The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-04-15
NUMBER A
BENEFITS OF PROTECTION.

The Minneapolis Times says that a
short time ago it published the names
OF 30 manufacturers who have reduced
the wages of their hands since the
adoption of the Mckinley law. This
point is, of course, published by the
times as fact against protection.
Yet 1t offers nothing to show that
1t operates against protection. 1t
does not deny that wages are better
under the Republican protective
policy than they were under that of
Democratic free trade, for the simple
reason that it could not sustain such
denial. The average is far higher
and has gradually increased.
But the statement which the Times
makes contains not the first thing in
favor of free trade. 1t does not 60 to
prove that these wages would not
have been reduced still more had the
Mills bill become law, nor that the
prosperity of the country would have
been greater. 1t did not argue in
this.line, and well it did not, for its
words would have been but idle vapor-
ings.
When the free traders come to talk
against protection facts they have
hard row to hoe, for everything is
against them. The protection period
has been one of phenomenal prosperity
When the protection policy was
adopted the balance Of trade was
against Us, but now it is in our favor,
while England, which the free traders
would have you believe to be an earth
ly paradise, has the balance Of trade
against it. During the period of pro-
lection the wealth Of this country has
increased from SIC, 000, 900, 900 to more
than SIC, 1000, 10000 During the same
time under free trade. that Demo-
cratic panecea for all ills, England has
increased her wealth from $50, 900, Co.,,
600 to SAC, 900, 100000. That is, while
Great Britain has added one-third the
amount to her aggregate wealth, we
have added more than three times
the original amount to ours. And
during all this time the wage earners
of this country have enjoyed things
as the necessaries OF life, which are
looked upon as luxuries by the wage
earners of England.
I But when anything is said in regard
to our national prosperity, the free
traders Immediately cry that while
this may be so it is all in the hands of
the few. That because Of the tariff
the masses have not secured the bene-
fit of this unexampled prosperity.
The inference being that in free trade
England the masses have better
showing. But the following figures
taken from the American Economist
tell a different story. They are taken
from the savings bank deposits which
are mostly in small amounts, and
largely from the wage earners:
In Great Britain, with population
Of Sc, OO0, 900, where free trade reigns,
there are 1886, 900, 600 deposited in
savings banks, or sl4 per capita.
In New York with protected indus
tries and population of S,0OO,OOO
there are $3.50, 900, QUO deposited n saw
ings banks, or 800 per capita.
In Rhode Island the per capita saw
| ings are s175 per capita.
In Massachusetts, over $50
Thsre were deposited in the savings
bank of the whole United States in
1890, 81, 524, 844, SOC. But this large
sum did not represent all the savings
OF the wage earners of this nation.
Millions of dollars are invested in
homes building and loan associations,
insurance companies, and numerous
benefit associations.
Thishas all been done under pro-
tectiOL and is showing which free
trade lngland cannot begin to match.
1t is ecause Of these things that
Ohio Pronounced so strongly in favor
of protection last November, and
Rhode Island refused to abandon it
last Wednesday. And these same
facts W II cause the nation to demand