Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-05-05
Labor States v. Capital States
An Irrepressible Conflict between Feee
States and Slave States over
the Tariff Questions
From "The Tariff Riddle''I
ALLIANCE BETWEEN SLAVERY AID FREE


in 1890 that 1.-The free-trade idea in the
South is the surviving partner of the
institution of slavery" 1t is easy to
show that such partnership once exist
ed bv the utterances of Southern lead
ers in the days when circumstances
permitted greater freedom and frank
ness of speech than they consider
prudent now. Calhoun, that great
luminary OF the South, candidly set
forth the reasons which made him at
once believer of slavery end free trade;
1T would be well for those interested
to reflect whether there now exists or
ever has existed wealthy and civilized
community in which one portion did
not live on the labor of another; and
whether the form in which slavery ex-
lists in the South IS not but one modifi-
cation of this universal condition;
and finally whether any other, under
all the circumstances Of the case, is
more defensible or stands on stronger
ground of necessity. 1t Is time TO look
these questions in the face
Calhoun held to slavery in order to
secure cheap labor, and desired free
trade that the proceeds of such labor
might be bartered in foreign markets
to the greatest possible advantage. So
long rs a tax was levied on the goods
acquired by such an exchange when
they We're brought to this country as
imports, it was clear that the slavehold-
er was not getting the full benefit from
the toll of his bondmen; hence in his
philosophy cheap slave labor and free
trade in its pro iucs became inter. de-
pendent, correlated dogmas.
When the idea is accepted that the
part of the community which enjoys
without working" many Of right or of
necessity live on the labor Of another"
any special protection or favor towards
the laboring class must be abandoned
INHUMAN DOGMAs OF FREE TRADE
ECONOMISTS
The political economists who are in
situation to proclaim their conclusions
without regard to the effect on voters
or the results of elections often dee are
their belief in cheap labor and free
trade as candidly as the old STAKEHOLDER.
Ricardo, the economist, who is said
above all others to be the best repre-
sentative of the free-trade school of to-
day, held that lit is nonsense to make
any sacrifice to the welfare Of the labor
ers whose lot rs mere instruments of
labor is irreyocably fixed
The same recognized ana authorita-
tive teacher OF the doctrine Of free trade
supports the statement that 'the iustru-
ment Of labor Called the laborel) can
never have more than barely enough to
keep him alive Unfortunately, these
gloomy dosmas Of the dismol science
haYe not remained matters Of specuIa-
ton, but have been put into execution
with all the ardor and determination
that hunger for cheap labor could
excite in the breast Of cupidity. "What
mattered it to them, asks TLorold
Rogers, speaking Of the English land
lords, shat the English peasants life
was aged soon after his prime, if they
could get cheap labor and increasing
rents? The whole force Of law was for
nearly two centuries directed toward
the solution of this problem: How
much oppression can the English people
endure. how much privation, misery,
starvation, without absolutely destroy
ing the labor on which growing rents
depended?'
HUNGER FOR CHEAP LABOR.
In the United States the same insatia-
bile desire for cheap labor resulted in
form Of slavery severe and inhuman
beyond popular conception at the pre-
sent time. Practically forbidding own
ers TO emanclpate their black chattels
or to .mpIoy them as wage laborers or
on shares, and making 1t criminal to
educate or prepare them for ,nythng
but wors in the cotton fields, the slave
code fortified the Southern system of
cheap labor against invasion at every
point Senior truely said that repubh-
can America presented to the world a
form of slavery such As mo monarchy
or despotsm ever imagined To sucn
lengths men who claimed to be true
citizens of free country could be car
ried by their hunger for chegp labor;
but il was consistent and proper that
the shareholders should constitute the
original school OF free trade in this
country. Possessing themsel Is in their
own States Of negro labor and exploit
ing it for their own benefit with rs little
scruple as they would animal power. il
was natural that they should strike
tierceA III laws designed 10 uphold
workingmon and maintain high wages
anywhere.