The weekly intelligencer., 1894-10-27
A LabOrer to His Fellows,

To the Editor of the Intclligencer
As q labOring man wish to address
laboring men, through your paper. upon
the political issues Of the day.
The laboring element constitutes q
very large 1a the people s1e. OF this
any other class and their votes are as
valuable to the success of any party as
any other.
There are two great political parties
in this country. The democratic and
republican. Which of these will best
promote the interest of the labOring
man. This is the all important question.
Let us see.
The republican party advocates tariff
for protection. That Is tariff Of a
high rate Of duties to be levied upon
this way, lessen tho impOrtatiOns and
increase the price Of goods.
The democratic party believes in q
tariff for revenue only. That Is tariff
of lower rates of duties, and which will
bring the greatest amount of revenue to
the government and lessen the price of
goods.
Now ask every laborer the question !:
"What party does his interest require
him to vote for ?"
When q protective duty Is laid o N
|
goods upon which it is laid. Let me
Illustrate
To do SO will take the schedule Of
woolen goods for the reason that they
are used by all. Every man, woman and
child uses them. More of this class are
used than any other. The average rate
Of duties levied by the Mckinley act
upon wOOlen goods was SO. SO per cent.
An importer imports from Europe
| Ct NM Of lothinn vuhorS n ovrixSoo
in this country, he must pay tariff Of
1886. 30 to get his goods out Of the Gus
tom house. This added to the cost In
Europe, makes the cost Of the clothing
81 ,8S6. 80, instead of 81 600. The i'm
p0rters profit must be added to this and
the cost Is more than doubled.
Let me give another example A suit
Of clothing out of this lot will cost in
Europe, say $40. II it could be sold
without tariff 1t would cost the con-
sumner as follows
Importers profit 20 per cent. ... 200
Retailers profit Is per cent. ... 500
Coet 70 consumer tl6O
With the tariff added, the cost will be
as follows:
Cost In Europe a alOOO
Tariff duties 36.sO per cent. ...... S.@
Importers profit 10 per cent ~ l.06
| 2l.Gl
Retailers profit 20 per cent. l.a6
| Cost TO consumer. er.............. S26.17
| This shows clearly that the suit with
the tariff added will cost Sill more
than II there was no tariff and 1t proves
that the tariff Is tax and is paid by the
consumer.
The democratic party 10 for tariff for
revenue only. 1t passed such law at
down the rates OF the McKinley republic
can act. 1t reduces the duties on wooden
goods from an average of 1888 per cent
to 4S per cent. This was more than half
and the result will be that the price OF
clothing will be greatly reduced.
Let me here say that the price Of all
wOOlen goods will be reduced, ladies
wear as we'll as mems.
But 1t is said that We who labor do not
wear imported goods. They cost too
much. l answer that II there was no
tariff We could buy foreign clothing and
u would not cost more than We now pay
for home made.
1t is claimed we wear the home made
clothing on which there Is no tarifi. This
may be true. Yet the tariff Is put on TO
keep out foreign goods and increase the
price OF home made goods. Take the
| tariff of and the price of home made
goods will 60 down.
have taken wooden goods only to
illustrate. The reduction Of tariff duties |
on other articles also lowers the price |
and the buyer will be enabled to get |
them at less cost.
But we are again met with the declar- |
alton that high duties protect labor. OF |
All fhn f0IIoNi0o fhof mo v-ko<ll
this Is the greatest. 1t is Q pretence |
without foundation. 1t is the plea Of |
the demagOgue that is contradicted by |
the facts. Yet many labOring men who |
have not the time to study and learn the |
facts are misled by 1t. Let US look into |
It and see how it Is.
About so per cent of the laborers of |
this country are engaged in manufa:-
tories.
The other 20 per cent are engaged In
other pursuits, such as farming. rail-
others. 1t will not be claimed the farm
lab0rer, the railroad hand and the street |
worker are protected by the tariff. On
the contrary they are lO0sers by the tariff
as they have to pay more for clothing |
and everything else they buy.
But how about those who are engaged
In protected manufactures ? Are t6ey
benefited by protective duties All
statistics and proof show that they arc
not. The capitalists who have their
money invested In manufactures arc
protected. They reap rich reward and
amass great fortunes, but what Of the
factories hardly need to tell working
people, for they know. Most Of them
make bare living through life and die
poor. Statistics show that only one IN
800 makes moro than q living.
To prove that the factory operatives
are not benefited by protection 1 need
only to refer to the Bessemer Steel works
near PittsburR, to Homestead and to
the Pullman car factory.
The census of 1880 shows that the
Bessemer Steel company. with q capital
SOth, 1850, made the sum Of $4,000 900
clear OF its expenses. The same census
showed that the wages Of lab0rers en-
gagged In it were about the same a. in
other pursuits of the 1000 men en-
ployed, but few made mofb than living.
Who was protected here
The tale Of Homestead Is public his
tory. Every labOrer knows it. The
few wealthy men who own the capital
became, In q short time. millionaires
Carnegie gathered up his $40, 600 900
ufactOries and left for his home in
Bonnie Scotland. But what was the fate
OF the 4, 500 labOrers OF Homestead
Was the great profits divided with them
They were left to their fate and suffered.
LabOring men know what answer to
make.
. Every citizen knows something Of the
history Of the Pullman car company. 1t
is 30 well known that but little need to
be said. 1t was protected factory.
Pullman has n fortune of $40 ON On