The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-04
THEORY AND EXPERIENCE.
Native Born Free Traders and For
eign Born Protectfonfsts.
Newark Advertiser.

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1t is a marked phase of the present time
In Newark, as we'll as elsewhere, that for
eign-born citizens of intelligence, who dis
cuss the tariff situation at all, are almost
invariably protectionists, and argue most
intelligently from experience gained by
working under both systems. A notable
I'm the Belleville-avenue Rink and Saenger
Hall was the warnings given at each by
IKS 4fSa b2r men; That the passage Of the
country to the wages and conditions that
prevail in the free-trade countries of Eu-
rope, and from which they were glad to es-
At the tariff discussion in Chester Row, a
pair OF heavy .wooden-soled and iron-shod
SHOES were exhibited as a sample of the
shoes worn in the Lancashire district of
nglan Mr.. Smith, a workingman, resid-
from Lancashire. The shoes, he continued,
were such as were worn by Lancashire
workingmen on Sunday, and few of that
class expected any better. He then went
en- TO show how, as a workingman, he had
lived much better here and had accumu-
far beyond what he could hope to obtain in
england. These things, he argued, should
1ncite working people to sustain the tariff
policy OF this country.
Coming down town on the front of a
acknowledgements car, a representative Of
the Daily Advertiser overheard a tariff dis
cusslon between a native and a Scotchman.
The native was expatiating upon how the
tariff was injuring labor in this country,
when the Scotchman took him to task. He
stated that, whereas he received but 75
cents in Scotland, he had earned as much
as So a day in this country. The native
tried to offset this by telling him that his
living was cheaper in the other country,
but the canny Scot was not to be caught
that way. With clearness he showed that
the difference in the cost of living was very
small when compared with the difference
in wages. Among other things the native
insisted that American beef was shipped
across the water and sold cheaper than
here, which the Scotchman denied, saying
that it was about 5 cents a pound higher
there. and then went on to insist that
American workingmen would be fools to
allow the destruction of their system Of
protection.
The subject Of the tariff has become one
of general discussion among the working
people, who are handling ii with great
cleverness. IF those Jeffersonian Club
elbows" said one worker to a group on
the corner, were men who worked for a
living, they would not want the Wilson
help them to get our LABOR cheaper" Nor
Is the discussion confined to working peo-
pie alone. II voted money out OF my pock-
ct when I voted for Cleveland said a
man who lives on Broad street, and does
business in New York. 1.-THE Mckinley bill
was Just what I wanted. and increased my
business to a remarkable extent, but since
the election of Cleveland and the prospect
of tariff destruction ii has been falling off
steadily. / do not think / will be fool
enough to again vote to injure my own
business and that of the country"
These are but samples of the general
talk heard in every part of Newark. The
abstract question of too great depth for
ordinary understanding, has come to the
people with such force that they now I'M
derstand Ii thoroughly.