The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-06

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ses very clearly that the restriction o
American products and trade. and a GORE
spoudina increase Of European productiol
and trade, would follow, and / will not be
lievs that what II 70 plain to them can b.
hidden from our own people.
THE TARIFF.
ME-. Harrison Endorses h Declaration tr
the Republican Platform.
The declaration OF the platform in favol
of 1.-THE American doctrine Of protection
meets nv msst hearty approval. The con
vention did not adopt = schedule but .
principle that 10 to control al the tarid
schedules. There may be differences Of
opinion among proteeSionists ~ 10 she Iate
upon particular articles necessary to effect
an equalization between wages abroad ano
At home, In some not remote national
campaigns the issue has been, or more cor
rsotiy, has been made to appear TO be be
tween a high and = low protective tariff,
both parties expressing some solicitous re-
gard for the wnR of our WORKING people
and for tho prosperity Of our donsstio in
leadership the democratic party has now
practically declared that II given power II
will enact q tariff Law without any regard
to It's effect upon wages, Or upon
the capital invested in eur great industrlea.
The majority report Of the COMMITTEES on
platform to tho democratic national con-
vention at Chicago contained this CLAUSE:
''That whom custom house taxation 10 levied
upon articles of any kind produced in this
country the difference between the cost OF
labor here and abroad when such q differ
spoe exists, fully measures ANY possible
benefits to labor, and the normous addi-
tionsl impositions of the existing tariff fall
Nh ---.kS-~ &1Hno rrNr n fnrrA 0ra and
workingmen." Here We have a distinct
admission Of the republican contention that
American Werkmsn are advantaged by a
tariff rate equal to the difference between
his and foreign wages. and = declaration
only against the alleged additional i'm
positions" Of the existing tariff law. Again.
this majority report further declared: "Bus
in makina a reduction in taxes II IL not
proposed to injurs any domestic industries.
but rather promote thsir healthy growth.
Moreover, many industries have come
TO rely upon legislation for sue
oessful continuance. SO that any change
OF law must be at every step regsrdfni Of
have an admission that many of our indus
tries depend upon protective dutiea for
successful continuance, and the declaration
that tariff changes should be reQardful of
workmen in such industries and OF invested
capital. The overwhelming rejection of
these propositions. which had before re-
eeived the sanction Of democratic national
conventions, vas not more indicative of the
nav and more courageous leadership to
which the party has now committed itself,
than the substitute which was adopted.
This substitute declares protective duties
unconstitutional, high protection low pso-
lection are all unconstitutional. A demo-
cratic congress holding this visw cannot
enact, nor . democratic president approve,
any tariff schedule. the purpose or effect Of
which is to limit importations or give any
advantage to American workmen or pro-
ducers. A bounty might. l judge, be
given to the importer under this view OF
the constitution in order to increase i'm
portant importations and revenue, for
prooity, of course, falls under the denun-
ciations, for its object and effect 10 not
revenue. but the promotion of commercial
exchanges, the profits of which 60 wholly to
our producers. This destructive, IN
American dostrine is not held OF taught by
the history of democratic statesmen whose
fame az American patriots has reached this
generation, and certainly not by Jefferson
or Jackson. This has made a crusade
against American shops; bitter epithets are
applied to American manufacturers. The
persistent disbelief of every report of the
opening of tin plate mills. OF the increase
OF our tin trade by reciprocity, are ~ sur
pFlRlUR Ab LU6y S[0 OlaOIeuAthDlo. Liners u
not = thoughtful business man in the coun-
Try who docs not know that the enactment
into law of the declaration of the Chicago
convention on the subject of tariff would at
onoe plunge the country into q business
convulsion such as it has never seen, and
there ia not a thoughtful workman who
does cot know that it would at once enor-
mously reduce the amount of work to be
lone in this country by the inoreass of i'm
portations that would follow, and n~ecsssi-
tate a reduction of his wages to the Euro
paan standard. If any one suggests that
this radical policy will not be executed if
The democratic party attains power. what
shall be thought OF u patty that is capable
of thus trifling with great interests. lhe
threat of suoh legislation would be only
less hurtful than the fact that q distin-
guished democrat rightly described this
movement a. a c%hallange to the protected
industries to q fiRh. of determination, and
another such rightly expressed the logic Of
the situation when he interpreted the
Chicago platform to be an invitation to all
democrats holding even the most moderate
party.
And now a few words in regard to exist
ing tariff laws. We are fortunately able to
judge of its influence upon production and
prices bv market reports. The day OF the
prophet Of calamity has been succeeded by
tAdb u bIdu6 EoEOEtb. LAhIulndtlOu 1uGO
the effect of the law upoE the prices of pro.
tected products, and OF the cost of such at
ticles as enter into the living of people of
small means, have been made by q senate
committee composed of leading senators Of
both parties. with the aid of the best sta
tisticiaDs, and q report signed by all mem
bers of the committee given to the public.
No such wide and careful inquiry has ever
been made before. These facts appear
from the report:
First. The cost Of articles entering into
the use of those earning less than 81, 600
per mum has decreased three-fourths of
one per cent, white in farm products there
has been Il fine increase in prices, owing in
part to increased foreign demand and the
opening of new markets. In England dur
ing the same period the cost of living in
creased one-nlnth Of one per cent. Tested
by the power to purchase articles of ne
cessity. the earnings of our working peo-
pie have never been as great as they are
now.
Second, There has been an average ad-
vance in the rate of wages of three-fourths
of one per cent.
Third. There has been an advance in the
price of all farm products Of 1867 per cent,
and of all cereals OF 81. 90 per cent.
The ninth annual report of the chief of
the bureau of labor stetistics of tbs state
OF New York, a democratic officer. very re-
Gently issued, strongly corroborates, as to
that state, the fact found by the senate
committee. His extended inquiry shows
that in the year Immediately following the
passage Of the tariff act of 1890 the a2gre-
gate sum paid in wages in that state was