Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-12-30

loss. Salts ut oAs cannot icug continue 10
may be tlattering to our national vanity to bo
told that our workrhen, being Americans, are
so much abler than Others beyond sens; that
they can there for do much more work that the
higher wages Will continue mark OF their
superiority. But much as we would like TO be.
lieve this there are NO manufacturing figures
which justify the assertion.
A Demand for Mower Prices.
There is also constant demand for lower
prices, which demand has to be listened to in o
country always striving toward a higher plano
always three problems-wages to bo main
tanned, hours OF labor to be lessened, and prices
to be lowered Not one, but all.
II is true that invention at once keeps pace
with and regulates the demand for higher
wsges and lower prices and fower hours, which
are the conditions OF our higher plane of civil
zation, but It cannot do more 1t cannot meet
in addition the lower prices of 8 lower level OF
Our Inventions are too quickly absorbed by
foreign countries to permit this. Hence the
result OF refusal TO protect our labor at its
present rates must result in lower wuges.
Some men soothe themselves with the thought
that perhaps some return will come from the
cheapness of things made abroad, without
thinking that all that is made abroad by this
plan is but labor unemployed and unpaid here
at home. But while this easy solution of the
problem is simple enough on paper, IT will
6Nho have worked at one rate of wages cannot
be easily taught in real life that it is just as
well 10 work at o lower rate
Another Question of Wages.
There is also another view of the ques tion OF
wages which Is not TO be overlooked. Lesscned
wages mean lessened consumption. II wages
were diminished one.hsls one-half our arket
for products would be gone Butwhile tins bill in
its principle. II 1t has any, is not unprotecttve
| IL Will be absolutely so in practice not only in
It's direct reductions, but also in Its indirect rel
| ductions sure TO come from the change trolS
| specific duties to ad valoren, which Is a marked
| feature of the bill.
An ad valorem duty, as the name implies, is
one which varies according to the price II
| prices could be exactly determined nothing
would seem TO be fatrer than the ad valCrem
| duty. But unfortunately, prices are l'ery
much matters OF opinion, on which honest men
! may differ much and rogues much more. las-
| much as the duty depends on the price 7 eat
/ on the price is o cheat on the duty. II q \ ece
| per cent. the correct duty is 81 90 II the price
| be invoiced ut - yard ana the fraud not
! the ad valorem, which seems to be - per cent,
| becomes about 20 per cent and not only Is the
| government cheated ou: OF its quarter OF u dol
| lar but the manufacturer is cheated ort OF
one-flfth OF the protection his government has
| promised him.
This is not theory. 1t is within the expert
| ence of every merchant that goods . blch can
not be purchased at all in Europ- can be pur-
chased, duty paid in New York at lower prices
| than like goods can be purchr 7ed by the honest
merchant who values them at .their true
market value and pays the duty demanded by
the government and yet these ad valorem
nearly all the schedules fof specific duties.
| How the bill will act as revenue raiser, and
how it can act as an injury to the government
and the producer both together is well exem-
plihed In the changes made in the pottery
! schedule.
Only an amount equal to two-ffths of the
amount OF the imports are made here, valued
at sSSo'9So. Nine millions ana halt are I'M
ported Under existing law the revenue
obtained is %, 800 900. Under the PROPOSED bill,
II the manufacturers hold their own, and the
most sanguine friend would not dream OF that
the loss in revenue would be ss,0OOOoJ. II the
! manufactures were entirely driven out and all
our wares should be imported the loss OF rev.
q
schedule seems hardly to be managed with o
view 10 revenue.
follow into details the reasons which have in
| duced the changes made by the bill. They seem
10 be the result OF information obtnined in se'
cret, and in nowise communica ted to the repub-
licans on the committed All the public hear
ings and public testimony have been set aside
and the bill has been framed on information OF
witnesses who have not been cross-examined
and whose testimony has not visited the light
OF day.
Effects of the New Bill.
While it would be impossible TO spccify the
probable effects OF thus bill, few OF the mos
important may be briefly touched upon
As to the future relations between Canada
and the United States. 1t perhaps would not bt
decorous for us to talk fully, but there are
those who believe that what they think is the
manifest destiny Of this continent Is one natioI
and one market and one development
Those who have that;thought in their minds
they the bill will see how little this bill
compared with existing law. conduces to tina
end. Those on the other hand who look uPoI
| the Dominion simply as another nation will b
surprised to see how freely is accorded to he
privileges and opportunities in derogation o
those OF our own citizens: privileges and op
| portunities for which the Dominion would b
glad TO give ample and unstinted concessions
! BY this bill they receive them oil withou
money and without price.
Another serious general objection u the bill
is that it decreases the revenue ace ording 4
the calculations usually made by tho treasur.
| department compared with 1893 bout G4
100000. This large deficit, coming as it doe
upon depleted treasury, is rathec appalling
in bill for revenue only. How this great hol
in our resources, as a nation, is 10 be filed, n
one knows Al this date not even the com
mittee knows itself unless the president, an
ticIpatng In his message to congress the re
port OF the committee on ways and means
shall afford to the committee itself its wishe
for clew.
Against the consideration OF such bill ere
ating such deficit and leaving IL unaccounte
FOR, the minority vainly protested when tn
bill was laid before the committee. Who woul
dare, II of sound and statesmanlike mind, I
create deficit OF $74 4C00. 600 and blindly vote
with no plan in sight whereby the governmen
could meet its expenditures? That same pre-
test we make 10 the house and TO the country
While party men we might rejoice at II
passage, as citizens OF the United States W
think the exigencies OF the present time ar
superior TO even the most desired political aC
vantage and advise that the bill do not pass.
CTDIIHK Nv TDhIk