Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-09-06

| propositions, which had before received The
sanction of democratic national conyen-
tions, was not more indicative of the new
and more courageous leadership to which
the party has now committed itself than
the substitute which was adopted. This
substitute declares that protective duties
are unconstitutional, high protection, low
| protection, all unconstitutional A demo-
cratic congress holding this view cannot
enact nor democratic president approve
any tariff schedule. the purpose or effect
| of which is to limit importations or to give
any advantage to an American workman
or producer.
| A bounty might judge, be given to the
importer under this view of the constitu-
tion, in order to increase important impor-
tstions and SO increase the revenue-for
''revenue only" is the limitation. Reel
procity, of course, falls under this denun-
| citation, for its object and effect are not
revenue but the promotion of commercial
exchanges, the profits of which 60 wholly
| to our producers. This destructive, un-
American doctrine was not held or taught
by the historic democratic statesmen whose
fame as American patriots has reached this
| eneration-certainly by Jefferson or Jack
son. This trade crusade against American
shipr, the bitter epithets applied to Ameri-
i CAL nanuIkctuIeIB, kQ6 poIslstent Ql6Dt1eI
| of every report of the opening of
a tin plate mill or of increase of our
foreign trade by reciprocity are 40 sur
prising as they are discreditable. There
Is not thougbtfui business man In the
country who does not know that the
enactment into law of the declaration of
the convention at Chicago, on the subject
of the tariff would at once plunge the
country into q business convulsion, such
II t. La- l.,
thoughtful working man who does not
know that it would at once enormously
reduce the amount of work to be done in
this country by the increase of import
ations that would follow, and necessitate
a reduction of his wages to the European
standard, If any one suggests that
this radical policy will not be
executed, if the democratic party
attains power, what shall be thought
of party that is capable of thus trifiine
with great interests the threat of such leg
islstion would be only less hurtful than
| the fact. A distinguished democrat right
| ly described this movement as a challenge
| to the protected industries to fight of ex-
| termination, and another such rightly eI-
| pressed the logic of the situation when he
interpretated the Chicago platform to be
an invitation to all democrats holding even
the most moderate protection views to 60
| into the republican party.
| And now a few words in regard to the
| existing tariff law. We are fortunately
able to judge of its influence upon produc-
| tion and prices by the market reports. The
| day of the prophet of calamity has been
| succeeded by that of the trade reporter.
| In examination as to the effect of
| the law upon the prices of protected
products and of the cost of such
articles as enter into the living
of people of small means has been made q
senate committee composed of leading
senator's IF both parties, with the aid of
the best statisticisns and report signed by
all the members of the committee, has
been given to the public. No such wide
and careful inquiry has ever before been
made.
THESE FACTS APPEAR FROM THE REPORT.
| First-The cost of articles entering into
the use of those earning less than one
thousand dollars per annum has decreased
up to May, 1892, per cent, while in
farm products there has been an increase
in price, owing in part to an increased
foreign demand and the opening of new
markets. In England during the same
period the cost of living increased l. 8 per
cent. Tested by their power TO purchase
articles of necessity the earnings of our
| working people nave neSer oesn as great rs
they are now.
Second--There has been average advance
| in the rate of wages of rs of per cent
Third-There has been an advance in the
price of all farm products of 1897 per
cent. and of sll cereals 33 SO per cent
Then in annual report of the chief of
the bureau of labor statistics of the state
| of New York, a democratic officer, very
| recently issued, strongly corroborates as to
| lint OF 70 ha Inv fha
committee. His extended inquiry shows
that the year Immediately following the
passage of the tariff act of 1890, the sggre
gate sum paid in wages in that state was
Sc, ,9l5 in excess and the aggregate
production s3l, ,3l5, lS0 in excess of
the preceding year. In view of
this showing of an incrtass in
wages of a reduction in the cost OF articles
of common necessity and of a marked ad
vance in the prices OF agricultural pro-
ducts /. is plain that this tariff law has not
imposed burdens hat has conferred bene-
fits upon the farmer and the workingnan.
Tin PLATE.
! Some special effects of the act should be
noticed. 1t was a courageous attempt to
rid our people of q long maintained foreign
monopoly in the production of tin plate,
pearl buttons, silk plush, linens, lace, etc.
! Once or twice in our history the produc-
| tion of tin plate had been attempted and
! the prices obtained by the Welsh makers
would have enabled our makers to produce
! it st a profit. But the Welsh makers at
once cut prices to point that drove the
American beginners out of the business,
and when this was accomplished again
made their own prices. A correspondent
of the Industrial World, the official
organ of the Welsh tin plate workers
published at Swansea in the issue of June
/ 10, 1892, advises O new trial of these
! methods. He says: "Do not be deceived.
! The victory of the republicans at the polls
means the retention of the Mckinley bill,
and means the rapidly accruing loss of so
per cent. of the export American trade.
! Had there been no democratic victory in
| 1890 the spread of the tin plate manu-
! facture in the United States would have
! been both rapid and bona fide. 1t is not
yet too late to do something TO reduce
the prices of plates.
! Put them, too, down lis per box 100,
! II by 10, full weight basis. Let the work
men take half pay for q few months, and
| turn out more, then let the masters forego
| profits for the same time"
But In spite of doubts raised by
the elections of 1890 and of the
Vaccinations of foreign producers to
: maintain their monopoly the tinplste in
dustry has been established in the United
States and the alliance between the Welsh
! producers and the democratic party for
! it's destruction will not succeed.
| The official returns to the treasury de-
partment of the production of tin and
terne plates IN the United States during
! the last fiscal year show total production
! of Is, 240, $50 pounds and q comparison
of the FIRST quarter S26, ,922 pounds
with the last 100000 pounds
shows the rapid development
of the industry. Over 5000, 900
pounds during the last quarter were made
from American black plates, the remainder
from foreign plates Mr.. Aver, the treas
ury agent in charge, estimates as the re-
suits of careful inquiry that the produc-
tion of the current year will be 1O0, ,GOO, 600
pounds, and that by the end of the year
our production will be at the rate of 200,-
O00, 900 pounds per snnum. Another in |
dustry that has been practically created |
by tine Mckinley bill is the making of |
pearl buttons. Few articles coming to us |
from abroad were SO distinctly the product |
of starvation wages. But without unduly |
extending this letter 1 cannot follow in |
detail the influences of the tariff law of |
1890. 1t has transplanted several |
important industries and establish |
ed them here, and has revived |
or enlarged all others. The act gives to |
Il