The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-31

DAUiloiG DIlllSn nhnulacIlTeS-
1T Is however, utterly impossible to con-
vey, by mere statistics Of our exports, any
adequate picture of the condition of the
nation when Sir Robert Peel took Office IN
alike depressed in the manufacturing dis
tricts mills and workshops were closed.
and property daily deprecated in value;
in the SeapOrtS shipping was laid up use
less in harbOr. agricultural laborers were
eNlnS out a miserable existence upon starv-
atlOh wages ana parOchial rehet; the reVe-
nue. was insufficient to meet the national
expenditure; the country was brought 70
the very verge Of national and universal
The parallel does not stop here. Con-
unuing, he says:
The condition Of the operatives in every
district was most appalling. 1t was proved
that IN Bolton 500 families, consisting OF
l,49J individuals. had total income OF
only tl5O per week, or, deducting rents,
tlo0 lis, which was only equal TO 14i4d per
head per week. Out OF $500 houses 400 were
empty; 1000 were tenanted by families hav-
ing only I'D per week TO live upon, ana
the remainder by families whose incomes
we're not more than IS or Is cd per week
or these poor people l,61 had only 800 beds
among them, $50 sleeping three in a bed.
l65 I'VE in a bed. IS six in a bed, and AZ
seven in bed. In Stockport, one out OF
every nve houses was untenanted. and
half OF those occupied were not paying
rent. In Paisley 600 heads of families were
out of employment and LOO looms were
idle. In the district OF Manchester 5000
persons were living on I'D each per week,
and thousands Of work people were wander
pigment. BY cutting off our foreign
trade the operatives were deprived Of en-
ployment and hence the home trade suf-
fered through their inability 10 purchase
even the commonest necessities.
This lamentable condition Of affairs was
not confined to one district, but spread
throughout the kingdom; not among the
working classes only. but among the mid
ole and higher classes also. Bankruptcy
and insolvency were remarkably frequent.
The distress which deprived tradesmen Of
their customers at the same time increased
their dimculues by the high poor rates
which IL rendered Indispensable. In some
Of the agricultural districts estates were
given up by inc owners 70 the parish be
cause the rates exceeded the rents. 1t was
estimated that half the mills in Lancashire
were closed, and that the fixed capital OF
that county had deprecated fully - per
-. ~ ,Fel, tlleIe wee No aISns W
Improvement, for during the parliamentary
recess the distress became fearfuly and eX
tensively aggravated.
The protective system. which was sup
country independent Of foreign sources Of
supply, and thus, it was hoped, fostering
the growth of a home trade, had most
effectualy destroyed that trade by reducing
the entire population to beggary. deSritU-
ton and want, The masses of the popula-
ton were unable to procure food, and had
consequently nothing to spend upon British
manufactures
We May Profit by II.
The disasters which overlook the people
of Great Britain are rapidly creeping upon
us if they are not already here. Can We
not learn wisdom from the experience Of
other nations2
Protection, while il may stimulate the
production Of new articles at an earlier
period than they would otherwise come in
the natural growth and progress of the
country. by tempting capital with excessive
profits. and thus apparently increase and
diversity the industries of the same, will,
If continued for an unwarranted period
or raised TO an unlimited hight. direct
capital from natural into artificial chan
neis invite an excess of labor into man.
uIactur1ng centers. and thus stimulate an
oFcfSupplE 10 pe dumped upon the market
80 80 t..r. - =, !" "a
inevitably result IN the closing of mills
ana the idleness or operatives with all the
attending evils which must necessarily fol-
low The effects OF excessive duties were
10rCibly described by the members OF the
tariu commission i'm their report in 1SS2
in which they said:
larry in us dciipera tions the commits
sion became convinced THAI a substantial
reduction Of tariff duties Is demanded, not
by mere indiscriminate popular clamor,
but by the best conservative opinion Of the
country. including that which has i'm for
mer times been most strenuous for the
preservation OF our national Industrial de-
lenses. such a. reduction Of the existing
tarin the COMMISSION regards not only as
a due recognition OF public sentiment and
q measure OF justice 10 consumers. bat
one conducive 10 the general industrial
prosperity. and which, though il may be
temporarily incOnVeuient. viii be ultimately
beneficial To the special interests affected
hy such reduction. No rates of defensive
duties. except for the establishment of
new industries which more than equalZe
the conditions Of labor and capital with
those OF foreign competitors, can be jusu-
fed
Excessive duties or those above such
standard OF equalization are positively in
furious TO the interests which they are
supposed TO benefit They encourage the
investment Of capital i'm manufacturing en-
rfls .Hs.F
10 be followed by disaster TO the adventur-
crs and their employees, and a plethora of
coilIlodl ties Wlllch ueIdhBeS the operations
or skilled ana prudent enterprise. Numer-
Gus examples OF such disasters and de-
engagements occurred during and shortly
after the excessively protective period OF
the late war when tariff duties were en-
HANGED by the rates Of foreign exchange
and premiums upon gold. Excessive duties
generally or exceptionally high duties in
particular cases discredit our whole ma
tional economic system and furnish plausi-
bic arguments for its complete subversion.
They serve to increase uncertainty on the
part OF industrial enterprise. whether il
shall enlarge or contract its operations
and take from commerce as well as produc-
ton the sense OF STABILITY required for eX-
tended undertakings
Mr.. Chairman IL is not Creditable 10 the
sincerity or honesty or those who described
80 clearly ten years ago the evil results
Of excessive duties that they are now un-
hridled in their denunCiations OF a measure
equally "A 8 conservative In many Of it's pro-
visions as the one which they proposed
Protection. as L have said is Inconsistent
with every experience and every law OF
legitimate production and exchange. Its
friends and advocates, however, insist that
ii preserves and develops the home market.
and thus returns profits to and enriches
those who submit TO It's eXacuons The
home market theory has been answered
SO completely by so many OF the ablest
writer's and debateTs on the subject that
il would seem 70 be work of arrOgatiOu
llpou my part to assume TO offer anything
new or additional upon the point.
One of the FaIlacies.
The favorite argument in support of this
theory is that our productions have i'm
measurably increased; that the cost Of
production has been dimished and that
our foreign trade has grown beyond pro-
portionsH under the protective policy. To
the casual reasoner this argument may be
satisfactory; not only satisfactory but ac-
cepted as unanswerable, and yet but
moments election as to the real condi-
ton OF our trade and commerce during
this growth and development viii con-
vince the most incredulOus mind that they
have been greatly impeded In their prog
ress and Circumscribed in their beneficial
results This growth has not been health
ful-it has not been accompanied by gem
eral prosperity.
'The great fallacy-one that is akin to n
crime-is that "A market can be enlarged at
the expense OF cOnsumpton-that supply
may be increased while the demand is
DESTROYED Instead OF developing a home
market. restrictions will inevitably destroy
il They have destroyed IL not only at
home but all over the world. and that is
the cause Of the universal distress that
prevails everywhere today. The great body
country. have been hampered with res
trfctions that have impeded their efforts