The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-10
LODGE ON THE TARIFF.


according to the protectionist, should be
placed upon the free list.
lie then attacked the pretense that free
trade was benefit TO the working people.
He said: "The London dock strike OF a
few years ago, followed as IL was last
summer by the strike OF 100000 miners,
against reduction OF wages, demonstrates
the continued decline OF wages in England.
No general decline OF wages took place In
the United States until the protective
tariff was threatened with destruction.
Most significant OF all Is the fact that the
stream Of immigration flows from Eng
land 10 the United States.
England has 28 psupers out OF 1000 IN
habitants. The United States has ~
only.
Mr.. John Morley, secretary for Ireland,
in addressing the Amalgamated Society
OF Engineers at Newcastle in May,
1889, declared; "It is an awful fact
IL is really not short of awful
that in this country, with all its wealth,
cent-that Is To say, nearly one half OF
the persons who reach the age OF O0-are
or have been paupers."
What, then, do we Gnd in the experience
of Great Britain or in the condition of her
population under free trade to warrant
our making the vast industrial change
with which we are threatened?
Her people are not living in an Elysium
but come to America to better them
selves.
Weare asked to abandon our markets the
best and most valuable ia the
world for what? For this free trade.
We are promised nothing but
the vague results of n doubtful theory
and Ii English experience may be trusted
consequent elimination OF exports.
The Democratic party has undertake N
to make a revolutionary change in our
industrial system, and the effects pointed
out by General Walker have followed
hards upon the threat. Yet the
Democrats have lost heart as they have
proceeded. One concession has followed
another, until il would be a mockery
to call this bill the expression of
any economic doctrine, still more so
To represent ii as carrying out the princi-
pies declared by the Democratic party at
Chicago. A broad and equal policy of
free trade might be defended. 1t
would at least have meaning and
could be understood. But bill which
wrecks protective policy only to put
in its place set OF shedules which slaugh-
ters some Industries and gives pre-
miums to Others is wholly indefensible.
To replace protective system with free
trade is at least ineligible, but to des-
such prosperity as We enjoyed under the
protective system in 1892 is as wanton
cruel. or II we are to 'Ia have protec- @
tion let us have it for every interest, equal
and fair to all. II we are TO have free trade
let US have the real thing and have it for
everybody, for that at least will be fair.
But an ignorant mixture OF these two sys-
TENS is as impossible as 1t is unjust.
The bill before US embodies no policy
and has no system. Ii is not protection;
il is not free trade. IL is mere collection of
preferences and revenges. IL is filled with
injustice and inequality. 1t shuts the
door upon any hope Of union with Cam
adr, for il gives to Canada every adj
vantage OF union without exacting any
return, and frees her from all induce
ments to become, as she ought to become,
part of the United States. 1t is a reac-
tionary movement to an outworn system
resting on general doctrine which
finds no defense in practice
and its enactment promises nothing but
continued change and agitation. The
stock jobbing and speculation OF Wall
street have been with ii from its
oracle, and soon, trust, may weep beside
its grave. The great trusts are guarded
by its provisions, but there is no line to
show that the farmer, the workingman,
or the manufactures have been heard or
regarded in its schedules.
i turn from this printed deformity to
the broad principle which the party 10
whom we owe this bill pretended to ad-
vocate and which have already dis
cussed. This is the principle OF let
alone in the Government, the refusal to
use the power of the State wisely to bene-
fit the community. Protection rests on
the broad doctrine that the power
OF the community can be wisely
used In certain cases for the benefit of the
whole body polite. There is no magic
In it. We leave to the free trader the
privilege of claiming that he has a
panacea for all human ills in
patent tariff policy. We uphold system
of tariff protection because we believe il is
one important method OF defending the
standards of living in the United States
from fatal and degrading competition.