New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-15
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
THE REAL VALUE OF PROTECTION.

INTENDED TO HELP THE woRKINGMEN-IT
MUST Do IT.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir read with much interest Mr.. Andrew Car
negie's letter on the proposed new tariff in Mon
days Tribune. and with great approval your com
ment it, think you both miss the main point
of the subject. which Is often lost sight of, hence
this communication
The working people including agriculturists,
favor a high protective tariff primarily because
they expect 1t TO increase the wages of the work.
ers and to give a better home market to the agri-
cultursts 1t is expected. Of course, to benefit the
manufacturers. but this is secondary TO the pri-
mary purpose. as these can, as rule take care OF
themselves without help having means to live re-
CARELESS of high low tariff Too many Of
them. however like Mr.. Carnegie's letter indicates.
seem to think the purpose of a protective tariff Is
to put 500 of each 800 of the profits gained by
a protective tariff into the pocket of the employer
leaving the 81 to be divided among the workers.
50 long as this belief is held and this dispropor-
tional division continues there will be STRIFE
and continual strikes among workinGmen to
overcome the injustice As 81 look over
the history of strikes in the last three or four
years | think I plainly that the overwheim-
ing defeat in 1892 OF the friends of the Mckinley
tariff was not due TO any Of belief in its great
benefit to the country. but was mainly due TO
belief that the workingmen were not receiving
1T
apparent opposition TO It at the polls was sort OF
sllen protest against this injustice. 1t was viz
tually saying TO the manufacturers seeing ui'
Won are grasping all the benefits of the tariff which
We by our votes. secured for your and our mutual
benefit We will now show you that what We gave
we can take away, and even though We may Tor
time suffer with you. we will teach You this les
son. that tie power lies with us to help or hinder
your success.
1t is easy to say this not wise course; but
II was true 10 nature: for men are always reacy
to risk injuring themselves in their desire to Re-
taliate for what they believe to be a wrong done
| them / verify believe the widespread ill-feelinS
engendered among workinSmen throughout the
country by the reduction of wages at the carnegie
Company works under Mr.. Tricks management III
1892 and the resultant strife there was OF ltseli
the main cause for the defeat Of the party favor
ing protection at the fall election that year THIS
reduction was seemingly without any cause, aris-
/ ing from want of liberal profit TO the company
on its production, was then negatively SHOWN
by the mana gers unwilnsness. under puhHc eN-
animation, give the cost OF the produc'S' ana
since confirmed by the large reduction in prices
| much beyond what IS due TO the reduction III
wages since The election last November reversing
| that Of 1892 clearly points to the truth oil MS
view The workers having given the lesson con-
| templated to the manufacturers by SHOWING '''S
had the power at the polls to control this adVan-
tage are now ready to go under the Mckinney
| tariff Int in the expectation that hereafter they
will get their fair share Of the profits II teY 10
not there will certainly be other overturnlnss III
! they DO. III, ..r,,r,c,,,-
| In such trays unfortunately, liberal manuiactuT.
ers have TO suffer also; those like the Sahi1rds at
! Amsterdam. Alfred Dodge. of DolgeNl!ir, y. / !;
| and hundreds of others who at all times rrsAtd
| liberal wages their employees as n iN,i No.
| sIfy and who often, when trade Is unil pTel11r
running their factories short time without piI.'
to themselves rather than cut down Wasrs
| loss none regret this more than the relanhti TX
| workers who helped to put the present par III
now,er and who did not happen to be In such sat
| ;sf,o rqla
| Whatever may be the outcome about me 'dtNi
in The present struggle il Will be well II the manu-
| facfurers earnestly reflect on the recent eNp'il-
apcss as affecting themselves They may. perhaps,
at first incline think these aggressive woI KIN MI,
| have suffered so much by this time that tncy VII
! he very submissive. But this Is not pFobapi' -
a rule the worklngman has not much 10 IoSe az
CIV time Reing out of work for few months i
not so serious loss to him as To- the man
ana he is Intelligent enough TO know IT, " men , ne
returns to work. he will soon. II not az hrst 'laiIn
his full share OF all the profits he beeVcs are 49,
rived from a protective duty, ana II these are ho1
! accorded renewed strife Will again follow,
"0'o SAM Ell y. TERRY.
NeW-York Jan. 10, 1894.