New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-09
WHAT PROTECTION DOES.
PROFESSOR GUNTON'S LECTURE.

lively DISCUSSION At THE REPUBLICAN, 'hO"
Never was lecture listened 10 with more h''''e
man Professor George GuntOn's fourth lecture "po
me Economic Philosophy OF Protectiol' WIZ"
d.uyercd at tie Republican Club. no. 40 flit"'e,
last evening. Tie audience did not agree WI" o.
IA, views of the SPEAKER and after he had nhis' ~
did not hesitate to tell him so. The discu9So'
t,nucd until II O'Clock. and the lh'e'cs' nv"
Dagsed. - ~, tho
Professor Gunon showed the iai"'s VI
charge that the tariff Is n tax, IN tue go
-, heinz an opprcsslve burden upon the com
munty This is one of the most pIaus'u'c '"N
OFT repeated objections to the protective poA'''
From an economic point Of view tax Is SIN,
ply "A contribution TO the public ueasu's,
SPEAKER said in part, lana Is oic VI ~" -.
numcrabe expenditures which social HE HIM
| necessary Whether it IS burden OF NV
determined by the wisdom or un"lsdom Oh i'7 49,,
tu,e In This light 1; may be looked upon as an iV
ment which cannot be considered ou'uc"so''o -
pen,s II It's ultimate benefit Is worth moie "
amount invested For instance. the espcn"i'"o' nv
essarv 70 enforce law and order, to protect popei'
and personal security. regarded as soou INV
even by free traders What Is true OF 'aAc' oa
limo. ~ exucnditurs is equally true of II protecuFe
tariff The que stOn Is an economic one DUO II 'S"
more than it cOstsP ,r +, 90
"rro Traders affirm that the effect Of the tarn Is 10
increase the price of the entire home product 10 we
full
an assumption has nothing either in experience vi
| ro,soning Ia support 1t. In considering prices "
eboud always be remembered that the economic test
Of clienpness or dearncss Is not the nhmDcr Oh PEI"
MES a thing may cost, but the amount OF u tioo can
he ,htained for days labor. The only change ta'
occur, I'm prices "A result Of the tarH Is 10 III. "o
foreign goods up to the cost Of producing the NOME
! article instead Of lowering the price OF TIC nome
| product through reduction OF wages 10 tIe cos' VI
tho foreign product. Thus it is not higher d'e vi
profits but higher rate Of wages, that Is sushheu ny
the krlG 1t will thus be seen that even IN It's dlfece
effect the tariff is not burden, since II hei'hcr
d,mini,hes the purchasing power of wages nor unduy
| Increases profits -
| mt the real benefits Of "A protective tariff con
,i,uod Professor Gunton to be looked ior IN us
pcrmanent economic influence. In its ultimate ana III
direct effect This is the true test OF any puphc poo'
In preventing the products OF dear laDor HV'" oo'7
undersold by those OF cheap labor, the tariff pFO"c'S
"'''' 80 ~ ,o ,h. r,me producer The
economic eject OF TINS IS to promote the growth Oh
| manufacturing Industries, u concentrate PoP"iu'"
and TO enlarge the demand Tor an INCREASING p"i"'''
and variety Of products The natural ehue"'' "a
mi, is to develop higher grade OF Social ','i"'
and general intelligence, more inventive genius anu
improved methods OF production b. WHICH u'o ''so
and therefore the price Of commodities IS ultimately
lowered without reducing wages From thi' II VIII W
seen that u tariff or anything else WINCH P'r'''.' -
reimbursement OF prices on power "as' Ic''' '
an opportunity for developing better prouuo"N' Py,
-iblltes through the Of labor having ana "'''O'
cb.,n,nlng methods. The elect OF t1H Oh t'
rce Of home products therefore. is, first t. prevent
ua.teful reaLjustmcnt OF economical relations on u
lower wage plan secondly to afford opportunities LOT
Increasing productive possbilte' and thereby MAKE
readiu,rment Of economic relations on higher ""e'
plan necessary
The speaker then showed 10y statistics that thS hat
bcon the general Of the productive policy OF tnS
' 4 example,
IL was shown bow this country hal Steallly
gained ground upon England until after hAIi
CENTURY OF protection tac cost Of producing various
lines OF cotton good, was less here than in England
Will, wases were much higher in this country
All TIL, clearly demonstrates said the speaker
! that the concentration Of capital and the use o'
labor saving appliances In this Industry made greater
progress I'm the United states than in England after
The home market regime was inausuraed here Nhs'
Is true Of tho effect OF the tariff upon the cotton ih
ldustry + also 10 more or less extent OF o'"er
industries without protection % the home market and
with the advantage that England had In factory ue-
yeopment it would have been impossible TO develop
cotton and many other kindred manufacturing in
du-trcs unless We had lowered our wages 10 the Eng
Hsh level
A. soon as tho lecturer had finished President JAmes
g. blanchard gave the audience an opportunity 70
discuss tho Views presented by Professor Gunton.
I r. Wentworth called the attention
II the the condition Of the farmers 0r le
country Professor GuntDn said that what the iirner
needed most ol al was Il larger market. with tue
u,o of approved scientific methods, he SAID u;il
h American farmers could -ccOmpn,h more IMAM inc
farmers OF any other country. lie called attention u
The nct that the spanish pcasant raise ieen Dushel,
j. nf wheat 10 go bu,he, produced los the American
farmer Professor ountnn spoke OF the GENERALIZATION
. idea. as applied to agriculture. -, II,
lie was sharply called to account for the theory
u hv " W Uick, Il prominent ForIda ihriner,
II Who WAS the ,1,et Of the club. Mr.. Hicks YVES oi
r Tho ouniou that any coiS-oldatOn Of the tirnlhs
Interest, meant return to landlOrii>m Inc Sunl~'
excited 80 much interest that the club may dcN''r a
III
= has finished his lectures. ,,.
Ii Among the others who took part In the debate
,or, n r Bartlett Henry l.. DeMili. VI
r. Erynud. j. :. smith and Henry G. backiL,
Among those present were A. H. humphrey ANS
: Irhmncr Mortimer G. AddOms and \. .. Beebc
d owing TO the Republican primaries next Friday