The weekly tribune., 1892-06-04
A M'KINLEY CENSUS.

coming campaign in very systematic
and energetic manner Through the
rAmerican Protective League" they are
} sending out blanks to protectionists tc
be filled in with the names Of "newly es
tablished industries due to the Mckinley
tariff" and developments and increase OF
established industries due to the same
measure. These blanks when filled up
and returned to the league will be pub
lished in pamphlet form and mailed in
millions under the title of "The McKin-
ley Census"
In commenting upon this proposed
scheme the Herald candidly states that
'such census properly completed
would be extremely instructive and USE
full" Its object would be to prove two
propositions: First, that the tariff is a
success and second that it has benefited
the people. Let us see how this is. The
object of the Mckinley tariff was to en-
able the protected American manufac-
turers to maintain or increase the price
of their products to American buyers by
excluding the cheaper products of for
elgn manufacturers. Improved machin-
cry and better processes have caused
prices to fall continually in other coun-
tries by cheapening the cost of produc-
ton. This fall of prices enabled the
foreigner to compete closely with Ameri-
can manufacturers.
The Mckinley law..was enacted .for
the purpose of destroying this compe-
tition, and to enable the American man
facturers to extort from consumers un-
reasonable profits. 1t does more than
this 1t protects trusts, fosters mOnop
olies and compels the people to buy the
necessaries of life at price which
would be the worlds market with the
tariff rate added. The trusts and other
tariff outputs protected by high rates of
duty, restrict production so as to ad-
vance prices, and in so doing it shuts
down some of the mills, factories. re-
tineries, furnaces, etc, and thus throws
thousands out of employment. Such is
the effect of the Mckinley tariff.
On the other hand the advocates of
high protection solemnly affirmed, when
the Mckinley bill was under discussion
during the last congress, that its object
was to benefit labor, multiply its en-
ployments and increase its wages 1t
was to create new industries into which
benevolent capitalists would put their
money, Notwithstanding that the object
of the increase of the average tariff rate
from - to 60 per cent was not to increase
the prices of products nor the profits of
capital. On the contrary-they affirmed
the whole benefit was to 60 to the
workingman in the shape of higher
wages with the result of bringing pros
perity and plenty to every American in
terest.
Has this been the result: Are times
better. Are our people more generally
prosperous? Has the workingman been
specially benefited: Has wages been
increased in the protected industries?
Have the protected industries greatly
increased since October 1890 or are many
Of them at the present time in condi-
ton of great distress? Have those which
flourish under increased protection re-
duced the price of their products as fast
as the prices of like products are reduced
abroad? Upon the whole is the country
in position to rejoice over the enact
ment of the Mckinley law? If all or any
one of these questions can be truthfully
answered in the affirmative then it may
be said the Mckinley tariff is success
and that it has benefited the people.
But these questions can not be an
swered in the affirmative. and the census
Of the Tariff League will not honestly
thus answer them. 1t would be folly to
expect it to co it. As the Herald says:
The League isnt't getting up this
census" for any such purpose. Its
efforts IS being made in the interest of
the republican party, and to bolster up
the economic doctrines of that party. All
facts and information will be gathered
and set forth in the manner calculated to
serve this partisan end, and facts and
information that can not be made TO an
swer this purpose will not be needed.
BY enumerating all new enterprises ini-
tiated since October, 1890, without re-
gard to the tariff, the league may make
a big show and claim that "the tariff did
it." A country that adds 100000 to
the population every year is bound to in
crease its enterprises yearly, tariff or no
tariff. But has there been any unusual
increase of industries caused by
the Mckinley tariff? Everybody
knows that a number have been
killed off or scotched. The tariff on tin
plate, for example, has not yet created
tin plate factories that make and sell tin
plate in ,appreciable quantities at com