The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-03-22
AniERIC AN TARtrU.
in reply 10 AIR A. Carnegie IN the March
Forum. ...........

III ING hummer Oh Lu6
there Is an article written by Mr.. Andres "
Carnegie IN reply to the question, what
would do with the Iarift Ii | were Gar"
and tue plan OF legislation, which he sug-
RpBts ou tho puujtCl would doubtless. lie
the logtcai one TO follow II such oondi-
Tons existed. Ii our form Of government
was that OF an absolute despotism. with
tho poHSr OF debating law vested In one
man, we might reasonably suppose that
his chief objects Ia Imposing a tariff would
be-to proviie revenue to meet the ex-
pense OF his government and to keep tho
ulority OF his subjects poor, dependent
nnu IN helpless sutJectiou. but uuder Il
Republican form OF government where
nll men hre supposed to be born free and
equal, and whoro the promotion OF the
general welfare ie one OF the avowed ends
sought, import duties should TO 30 laid as
to pro"ide the necessary revonue, and IL
pOs,ib y, promote the general prosperity
OF the people.
But as Mr. Carnegie suggests his plan
as ono adapted 10 meet our present
needs, let us examine IL briefly and SEQ
what etIect IL would have on tle Interests
of tho vast majority ot our peuple-those
who are dependent upoh tho returns OF
their labor Tor u living.
He says. my nim would be to keep ire
OF duty the necessarles OF lle. used by
the many anu to tax highly the luxuries
OF the few" which certainly sounds we'll
us un abstract proposition, but II we 20
below the surface and make careful III
uuiry in regard to the effect OF such
policy. 1t appears to me TO iUse all OF Its
beauty and become one OF the most mis-.
chiev Gus forms OF legislation In order
to got a clearer view OF this ottaut
point let us make another classification
Of all foreign goods seeking admission TO
our Iuarke 8, and instead OF calling them
''necessarie6 aud luxuries." we Will sepa.
rute them iutO two classes, one OF which
can be successfully produced or manu-
factured Ia the United states, which the
othgr cannot.
We find the two clasalacations almost
Identical tho 'naces aries" corresponding
with those articles which we oan produce
and the 'luxuriee' with those wo cannot.
Now, it Ia tho first OF those two cassss
which Mr.. Carnagie propose5 to admit
t:ce OF duty, and Import from foreign
countries, insteaI OF making them at
home, which wonld take from US our
employment aud rob us of our only
means ut buying those necessaries. oven
at the reduced prices which he promises;
ard thousands OF good American Citlzens
Can teatIly, from present experience. that
the satisfaction OF looking at cheap goods
without the means OF purchasing is OK.
ceodingly small; and il our present con-
dlton Is tho result Of u slight reduction
in the duties on those necessary" artl.
cles. what must We expect to soc follow,
IL we place them Oh the fceo llst2
But hU tells US that the American manu-
iaclurer has already obtained control OF
our markets for tho common and neces.
6nry articles, such as are consumed by the
masses OF the people; and apparently
thiLkinR that the home products Will be
able to hold their own over the foreig Ii, ho
proposes TO remove oil duty, give the
lutter free access to our markets aud thus
have the burden or taxation removed
from the nassO5 Of tho people" But those
who care to See this question III an honest
light know that reduction oil the Import
duties does not mean chenper goods tc
The consumer. unless that reduction Ia
great enough to cause Il heavy Increase in
tue Importation oil slinliar foreign goods
to force the plicas down.
We also know that every manufactured
article which wo import m5anS Just that
much labor taken from our own people
agd given to their chesp competitors
across the ocean. and we further realize
that eli reduction III prices will bs met
| by corresponding cut in wages, for IL 10
wages ami profits which constitute tho
| coat OF all manufactured good5. and. un-
less his profits are exUrbitaut thy manu.
Hcturer Will surrender no part OF that,
but will reduce tie cost OF his goods by
| reducing the price of the labor which
makes them. We do not com plain of the
| prices OF the Rcodo we buy, but do lnslst
that the labor AMI wages which they
| represent sh all be gwen to American cIti.
| Zrns; Ior when we can fdrnish Il ready
| iuarkeJ and good prices for all labor, then,
aud not until then, Will our country be
truly prosperOus-not a prosperity for
| tho wage Garner alone, but ono that Will
reach all, even the farmer, by furnishing
| hlm d home market for his produGis.
| We will find no fault whatever with Mr.
| CArneEies generous proposition to Tulse
! all revenue ty imposing high duties on
| nXuIirs. Il In return ha Will grant us one
| favor, and that Is a prChibltoIy tariff on
| all articles which can be successfully pro.
I tuced or manufactured by our own peo.
| pie r.yen under fair degree of protec.
| ton we are annually importing Immense
| quantities OF foreign goods which might
| and ought 10 have been nude In America
| and which represents tho constant en-
| plnyment OF hundreds of thousands of
| people.
| IL is true that II we find this large
| emuunt Of additional labor in the Ameri.
| can markets We must pay higher prlco
| for II than we have found necessary in
foreign fields, which may result In n eiight
| increase in the cost of certain artic es;
| but how can m:n who truly loves our
| country and lis interests deny his fellow
| citizens this priceless UoOn for tho few
cents he might lose on tho cost of the
| goods which they want the privilege of
| making? Besides. this Is the road which
/ leads tn national prosperity, FOL which wa
arc all seeking That grasping, miserly
| spirit which beRrudges our neighhor his
| living never has and never can promote
tho welfare" but the spirit which enables
| us to see in every man brother, reach
| BIN friendly hand and say "lll help
| you and you help me- ls the one which
! points oct tho true way to that happy
] condition.
| Some mny aels. why not reaGh tnIs h md
| across tile wuterB TO our brethern in Eu.
| ropep EQr the simple but unaiterdble
| reason that they Insist on grinding thotr
| poor to tile lowest notch possible and We
| cannot afford to Join th6m IN their sulclda
/ pnnraaEinD liuf II tiIas puiSA THAR
scale of wnges to our standard, wa Will
| gladly open our markets to their products
and meet thsm IN friendly competition;
| but until that time. which VIII mover
| come. IL Ia u,ir duty TO close our doors TO
the products OF their haf-paid labor and
| give them 10 understand that II they will
| persist In keeping the misses OF thoir peO.
| pie III such an unJusiiila5le condition.
| they must not expect us to follow tIam
| In their downward road or share the fruits
| OF their heartless oppression.
| | wonder II thoso phiianthrpplc me
| who arS 80 ANXIOUS to lift tho burden
| from the shoulders OF Tho poor by ra-
| moving their protection, ever stop to
! consider to hat extent the annual ex-
| ppnss of our luDoIing people ls, In any
way affected by import duties; II thoy
| have, they must have seen TINT be-
yuDd tine cost OF clothing aud a few housa-
| hold articles, Tree trade has but little 10
| offer. lie cost oil our food, which Is tho
| hra5ie5t Item OF EXPENSE. Is virtually be-
| yuud the roach of the tarln, because He
export instead Of Importing those pro-
dUcts. FGom the burden of rent there IS
no hope of relief ami It Is Sufe to conclude
that tne average annual saving from The
| proposed plan. to all men who earn $1,000
| or less per yeaI. will not exceed fifty dol
lars, aud In return for this small benefit
he must surrender at least ono third of
his yearly wuges; tirst by iinding less
work TO do aud then by getting less
| mo0ey for what he does. How nny true
| American eau carefully aud honestly
study this question. eiiher theoretically
or in the light OF our own experience aud
then advocate Iree trade or Il tariff for
revenue only IL hey ond nv conception.
| While the subject Of immigration doee
not properly elong TO tie tariff question
yet IL Is 30 Intimately counected with the
protective feature of our system that