The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-05-22
ONE THING ACCOMPLISHED.


The Philadelphia Press says the Demo
cratic tariff has not increased the revenue, |
but it mas created large deficit. 1t has
not enlarged the foreign trade of the
nation, but it has greatly decreased ex-
ports. 1t has not restored business pros
perity, nor has it done anything else that
was promised of it, with two exceptions |
On the principle of giving the devil his |
due these two exceptions should be noted |
in public manner They are lower
wages and a consequent check to i'm
migration.
In speech in the House of Representa-
tives on January Och of last year, when
the Wilson bill was under consideration,
General Black, of Illinois, declared that
''the gravest charge that can be brought
against the protective system" and "the
worse effect produced by the system is
the fact that it produces unnatural inn
migration of great bodies of men" When
asked how the system caused this 'un
natural immigration" General Black re
piled that il was due to the "alluring cry
dinned in the ear of the laborer in Europe
and elsewhere that here he could have
higher wages" The Wilson tariff bill,
Mr.. Black asserted, would stop that "un-
natural immigration" Asked to explain
how that would be done he replied 81
make answer, by the removal of the arti-
fetal means by which we create fctiti
GUS value of the article of wages and let
wages have its natural level, as it does
elsewhere"
General Black was roundly applauded
by the Democrats for this statement, and
he has since been promoted by President
Cleveland by appointment to a high
office. This wise prophecy of the Cemo-
cratic leader has proved true, and credit
should, accordingly, be given to the
Democratic tariff act. Wages having
been reduced in many cases. perhaps not
quite to the European or Asiatic level, as
was promised, immigration has accord
ingly greatly fallen Off Whether it " i'll
stop altogether depends on the fulfill.
ment of the prediction as to wages drop
ping still lower. But as far as the matter
has gone the Wilson bill has partially
accomplished those two ends. For in.
stance, the total number of immigrants
for the month of March was 16,O47, as
compared with l9, ,593 in the same month
year ago, and more Than double that
number when the Mckinley act was in
full force and not threatened with repeal
In the fiscal year ending June 80, 1892
there were 623 ,Os4 immigrants landed in
the United States, not including about
100000 who came by way of Canada For
the nine months ending April l. this year
1853, 1T arrived. At this rate the NUM- bel
Of immigrants landing in the United
States for the current fiscal year will b,
over 800, 900 less than for the fiscal year o
1882. This establishes Mr.. Black as
true prophet. Wages have gone dowr
and immigration has stopped accord
ingly.
When wages get down to the leve
that Mr.. Black promised immigration
will probably stop altogether. II is ne
longer su object for European workme1
in many branches of business 70 come {,
the United States, because they can ge
nearly as good wages at hom-, and tn
course OF wages here 80 far under TN
Wilson bill promises to fulfill all that Mr
Black promised in that way. Henc
European workmen stay at home an,
manufacture goods in Europe Tor tn
American market. That explains tn
enormous increase in imports For tn
nine months ending March 81, 1894, ther
was an excess Of exports over imports O
S22s. i57, ,25l. Now imports exceed the ca
ports. This has been the case for tw
months and the excess of imports