The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-09-14
WHOLE NO. 2l46

competitors from the field
But in spite Of the doubts raised b.
the elections Of 1890 and Of the maehi
nations Of foreign producers to main
tain their monopoly, the tin plsie in
dustry has been established in the Unitet
States ani the alliance between the
Welsh producers and the Democratic par
/ ~ for its destruction viii not succeed
THE OFFICIAL RETUESs.
The official returns to the Treasury De
partment Of the production Of tin and
tin plates in the United States during
the last fiscal year show total product
ion Of 1920, $50 pounds and a eompsri
son Of the first quarter, 1892 pound;
with the last, 100000 pounds, show the
rapid development Of the industry. Oyel
! 5,00OO1O pounds during the last quarter
were made from American black plate;
the remainder from foreign plates. Mr.
Aver, the Treasury agent in charge, esti
mates as the result OF careful inquiry
the the production OF the current year
viii be 100000 pounds and that by the
end Of the year our production viii be at
the rate Of 2O0 O0O, 900 pounds perannum.
Another industry that has been practi-
cally created by the Mckinley bill is the
making Of pearl buttons Few articles
coming to Us from abroad were so dis
tinctly the product Of starvation wages.
But, without unduly extending this
letter, 1 cannot follow in detail the inilu-
ences of the tariff law Of 1890. 1t has
transplanted several important Industries
and established them here and has re
Yiyed or enlarged all others. The act
gives to the miners protection against
foreign silver-bearing lead ores, the fee
introduction Of which threatened the
great mining industries Of the Rocky
Mountain States and TO the wool grow
ers protection for their fieeces and flocks,
which has saved them from further
and disastrous decline.
The House Of Representative, at its
last session, passed bills placing these
ORES and wool upon the free list The
people Of the West viii know how de-
structive TO their prosperity these meas
ures would be. This tariff law has given
employment to many thousands Of Amer
can men and women, and viii each year
give employment TO increasing thousands.
It's repeal would throw thousands out Of
employment and give work 70 others only
at reduced wages.
APPEALS OF FREE TRADERS.
The appeals Of the free traders to the
workiBgman are largely addressed to his
preiudices or to his passions, and not in
frequently are pronouncedly eommunis-
tic. The new Democratic leadership
RACES at the employer, and seeks to CON-
municate his rage to the employe. /
greatly regret that all employers Of labor
are not Just and eonsiderate, and that
capital sometimes take too large a share
Of the profits
do not see that these evils VIII be
ameliorated by free trade policy, the
first necessary effect Of which is q severe
wage cut, and the second large dimina-
tion Of the aggregate amount Of work to
be done in this country. If the injustice
Of bis employer tempts the workman TO
strike back, lie should be very sure his
blow does not fall upon his own head, OF
upon his wife and children. The work
men in our great industries. IS body,
are remarkably intelligent and are lo,e ers
Of home and country. They may By
reused BY injustice, or what seems 70
them to be such, or be led for the mo-
merit by others into acts Of passion, but
they will settle the tariff contest in the
calm light Of their November firesides
and with sole reference to the prosperity
Of the country Of which they are citizens
and Of the homes they have founded for
their wives and children.
No intelligent advocate Of a protect
i've iariE claims it Is able, Of itself 10
maintain a uniform rate Of wsges-with-
Out regard to fluctuations in the supply
Of and demand for the products Of labor.
Bat it is confidently claimed that protect
i've duties strongly tend to hold up wages.
and are the only barrier against a reduc-
ton to the European scale.
INTERESTS or THE soUTH.
The Southern States have had a libeF-
a. participation in the benefits Of the
tariff law, and, through their representa-
iives have generally opposed the protec-
ton policy, rejoice that their sugar, rice
coal, ores, iron, fruits, cotton clothes and
other products have not been ieft to the
fate which the votes Of their representa-
tives would have brought upon them.
In the construction Ofthe Nicaragua Ca
nal, in the new trade with South and
Central America, in the establishment Of
American steamship lines, these States
have also special interest, and ali these
interests will not always consent 10 be
without representation q. Washington.
Shrewdly, but not quite fairly, our adj
versaTies speak only Of the increased du-
ties imposed upon tin, pearl buttons and
other articles by the Mckinley bill, and
omit altogether any reference tothe great
and beneficial enlargement OF the free
list.
During the last fiscal year S45sO00,77
worth Of merchandise, OF 55-3j per cent
of our total importations, came in free
the largest percentage in our i.istory)
while in 1859 the per cent Of free impOr-
tations was only 24i2 per cent
The placing Of sugar upon the free list
has saved 10 the consumer in duties IN
fhesn months. afer paying the bouniies
provided for, 81, 100000. This relief has
been substantially felt in every house
hold, upon every Saturdays purchase Of
the EoTkiagman.
MARX ETs OF TIE WORLD.
One Of the Eayorite arguments against
q protective tariff is that it shuts us our
from a participation in what Is called
with swelling emphasis, The marketsOf
the world" II this view is not a false
one, how does it happen that our CON-
mercisl competitors are not abe 20 bear
with more serenity our supposed surend-
er 10 them Of the markets Of the
world?" and how does it happen that
the partial loss Of our market closes for
eign tin-plAte mills and plush factories