The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-24
"a Niger IN THE WOODPILE."

To the ditor Of the Eagle.
When saw the tariff speech of Con
gresham Tom L. johnson of Ohio few
days since l was not little puzzled to
understand him, knowing that he was
one Of the largest steel manufacturers
in the country. To use homelv ex-
preston, knew there was ga niger in
the woodpile' some where, but whether
that "nigger" was the prospect of cheaper
labor or some other advantage in Mr.
Johnson's favor l could not determine
/ could see through Carnegie's reported
change of front easily enough. but Mr..
johnson was a puzzle, for the reason that
he appeared to be advocating lower duties
on steel manufacturers solely through dis
interested philanthropy in the interest Of
consumers. To emphasize this view of
tie case he chose as the object of his at
tack an industry in which he himself
was engaged, and to still further enlist
public sympathy in his favor lie exposes
trust" or pool which he Indignantly
denonDces as the legitimate offspring of
protection.
Emboldened by his success in his first
effort, and thinking detection in his n.y.
pocrlsy out of the question, he goes
step further than the Wilson bill, and
proposes to give the consumers of the
goods which his firm is manufacturing
the full benefit of free trade and low
prices by making them absolutely free.
His generosity gets away with his
judgment SO badly that he ais will
Ing to yield all the revenue which
the government might get from a
moderate tariff, and which it so badly
needs just now.
But unhappily for Mr.. Jolnson's
pretended magnanimity, Mr.. DaIzell Of
Pennsylvania comes forward, and Just
when Mr.. johnson had reached a giddy
height in the little balloon he had con-
structed to tickle the popular fancy, the
aforesaid Mr.. Dalzeil thrusts the sharp
point Of a little inquiry into NJ. John
sons highly inflae balloon, aud The
whole thing collapses, and Mr.. johnson
suddenly darts downward from the
realm of sentiment to the solid earth
which he strikes with a dull thud that is
sickening to hear, and leaves his little
scheme of magnanimous sacrifice and
Sc f-deniai all fiattened out. 1t was shown
by MIR. DaiZell that no less than 1O2
patents, the most uncompromising, rock
ribbed protection ever known, stood
between Mr.. johnson and the free trade
which he was SO eloquently pleading
for
Knowing that free trade would ruin
most Of his competitors, and that his
patents were ample protection for him
under any circumstances, Mr.. johnson
adds hypocrisy to avarice, by pretending
to advocate free trade III the interest of
This incident serves to emphasize
feature of tariff discussion that Is hardly
ever touched upon. but one that is vastly
more important than many others that
are freely discussed, viz: patents. They
exert a wonderful influence on our fiscal
policy, though not in any way connected
with 1t. Whatever od.um attaches 10
the accumulation Of grea; wealth by
IS charged up TO
protection in our tariff policy and nothing |
said of any other form of protection.
Nevertheless there never has been |
single fortune of any magnitude made in |
tins country by reason of the protection |
in our tariff laws. This is pretty broad /
assertion, but there is not a free-trader /
in the United States who can successful |
" controvert the truth of ii. 4 little in I
vestigation, like that by which Mr.. Dali |
zell exposed the hyprocisy of Mr. john /
son S pretended magnaniTity. will dis /
close the fact that what is true in that /
case is true in all cases where million 1
aires have been made by manufacturing, /
viz: that the protection in patents and /
not the protection in our tariff laws |
IS the most potent factor in
The building up OF colossal |
fortunes. Westinghouse. Mccormick. |
Singer, Pullman. Edison, Carnegie. and |
lie manufacturers of nearly every kind
Of agricultural implements have all been
10y patents more than by all
,ther causes com bined.
But by far the greatest fortunes ever |
made in this or any other country were
made wholly independent of any form
If protection either IN patents or revenue
avs. Gould, Vanderbilt, Rockafe.ler.
md the Astors are examples O. this
lind. But 1t has become the fashion
witt, every free trade blatherskite in the
who Is either too big fool or
90 INDECENT TO get rich himself, 10
,hgrge all great Accommodations of wealth
o protective tariff Il serves as an ex-
client excuse for the poverty OF many
II ofound statesman III this oountTy.