facts appear from the report:
FirSt-The cost of articles entering into
the use of those earning less than $1,000
per annum, has decreased to May, 1892,
3.4 per cent, while IN farm products there
has been an increase in prices, owing in
part to an increased foreign demand and
the opening of new markets. In England
during the same period the cost OF living
increased 1.9 per cent. Tested by their
power to purchase articles of necessity the
earnings of our working people have never
been as great rs they are now.
Second-There has been an average ad-
vance in the rate of wages of 10 of per
cent.
Third-There has been an advance in the
price of all 1crm products of 1857 per cent,
and of all cereals SO per cent
The ninth annual report of the chief of
the bureau of labor statistics OF the State
of New York. Democratic officer, very
recently issued, corroborates as to that
state the facts found by the senate COM
mittee. His extended inquiry shows that
in the year Immediately following the
passage of the tariff act of 1890 the aggre-
gate sum paid IN wages in that state was
ST, 377. .g25 in excess of the aggregate pro-
duction, $31, ,3l5, 19U in excess of the pre-
ceding year. In view of this showing of
an increase in wages, of reduction in the
cost of articles, of common necessity and
Of a marked advance in the prices of agri-
cultural products, it is plain that this tariff
law has not imposed burdens but has con-
ferred benefits upon the farmer and the
wOrklngman.
SPECIAL EFFECTs OF THE TARIFF ACT.
Some special effects of the act should
be noticed. 1t was a courageous attempt |
to rid our people of a long main
tanned foreign monopoly in the production