The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-10-11

Nearly $4,000, 000, 900 excess imports in
ten years. She sustains this enormous
drain by her shipping interests, which
exceed those of all other countries COM
bined, and by her immense investments
in other countries in their bonds and in
their Industries.
We pay England $50, 900. 900 annually
to do our shipping. We pay her $780,
900 interest on our bonds she holds.
These are her accommodations Of many
centuries, during which she has levied
| tribute of all nations, and all peoples,
and spread her trade by fire and by
sword into every continent.
But to-day some of the wisest states
men of Great Britain are advocating re-
turn to the protective policy. They say
| that the country cannot stand the enor-
nous drain now going on by payments
| of immense sums for imports in excess
of exports. They realize that they are
burning the candle at both ends.
Contrast the trade balance of the United
States. Since 1916 and UP to 1862 there
were but two years QS47 and 1885, when
our exports exceeded our imports.
From 1876 to 1892 our exports
have exceeded imports S1,S22, 954, O22,
or over Sll3, 100000 annually. For eight
! cen years there have been but three years
when we failed to sell more than we
| bought.
Free trade might have done better than
|
! ing so. We ought to be content with
protection, that works out such results.
NATIONAL DEBT.
Let me show you how our debt COM
pareS with other countries:
PER CAPITA DEBT,
In 1880 in United States the per cap
ita national debt........... .............S 3S 50
In 1850 in ali other countries............ 35 81
In 1890 in United States the per cap
In ~ 1870 sec S in all other countries S.
At the close of the war the debt was 81
| ia, 900; we have paid of this debt ST.
! 795, O00, 600; our debt is now less than one
! billion-S97S 00O, 900. We have decreased
our debt by an average of 500, 900 an
nually.
In 1850. value of taxable
property. ,OOO,OOO,OOO
| In 1890, value of taxable
%o,ooo.ooo,ooo
Increase. ,oOO,UOOOOO
This is a reduction of debt and increase
of wealth unparalleled in modern times.
STRIKES.
Our Democratic friends have a great
deal to say about the strikes that have
occurred in this country, and they at
tribute them to the tariff legislation.
There never has been time, and never
will be time, when dissatisfied indi-
viduals or bodies OF men will not
! protest III SOutS SllSCt1NS way VI
seek relief through organized move
ment against employers. But no
man, by any satisfactory course of rea-
soning, can trace these strikes to the
tariff laws of the country. 1t ought to be
conclusive on this subject that in free
trade England strikes are frequent and as
determined as in this country.
In 1889 there occurred in England 3,164
strikes. as shown by the British Board OF
Trade. In 1890 it reported LOIS strikes,
involving 392, 9Sl persons III 73S of these.
In the Durham District 100000 coal
miners went out, and stayed out from
March lst to June 1st, and finally &C
cepted a reduction of ten per cent.
In our own country the nature of the
strikes shows that the tariff has nothing
to do with them.
In Idaho the strikes were among
miners. No one would claim that the
tariff had anything to do with these
strikes.
In Tennessee the strikers were agains
convict labor.
Nobody would say that these revolts
of labor grew out of tariff legislation.
, In Buffalo the strikes were among rail
road employees.
Railroads are not protected industries
and no reasonable man would say these
: strikes had any relation TO tariff laws.
The revolt of white laborers agains
f Chinese is another form in which The
: whole United States struck, and passed :
law of absolute exclusion. This is thu
!: most stupeudous strike in all history.
| Now, this protest against Chinese labor
had just as much relation to the tariff
| laws as the other strikes about which
l politicians are talking so much.