St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-28
A COMMERCIAL CRISIS.
1t Can Only BE Avoided by a Re.
ductiOu of the Tariff.

1t Can Only BE Avoided by a Re.
duction of the Tariff.
The effect of protective tariff upon
Austrian industries:
The reasons which are given for this
commission are very interesting and
quite remarkable, considering the source
from whence they came. AS the
cause for this depression of trade
and industry in Austria, the house
of peers feels called upon to mention
U) the armed peace of Europe, (2) the
industrial competition, and (3) the tariff
war between the nations of EurOpe-a
burden which, as these gentlemen ad-
NIT, the nations of Europe cannot pos
sibly carry much longer. And what is
more remarkable still is that not only
the liberal press but the semi-Otficial
and highly conservative organs coincide
in this view, and proceed to show that
the protective tariff was principally in
strumentalln bringing about the pres
ent condition of things.
As a matter OF course, these journals
claim that highly protective tariff was
at first, when the expenditures OF the
state began TO Increase, necessary in
order to enable the people to carry the
burden of internal taxation, but they
admit that this tariff system led
to the tariff wars under which
Europe is labOring at present, and
that as an inevitable consequence the
industries of Austria find themselves
suddenly cut off from foreign markets
and confined to the demands of home
consumption, and that home consump-
ton decreases constantly, being affected
by the same causes which curtaiied the
export trade, and that at last the indus
tries of the empire stand face to face
with commercial crisis.
For this dilemma, so freely admitted,
the remedies of universal tariff reduc-
ton and internal tariff conventions are
proposed, but together with this pro-
posai the admission goes hand in hand
that a concert of action of the nations
of Europe in this direction is, under
present circumstances, out of the Ques-
ton. And, finally, after all these argu-
ments and considerations, the conclu-
sion is reached that nothing is to be
done except to leave things in statu quo.
This, too, illustrates how, under such
conditions as Austria is in, protective
tariff cannot only not protect labor. but
also fails to help languishing and de-
pressed industries. When labor finds
nothing to do, when industries find no
market, the patient Ill either case has
got beyond tariff relief.
But will pursue the bearing of the
tariff on the wage question no further.
My object has been not to show that the
tariff gave no relief to labor, but to
point out truly and honestly just the ex-
tent to which the tariff can reach in fix
ingsWages. While am in favor of a
fair and Just protective tariff-a low
tariff, as call i'll am under
all circumstances opposed to
tariff that reaches beyond this
point, to what term high tariff. The
primary object of a tariff justly protect
i've is, as have already suggested. in
creased production. Where this result
cannot be fairly reached, or the tariff is
too high, then there is no warrant for it.
and there should be an abatement, and
in any tariff tax or other abate-
ment preference should always be
given to the necessaries of life. be-
lieve there are many items in our tariff
list that are either too highly taxed or
are not fair objects for protection, or
that, being among the supreme neces-
saries of life, should for that reason,
under the present condition of our
treasury, be freed from tariff taxes.