Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-01-19
rHE TAn1Fr REroam LEAGUE


Mayor Sargent Makes . speech In
which He Says That the American
Manufacturers Needed No Pretec.
tion-Resolutions Adopted.
BOSTON, Jan. 18.-Nore than 100 mem.
bers of the New England Tariff Reform
league gathered ut the United States hotel
on The occasion of the meeting for the
purpose of urging the speedy passage Of
the Wilson bill. Hon. d. L. Pierce pre-
sided and made q speech Of some length In
opening the after dinner exercises.
President Pierce introduced as the frst
speaker Mayor ]. B. Sargent Of New Ha-
ven. He said he had been . manufacturer
since 1850 and probably no man In New
England had employed more factory help.
he had never failed to meet Q
pay day. He believed American
manufacturers could compete with the
world. They needed no protection. In
telligenoe, thrift and enterprise need no
protection against the opposite. The Uni
ted States was more prosperous under the
low tariff of 1s4s than ct any other time.
High cost labor is not necessarily the dear
est. He had in two years made two long
journeys among the cheap labor Of Asia,
and Ii is the dearest labor In the world.
China's experience With high tariffs and
freedom from foreign pauper labor has re-
suited In high homo prices, loss of foreign
trade, diminished demand for home labor,
poor skill, poverty and . Cheap wage, but
most costly labor.
Manufacturers cannot prosper excepS by
general prosperity, and that can only come
from universal employment ct steady
wages. Western wheat growers paying
81 so day for labor and sells three-quar-
tiers more wheat in England than the In
dian farmer paying ten cents day for
gent labor to be the cheapest. In Austria
liza and neighboring islands American
shovels, axes aud agricultural tools, oar
penter tools of high finish, etc., take the
lead; also other products having high an
ish and free raw material in the wood work.
In all these things American high priced
but really cheaper labor beats the
cheap priced but costly labor of
Europe. We sell no fence wire in Aus
tIslia because Of the duty on iron rod. If
We had free scrap iron or free iron ore we
could do it. We can never have what be-
longs to us except under trade conditions.
The elevation of the American mechanic
must come through open markets and not
restriction. / have all am worth practi-
,ally invested in manufactures and 1 do
not fear for it under any lower tariffs.
Hon. Harvey N. Shepard read letters
rom Hon. Henry Lee and William Endi.
,ott, jr., indorsing the Wilson bill and ad-
its immediate passage. He also
cad the following which was unanimously
Idopted:
Resolved, That while the Wilson bill
having its many prote otionist features does |
lot in all respects meet the wishes or full
IL the anticipations of the New England
Tariff Reform league, we, its members, be.
ieve that 1t Is a long step In the right |
Erection, particularly in removal of duties |
rom raw materials.
Resolved, That the bill report should be |
passed and any delayed caused |
ither by unnecs ssary debate or by amend
aents, postponipg the time at which it's /
chedules shall take place is seriously in |
urious to the industrious and commercial /
Felfare of the country.
The following petition was circulated /
nd was largely signed by members of the
,sgue:
o the senate and house of representatives
of the United States:
The undersigned citizens of Massaohu-
stts, believing that the tariff bill reported
y the ways and means committee offers q
ubstantisl measure of relief from many
{ the most unjust and burdensome exao-
ons Of the existing tariff law in that 1t
rovides
~ For general reduction of the taxes
n the necessaries of life.
(2) For the abolition or reduction of the
uties on the raw materials which enter
Ito manufactured products.
(3) For correspondingly lower rate of
uties on the flashed products into which
loh raw materials enter.
And that its enactment will lead to
lore constant and better paid employment
,r American workmen; and believing,
so, that prompt settlement of the fiscal
olicy of the government is essential to
le restoration of confidence and the
imulation of our industries and COM
lerce,
Do respectfully and earnestly urge the
assage Of the Wilson bill in such form
, will most effsotually accomplish the
ojects above specified IS speedily as may
3 consistent with q reasonable discussion
its Drovisfona