The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-27
TEACHING TARIFF REFORM
Struggles With the American
Workman Who Will Not Be
Convinced.

To the Editor of The jersey CITY Neos:
have been converted to pro~tectionism. |
have read the speech of Senator Allison of
Iowa. and am convinced if one can only see
things in that way they will present just
that appearance.
l started out to persuade the American
workman. l told him that Senator Allison
had been looking out for his interests, and
that he had delivered a speech which tingled
and throbbed with passionate love for the
American workman. / read the figures this
great man gives for the wondrous increase
in the National wealth under the protective
policy between 1880 and 1896.
"But, " said my workman, ''pray how does
this interest meg
"Why, man, ] cried in dismay, lit
shows what the protection policy has done"
"Pardon me- said my friend, "but it
shows nothing of the kind. The increase in
wealth is due to brain and Drawn, and this
increase goes on all over. l declare to you
that I have never heard of this man Allison
that / have gone on producing wealth in
utter ignorance of his existence. q In other
lands, pray, are there other Alhsonss"
"Why, no." I protested, 'nor Aldrichs.
nor Lodges. 1t is to these men that the ma
tion's increase in wealth is due. They de-
wise schedules"
..Ah,p said the American workman, "but
do they forge chains or hew wood or draw
waters'
why, no" l said.
''Then they are mere theorists, as l sup
posed?"
'That is where you are mistaken" re-
piled, ''for that is the precise charge they
bring against their opponents, while claim
ing for themselves the distinction of being
protective policy"
Then [ talked for hours; first of the duty
on wooden goods, but he proved to me that
he wore nothing but shoddy. [ tried to in
terest him in steel rails, but he didn't warm
to the subject. l talked about tin plate, n
tnen | grew eloquent about the evils of a
protective duty on sugar, and expatiated up
on the benefits of free trade in sugar. l
borrowed from Henry c. Casey when the
subject was iron and steel, and from Golden
and Bright when the topic was sugar. Like
Janus and the Republi can policy 1 endeay-
ored to face both ways.
But l noticed that the face of my Ameri-
He brushed his hand wildly through his
hair and said:-
Il am in the dark. You make my sugar
cheaper by taking off the duty, and my
clothing cheaper by putting it on. You
nave explained to me that the foreigner
pays the tax, and yet you remit 80 per cent.
of tariff duties on goods for export to en-
courage. foreign trade. You say that home
trade is to be encouraged, that we need not
concern ourselves with foreign markets, yet
you support a policy of reciprocity, which
entails the abolition of protective duties in
the interest of foreign MISUNDERSTANDING
what you nave declared to be OF supreme
Importance for what you a repeatedly
stated to be of no Importance at all. You
sag domestic goods are as cheap as the
foreign article, yet hat we would be ruined
by the free importation of the cheaper
foreign goods. You tell the farmeFS that a
duty on raw wool makes it high priced, but
you tell me that wooden goods thus made of
high priced wool are cheaper because of the
tariff. You say that a tariff Increases
profits, hut that it lowers prices and in
creases wages. Thus higher wages and
larger profits are to be paid out of decreased
prices. In heavens name, mani" cried my
now thoroughly aroused American work.
man, ''what do you mean? I command you
to answer before my reason is d~ethroned!"
saw now that the case was hopeless, SO l
drew myself up to my full height.
"Have you forgotten" I cried, show a
generation ago rebellion raised its forked
tongue, Kissing the venomous hatred of
Calhounism for all that is great and free?
Have you not read how the blood of illus
trious souls cemented the life of this Repub-
licl Shall such memories be forgotten-no,
by heavens, they shall not! The arguments
which you nave used prove to me that
you"1and l threw a world of ineffable scorn-
into the deadly words-''are a Free Trader,
if not a Rebel Brigadier!" y
JOSEPH DANA MILE