Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-23
PROTECTION A SHAM
THE TARIFF SYSTEM DECLARED TO
BE A sASELESS SUPERSTITION.

66 n 6ASeJ6SS SOPtRS ION.
Senator Vest Fires Voiley OF One Hun
dred Tariff Trusts and Two Hundred
and Fifty Wage Reductions In Protect
ed Industries at Republicans.
Tariff items of late are not entirely
satisfactory to Republicans who worship
at the shrine of protection The
Democrats have boldly declared that the
system is a superstition and sham.
The Prohibitionists have done the same,
and the Alliance and Labor platform
will follow suit
Something must be done to stem the
tide setting in against protection
Republicans must not be content with
trying to refute 'free trade" and Cob
den club lies" but must do some ae-
gressive work themselves Spurred on
by such sentiments as these Senator
Hale concluded to force the fighting
and as a prelude to his challenge to the
Democrats he recited that at mo time
has so large a proportion of the Ameri-
can people been employed at such high
wages and purchasing the necessities
in the year 1892
Then he proceeded to shoot at the
wicked Democrats as recklessly as boy
with a new popgun shoots at flies AZ
ter firing blank charges at British
Doctrine" Balance of Trade High
Prices Low Wages" etc, and tn
umphantly announcing that 1.-The Re
publicans of the United States gladly
tha iSSf1a tod - he 4
ignorant of the fact that every shot had
hit a hornets nest.
Tariff reformers of late have not been
satisfied with mere theoretical reason
ing, no matter how well founded their
theories may be. They have taken the
trouble TO collect some facts to substan-
tiate their claims. Senator Vest hap
pened to have desk full of these un-Re-
publican things. He had in the first
place twenty-one samples of dry goods,
coat Innings, women's and children's
dress goods, cotton sheets, corduroys,
etc, prepared by a big New York mer-
chant, showing that these goods, though
the foreign price has declined since 1890,
are sold higher here now than then-in
some cases 2o per cent higher.
In the second place he had few facts
buttons, cutlery, tin plate, etc, and the
increased prices on the same. Next he
had list prepared by J. Schoenhof, ex-
consul to Tunstall, England, giving the
labor cost of producing thirty nine arti-
cles in America and England, the cost
in all but eight cases being lower in this
country in spite of our higher wages.
Then he had a list of 100 tariff trusts,
rod nv v1l,r1 Tl.a WE
of the Reform club. He also had a list
of $50 wage reductions, strikes, etc, in
protected industries since October, 1890,
prepared by the same gentleman.
Loaded with these and other similar
facts Senator Vest did some cannon
aiding that silenced the Republican pop
guns After he had poured ont enough
of these facts to fill thirty pages of The
Congressional Record, and the smoke of
battle began to clear away, Senator
Hale found courage to say to Vest that
they had trusts in England also. and
that .-before this debate closes the DEM
onstration Will be given TO the senate
showing his inaccuracy.- Vest inquired.
why not give it now But Hale's
ammunition was out and he was com
PEELED to retreat, saying, That was not
my original purpose
Perhaps he will bring more ammuni-
ton and renew the battle. Perhaps he
will prepare list of $50 increases of
wages in protected industries since the
Mckinley bill became a law. Perhaps
he will write up 100 trusts in England
that have raised prices there-often from
p to 80 per cent--and that sell goods
cheaper to foreigners than at home
Perhaps he will produce several hun
dred foreign manufacturers and mer-
chants to testify that they are regularly
paying our tariff taxes. Perhaps he will
be able to show that we are making all
of our own tin plate and that the price
is lower than ever before. Perhaps he
will demonstrate that duty on moon
shine would build up green cheese in
dustry here. Just now, however, he
admits his weakness and lack of facts
on these points.