Huntsville gazette., 1893-09-23
A TEST OF THEORIES.
Failacious Views of the Advocates of
Free Trade.

Failacious Views of the Advocates Of
Free Trade.
The people are fast coming to prac-
tical test of tariff reform theories. AT
the bottom of all free trade reasoning
there lies the theory that the people
will be able to consume and will con-
sumo as much without protection as
they have done with it. For the pres
ent, it is admitted that consumption
has materially diminished, and this is
attributed to financial difficulties. But
presently, men argue, the old clothes
will be worn out, and stocks of goods
in country stores will be exhausted,
and the millions needing the same sup
ply as before viii get them, only at
somewhat lower cost. The mills viii
be started again, perhaps paying some
what lower wages, but for that lower
cost of products will compensate. The
country is SO mighty and so prosper
that its industries cannot long be de-
pressed.
All may sincerely hope that these
theories will prove correct, at least as
to the recovery, if not as to the cause.
But in order to reach clearer under
standing, let it be supposed that the
depression will for time deprive a
quarter of the workers of employment
Already about a quarter of the shoe
and cotton machinery is idle, AZ per
cent of the woolen and AZ per cent of
the knitting machinery, and at least 10
per cent. of the iron machinery, which
implies corresponding decrease in the
mining of iron ore and coal and lime
stone used for manufacture. Also let
it be supposed that reductions of wages,
which have ranged already from 10 to
80 per cent. in many establishments
still at work, will average at no dis
tant date about 20 per cent. Then for
every dollar expended by the millions
last fall quarter will not be earned,
and of the remaining rs cents Is will
be taken off By reduction of wages,
leaving go cents to be expended instead
of 100 cents last fall.
If it were possible to reduce all
prices in that proportion, the people as
a whole could consume as much as be-
fore. But it is not possible, because
about 40 per cent. in value of things
entering into the cost of living are the
products of farms, and such products
are abnormally low, the farmer finding
it difficult to make ends meet But
again, the cost of large proportion of
the manufactured products used by the
millions has already been reduced by
home competition SO far that such
goods are as cheap as in any other
country. This is true, as free trade in
vestigators themselves admit, of all
the cheaper grades of clothing such as
the millions use. But these manufac-
tured articles cover at least quarter
of the total expenditures. Thus no re-
duction can be expected as to 40 cents
on the dollar representing farm prod
ucts, or as to 25 cents on the dollar rep
resenting the cheaper manufactured
products, and if all other expenses
were reduced to nothing, rents, fuel,
lights, personal services, transporta-
ton, and the luxuries and comforts
imported from abroad or produced at
higher cost here, still the 60 cents
earned instead of the 81 earned last
fall would not suffice to cover mere
necessities.
The free trader believes that the man
who is thrown out of work will still
eat as much, wear as good clothes, oc-
cupy as good home and procure as
many of all the luxuries and comforts
as the man who earns good wages. We
shall see if it is true. The theory is
that men who earn lower wages will be
able to buy just as much with those
wages because things will be cheaper.
But the farmers do not know how to
cheaper their wheat, and the manu-
facturers of cheap woolens and cottons
and shoes cannot sell even as cheaply
as they do now, unless they have an
enormous demand. The closing Of
many works means simply this. that
without demand enough to run the
works full time and with full force
they cannot produce at current prices,
or sell at such prices without loss.
Everybody will hope that the free
trader will find some way to avoid
compelling Americans to eat only sixty
cents worth where they did eat dol
lars worth. Men of our own race do it
in Canada and in Great Britain. But
they will not in this country if they
can help it.-N. Y. Tribune.
Is Workingmen now understand
how necessary protective tariff is to
high wages when the threat of free
trade brings about such tumble in the
labor market. This is why Gov. Nc
Kinley will have at least thirty thou
sand majority.-Toledo Blade.
When the republicans were in
power they never implored the demo-