The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-09-06


advantage to an American workman or
producer.
Reciprocity, of course, falls under this
denrnciation, for its object and effect are
not revenue, but the promotion of COM
mercial exchanges, the profits of which
go wholly to our producers.
Report OF Protected Products.
An examination into the effect of the
law upon the prices of protected pro-
ducts and of the cost of such articles rs
enter into the living of people of small
means, has been made by a Senate COM
mittee composed of leading Senators of
both parties, with the aid of the best
statisticians, and the report, signed by all
the members 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 re-
port:
First-The cost of articles entering into
the use of those earning less than 81 900
per annum has decreased up TO NAV.
1892, 34 per cent, while in farm pro-
ducts there has been an increase in
prices, owing in part to an increased for
eign demand and the opening of new
markets. In England during the same
period the cost of living increased per
cent. Tested by their power to pur-
chase a'ticle Of necessity the earnings
OF our working people have never been
as great as they are now.
Second-fhete has been an average ad-
vance in the rate of wages of rs of /
per cent.
Third-There has been an advance in
the price of all farm products of 1857
per cent, and of all cereal 33. 50 per cent.
The ninth annual report of the chief
of the bureau of labor statistics of the
state of New York-a Democratic Off
Ger, very recently issued, strongly corro-
borates, as to that state, the facts found
by the senate committee. His extended
inquiry shows that in the year immedi-
atEly following the passage of tho tariff
act of 1890 the aggregate sum paid in
wages in that state was S6,377 ,925, and
the aggregate production $3l ,3l5, ,130 in
excess of the preceding 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 agricul-
tural products, it is plain that this tariff
law has not imposed burdens, but has
conferred benefits upon the farmer and
the worlfingman.
Tin and Tcrne Plates.
The official returns to the treasury de-
partment of the production of tin and
terne plates in the United States during
the last fiscal year show total produc-
ton of IL, ,24O, $3.50 pounds, and compar-
ison of the first quarter, 826,022 pounds,
with the last 9,1O0,000 pounds, shows
the rapid development of the industry.
Over 1000, 900 POUNDS during the last
quarter were made from American black
plates, the remainder from foreign plates.
Mr.. Aver, the treasury agent in charge,
estimates as the result of careful in
quiry, that the production of the current
year will he 100000 900 pounds, and that
by the end of the year our production
will be at the rate of 200 900, 900 pounds
per annum.
Other Protected Industries.
Another industry that has been prac-
tically created by the Mckinley bill is
the making of pearl buttons. Few ar
ticles coming to us from abroad were so
distinctly the product of starvation
wages.
But without unduly extending this
letter l cannot follow in detail the in
fluence of the tariff law of 1890 1t has
transplanted several important indus
tries and established them here, md has
revived or enlarged all others. The act
gives to the miners protection against
foreign silver, and to the wool growers
protection for their heeces and flocks,
which has saved them from further
and disastrous decline.
The appeals of the free trader to the
worldngman are largely addressed to his
prejudices or to his passions, and not in
frequently are pronouneedly communis-
tic. The new Democratic leadership
RACES at the employer and seeks to com
municate his rage to the employe |
greatly regret that all employers of la
bor are not just and considerate, and
that capital sometimes takes too large a
share Of the profits. But do not see
that these evils will be ameliorated by a
tariff policy, the first necessary effect of
which is u severe wage cut and the sec
ond a large diminution of the aggregate
amount of work TO be done in this coun-
try.
The Southern States.
The southern states have had a liberal
participation in the benefits of the tariff
law, and though their representatives
have generally opposed the protection
policy, rejoice that their sugar, rice,
coal ores, iron, fruits, cotton cloths and
other products have not been left to the
fate which the votes of their represent
atives would have brought upon them.
In the construction of the Nicaragua
canal, in the new trade with South and
Central America, in the establishment of
American steamship lines, these states
interests will not always consent to be
without representation at Washington
Shrewdly, but not quite fairly, our ad-
versaries speak only of the increased
duties imposed on tin, pearl buttons and
other articles by the Mckinley bill, and
omit altogether any reference to the
great and beneficial enlargement of the
free list. During the last fiscal year
$i5S, ,000,712 worth of merchandise, or
m AK pDt. paDf Of ,,tt,. fRto o1
came in free (the largest per centage in
our history while in 1889 the per cent. of
free importation was only 34.42 per cent.
The placing of sugar upon the free list
has saved to the consumer i'll duties in
fifteen months, after paying the bounties
provided for $751; 900, 900.
Tho market of the World"
One of the favorite arguments against
protective tariff is that it shuts us out
from participation in what is called
with swelling emphasis the markets of
the world. If this view is not false
one, how does it happen that our COM
mercial competitors are not able to bear
with more serenity our opposed surren-
der to them of the ''markets of the
world:' And how does it happen that
the partial loss of our market closes for
elgn tin plate mills and plush factories
that still have all other markets? Our
natural advantages, our protective tariff
and the reciprocity policy make it possi-
BILE for us to have large participation in
the markets of the world" without
opening our own to a competition that
would destroy the comfort and indepen-
dence of our people The resolution of
the convention in favor of bi-metalism
declares, think, the true and necessary
conditions of movement that has upon
these lines my cordial adherence and sup
port
Tho Free Coinage of Silver.
l am thoroughly convinced that the
free coinage Of silver at such a ratio to
gold as will maintain the eaualitYin their