The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-24
this same election by Thomas B. Reed,
when he said:

when he said:
Today we are not only in favor OF fostering in
liant industries, but we are in favor OF fostering
and continuing existing industries, because we
have discovered thai. 10 remove the barrier be-
tween and the cheap labor o! Europe, is TO
cause reduction OF wages Of our own laboring
men AMI reduce them 10 their level over there;
aud, having discovered IL. no sneers about in
iant industries viii prevent US from maintain
Ing the barrier between the condition, happy
and prosperous, OF our people and the condition
o. people beyond the seas which make them so
glad TO seek our country.
The Republican platform declares that
''all articles which cannot be produced in
the United States, except Injuries, should
be admitted free of duty. and shat on all
imports coming into competition with
the products of American labor there
should be levied duties equal to the differ
ence between wages abroad and at home. !"
Protective duties are levied for the double
purpose of securing revenue for the gov
eminent and protecting American labor
from overcompetition with the under
paid labor of Europe.
On this principle of protection We admit
free of duty tea, coffee and sugar, nom
competitive necessaries Of the poor man s
table, upon which tariff is levied in free
trade England, and We levy protective
duties on iron, steel, glass, leather, wool
and other manufactures, thus holding our
home markets. How would the
state of Washington like q tariff
for revenue only which means
free lumber, free wool and free hops; how
would the frontier farmer like his COM
petitive agricultural products placed on
the free list for the benefit of the Canadian
farmer2 This policy of protection used to
be included among the eternal verities"
of the Jeffersonian and Jacksonian De-
mocracy. Indeed, with the exception OF the
Stree trade" tariff of 1916, which brought
disaster upon the country, the policy OF
protection to American labor has ruled
this nation since the days of Washington
and Hamilton.
With the exception of John c. Calhoun
every Democratic statesman of first order
of intellect has been protectionist.
Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren,, Wright,
Tilden and Randall were protectionists.
But today protection is supplemented by
reciprocity, which aims to retain the home
market for everything this country can
produce, and to secure foreign market
for a vast and growing surplus of home
products in exchange for what can not be
produced in this country. The value of
this reciprocity policy is found in the
official treasury statistics of the figures OF
exports and imports between the United
States and West Indian islands and Cen
trail and South American nations. Dur
ing the month of April our exports
to the West Indies and Central
and South America increased over
s62S 1000, compared with April, 1901.
The exports to Brazil show an increase of
nearly 81 900, 900 during the last thirteen
months. The gain in our exports to the
island of Cuba during April was over half
million dollars, and for eight months
over four millions of dollars. Our exports
to Porto Rico during April were more than
twice the total of April, 1891 Our exports
to Santo Domingo during April were more
than three times the total of April, 1901.
Our exports to Salvador were 90 per cent.
larger than in April, 1891.
The Mckinley tariff has brought to this
country 25S new establishments, with a
capital of $26, o37. 200 and employing 20, 7l2
hands, while 81 firms have made expan-
sions requiring S., 800 capital and en-
ploying 4,015 hands. Add to this fl new
firms employing 1,915 and u firms extend
~. IN
and there are in all 392 firms employing
%, 307 hands "a a result of the Mckinley
tariff. Prices are no higher than before
its passage and work is more abundant.
These fruits of the Republican tariff an
swer the absurd denunciation as voiced by
the Democratic platform. On this alb
surd platform of tariff for revenue
only the Democracy cannot carry
doubtful state, East or West, because the
Mckinley tariff has proved itself fair
tariff, since it protects both producers and
manufacturers, West and East. The
farmer will not vote for such tariff; the
manufacturer cannot afford to vote for 1t,
and certainly American labor cannot
afford to vote for tariff that means either
the destruction of American competitive
industries or the reduction of wages to the
level of Europe. Neither farmer nor mer-
chant will vote against the reciprocity
policy which .enlarges the circle OF our for
eign markets and increases the volume OF
American exports. The Mckinley law is
every day proving its own justification.
1t is helping to make the country rich and
prosperous; it will win the election oil
Harrison as against such radical policy
rs tariff for revenue only, which prac'
tically is ''free trade"