West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-09-12
WILSON ON THE NEW TARIFF.
A Review OF the Past Year aud Pre-
dictions as 10 the Future.
WASHINGTON. Aug. p.

hN" Il ai III bllls Win Soult SUHHtS-
tions as to its probable future work
ing. especially as to revenue.
Ii the opening vista OF higher
wages, cheapened necessaries of life,
larger consumption at home and
expending markets abroad under
lower duties had but single years
experience to rest upon. / should
be very cautious in prophecying as
To the future.
But when 1t is remembered that
like results followed the law of SAC
in this country and crowded on the
heels OF tariff reduction in Eng
land, it is not claiming too much
to say that few months experince
has already justified the arguments
and predictions of the tariff re-
formers and laid. 1t is to be hoped
however, the spectre of ruin and
impoverishment with which the
protectionlsts so long frightened
the American people.
INDUSTRY NO LONGER FETTERED.
The country is beginning to see
to day that there is no way to pro-
tect American industry except by
relieving It from burdens upon the
materials with which it works; no
way to insure good wages and steady
employment TO home labor except
by freeing it from the shackles
which have confined it to glutted
home market and prevented it from
seeking its customers all over the
world.
1t is first of all gratifying, there
fore, 20 see the progress already
made by our manufacturers in
reaching out for the worlds market.
With temporarily diminished ex-
ports, chiefly in food products-in
no way due to recent tariff legsla
tion-we behold in single year an
increasing volume of manufactured
products sent abroad.
This already appears in our re-
ports of agricultural machinery,
building hardware, locomotive ell
gines and iron and steel goods gen
orally; also in leather and manufac-
lures Of leather, in pianos and or
gans, paper manufactures and many
other items of the Treasury state
rhent issued at the close of the
fiscal year.
WAGES AND MARKETS BOTH
GROWING.
In all Of these industries the
wages of labor have been increased.
AS the daily pay of the American
artisan was already much greater
than that of any competing laborer
in any other country, this growing
foreign market for our manufac-
lures is especially significant.
There is no doubt that the iron
and steel industry of the world is
soon to find its chief centre in the
United States. We are constantly
strengthened in the belief that our
supply Of ores Of all kinds is more
exhaustless, more cheaply mined,
more cheaply transported and more
cheaply wrought into finished pro-
ducts that the supply of any other
nation, and this must eventually
carry with it the manufacturing
supremacy Of the world.
This means untold benefits to all
our industries. Years ago it was
truly said by Republican Secretary
of the Treasury that il ell our man
ufacturing plants ran six months
at their full capacity they would
glut our home market. For the
next half of the year there would
necessarily be slackened work or
even idleness. with sIackened EN-.
ployment and uncertain wages for
labor.
The conquest Of foreign markets
now implies the ability to hold our
own market against all competing
from without. It means broader
and more stable basis for manufac-
turers, which, IN turn, carries with
it more work and more wages for
the operative and more home con-
sumers for the farmer, who is also
relieved from a burden Of maintain
ing industries to buy from him.
In word, the more self.support
ing industries we have the greater
and more diffused is our general
prosperity; the moro non-self sup
porting industries we have-fed
and maintained by taxation-the
smaller and more lop sided becomes
the prosperity.
WILSON BILL FOUNDATION.
The House tariff bill aimed to in
crease largely the number Of indus.
tries that could stand without boun-
ties. It's foundation was large
free list Of raw materials. For
tunatoly the most important Of
these remain in the tariff bill az
finally enacted, such as copper,
ores, salt, fax, hemp and wool, to
which in a more advanced stage,
may be added sulphuric acid, the
basis Of 80 many industries; cotton
ties, sawed lumber, binding twine,
etc.
As to revenue. the operation Of
the new tariff hill ouObf 70 ho saf,s-