Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-08-31
CHEAPNESS A CURSE.
30 SAY THE ADVOCATES OF A HIGH
PROTECTIVE TARIFF.

PROTECTIVE TARIFF.
Although We Are Living Under the MeKIn-
ley Laws We Do Not See the High Wages
and Prosperity Promised-whAtH Has Up
set His Beneficent Plans?
In 1890 the Republicans were telling
us that "cheap coats make cheap men,
that "cheap and nasty go together" and
that "the cry for cheapness is un-Amer-
ican." From such statements it would
naturally be inferred that goods would
be cheaper under some other system than
protection.
The Republicans did not like the ef-
feet of this cry against cheapness upon
the election in 1890, and in 1892 they
were prepared to tell us that protection
lowers prices. The tariff pictures" of
the New York Press and of The Amer
ican Economist were devoted to this idea
for many months. The senate report
on prices was fixed up so that it was
claimed that it showed this result, but ii
didn't.
Well, the result of the election in
1892 was no more satisfactory than in
1890, and the Republicans have con-
cluded that they ought as well throw of
their mask and tell the truth again.
Hence they are everywhere asserting
that the country is about to be ruined
by the low prices which free trade will
inaugurate. They say that it is because
the country is afraid of itself on this
point that we are now in the midst of a
panic. Of course by country they mean
manufacturers. Hear what the New
York Press of Aug. . says:
"To obtain cheapness for commodities
is the first and last purpose Of the Brit.
ish policy Of free trade which has been
forced upon this country. To reach this
end British agriculture has been delib
erately sacrificed by the rulers Of Eng
land.
"That commodities might be cheap
ened in the United States many Amer
leans went to the polls in November last
and voted to overthrow that system oi
protection to home industry under which
the workman earned vastly higher wages
with which to purchase the slightly
dearer coat. The result longed for by
Democratic voters and promised by Dem
ocratic journals and politicians has beer
speedily secured. Before Mr.. Cleveland
had been a month in Office the era Of
cheapness had begun.
"a nation that was at the top notch Of
prosperity one year agohas been plunged
into condition of severe depression
Cheapness has come, but with it also have
come the compulsory idleness Of thou
sands of men, the cessation of wage pay
ments to great masses Of consumers, tht
stagnation of trade and the substitution
of apprehension, CONSERVATION and dis
may for the buoyancy, cheerfulness ant
energetic movement of one year ago.
"The nation is having an object lessor
from which it may learn by bitter expe
rience the nature of the benefits that arr
offered by the cheapening of prices
Those benefits come solely to few per
sons who are not producers of wealth"
This statement should convince th'
most skeptical that cheapness is curse
and that our only salvation lies in re
turn to protection and high prices. II
make certain that we will miss none o
the possible benefits of protection, ant
that we will not be cursed by cheap or
anges, lemons, bananas and other trop
ical fruits, let us put duties on thes'
articles so high that all such product
will be grown on our own soil. If hot
houses are necessary to do this, so mucl
the better. Think of the business booms
the valuable home markets and the ex
ira wages for American workingmen t.
come from the building of several thou
sand acres of hothouses, brickyards
lumber yards, glass factories, sash ant
door factories. Carpenters, masons, gla
ziers and painters would be more pros
porous by such law. This prosperit
would spread and diffuse itself until i
had extended to the humblest farmer il
the sodhouse on the prairie, for such, w
are told, are the blessings Of protection
and high prices.
If, then, we could induce our inventor
to reverse their processes and inven
machines to make goods dearer, w
would be on the verge of millennium
1t just now occurs to us, however, tina
we are still living under laws made b
the great Mckinley himself-laws whic
were to guarantee high wages and pros
, perity to all. Before we decide to outd
Mckinley will The Press kindly inforr
us what has upset the workings of thi
benefcent plan at least one year in &C
vance of it's probable abolition? Was ii
hold on our industries so weak after 8
years of continual grip that it could b
shaken by look from the unregenerat
free trade Democrats? If this be 81
might it not be well to intrust ou
, prosperity to something less timid or LEI
tickle? We pause for reply.
BYRON w. HOLT.