Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-12-09

-A1lOlAs 1NOll IL DAhO "A,
World W mere tue conultlons THAT seem 10
them hard would not be accepted as
highly pro- o'perous.
| Believes in Protection
believe that the protective system,
which now for something like thirty
years has prevailed in our legislation, has
been mighty instrument for the devel-
| Opment of our national wealth, and 81
most powerful agency in protecting the
homes Of cur workinymen from the inva-
sion of want. | have felt most solici-
tous interest to preserve to our working
people rates of wages that would not ONLY
! give daily bread. but supply comfort
| able margin for those home attractions
and family comforts and enioyments
without which life is neither hopeful nor
sweet
1t Is not my purpose to renew here the
argument in favor of a protective tariff.
The result of the recent election must he
accepted as having introduced a new
policy. We must assume that the pre-
sent tariff. constructed upon the lines of
protection is to be repealed and that
there is to be substituted for it tariff
law constructed solely with reference to
revenue; that no duty is to be higher be-
| cause the increase will keep open an
American mill or keep up the wages of an
American workman, but that in every
case such rate of duty is to be
imposed as will briug to the treasury
of the United States the largest returns
| of revenue. The contests not being be-
tween schedules but between principles,
| it would be offensive to suggest that the
prevailing party will not carry into legis-
lation the principles advocated bv il, and
the pledges given TO the people The
tariff bills passed by the house of repre-
sentatives at the last session were as |
! supposed, even i'll the opinion OF their
promoters, inadequate. and justified only
by the fact that the senate and house of
representatives were not in accord and
that general revision should not, .here-
fore, be undertaken.
| Let the Democratic Congress Attend to
Tariff Revision.
recommend that the whole subject of
! tariff revision be left to the incoming
congress. 1t is a matter of regret that
| this work must be delayed for at least
| three months for the threat Of great tariff
! changes introduces SO much uncertainty
that an amount not easily estimated, OF
| business in action and of diminished pro.
| duction will necessarily result.
Those who have advocated protective
tariff can we'll afford to have their dis
astrous forecasts of change of policy dis
appointed. If a system of customs duties
can be framed that will set the idle wheels
and looms of Europe in motion and crowd
our warehouses with foreign made goods
and at the same time keep our own mills
L,1c1 bot, nrxsxy
cipation in the markets Of the world" of
greater value than the home market we
surrender; that will give increased work
to foreign workmen upon products to be
consumed by our people without dimin-
ishing the amount of work to be done
here; that will enable the american manu-
facturer to pay his workmen from 80 to
100 per cent, more in wages than is paid
in the foreign mill and yet to compete in
our market and,in forei gn markets with
the foreign producer; that w II further re
duce the cost of articles of wear and food
without reducing the wages of those who
produce them: that can be celebrated
after its effects have been realized, as its
expectation has been in Europe as we'll as
in American cities, the authors and pro-
moters OF it will be entitled to the highest
praise
The Labor Question.
The now strained and too often dis
turbed relations existing between the
employe and the employers in our great
manufacturing establishments have not
been favorable to Il calm consideration by
the wage earners of the effect upon wages
The facts that his wages were the highest
paid N like callines in the world, and
that a maintenance of this rate of wages,
in the absence of protective duties upon
the product of his labor was impossible,
were obscured by the passion evoked by
these contests. He may now be able to
review the question in the light of his
personal experience under the operation
OF a tariff for revenue only. If that expe-
rience shall demonstrate that present
rates OF wages are thereby maintained or
increased, either absolutely or in their
purchasing power, and that the aggregate
volume Of work to be done in this country
ls increased, or even maintained, so that
there are more, or as many days work in
year at as good or better wages for the
American workingman as has been the
case under the protective system, every
one will rejoice. A general process of
wage reductions cannot be contemplated
by any patriotic citizen without the gray
I est apprehension. sS
Reports of Executive Departments.
The reports of the heads of the several
executive departments which are here
with submitted, have very naturally in
cluded a resume of the whole work of the
administration with the transactions Of
the last fiscal year. The attention not
only Of congr but Of the country is
again invited to thA methods of admins
tration which have been pursued and to
the results which have been attained.
Public revenues amounting TO 81, ,4l4, ,079, II
292. .28 have been collected and disbursed
without loss from misapp opriation, with
out single defaloation Of such import
ance as to attract the public attention.
aud at q diminished per cent Of cost for
collection. The public business has
been transacted not only with fidelity
] but sprogressiv lively, and with y view TO give
80 the people "a the, fullest Dcssib Rood