The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-12-05
FREE TRADE DOOMED.
rres Raw Material Ruined Our Wooden
aud Lumber Industries = Injurious 10
Producers - Brought Disaster 10
the National Treasury.

The policy of protection has been the
issue OF most vital Importance 20 the
masses of our wage-carners In the presi-
Dental campaign of 1896. Our working
people are, and have been all along. per-
fectly satisfied with the nature Of our
currency. But they have been troubled
at their inability to earn it.
The Wilson-Gorman tariff gave MS
what Maj. Mckinley aptiy described
our first "touch" of genuine free trade
as advocated by the democratic party.
We had free trade in lumber and free
trade in wool. We have heard much OF
the great boon that free raw material
was 20 prove 10 our manufacturers. II
was to give them cheap products where
by they could withstand all foreign
competition. capture the markets of the
world and offer employment to thou
sands of additional wage-earners--
skilled and unskilled--at higher wages
than they ever received under n pro-
tective tariff. But what has been the
result?
The American Protective Tariff
league has investigated the subject
thoroughly. Reports from 105 wooden
manufacturers show that almost 80 per
cent. of their hands were idle this year
as compared with 1s92-under protec-
ton. The average rate Of wages fell
by five dollars month among those
who were lucky enough to find employ
ment. The total decrease i'm the pay
ment OF wages was S349.606 a month,
over Sc per cent. or at the rate OF S4,-
196,352 n year in 105 wooden mills.
The number of failures among WOODEN
manufacturers increased from 90 i'm
the first nine months of 1895 up TO 6s in
the first nine months Of 1896. The liza
bilities of these mills that failed were
only $G25.026 in 1898. but aggregated
S5.4i7 ,o06 in 1896. To farmers the pol
icy Of free trade in wool has caused n
loss of S60.74i.5 500 in the value OF their
sheep since 1892. 1t has also caused a
loss 10 farmers Of S26,000.00O i'm the an
nual value OF their wool product. To
the national treasury this democratic
experiment has decreased the annual
revenue OF the government by SIS, 227, 26G
through the remission of the duties on
wool. besides n further annual loss OF
Si5.s00,S55 OF revenue. since 1892,
through the abolition OF the protective
tariff on WOODEN goods and the substi-
tuition therefor Of "a rag-bag produc-
ton" Thus free trade in wool has
been disastrous TO the farmer. 10 the
wooden manufactures, 10 the labor en-.
ployed in the mills and 10 the national
treasury.
And what benefit has free trade in
lumber been TO US? Reports from 200
American lumber mills show, since 1892,
that 10573 hands were idle--a decrease
of 43 per cent. in the employment Of
lumber-mill hands. The monthly loss
of wages in these 200 mills was S325, 555,
or at the rate of $3.9O6,66o year. APP
plying this rate OF shrinkage TO all the
lumber mills in the United States. then,
the decrease in wages has been $4,000
900 year In this one industry. Prac-
tically half the lumber mills Of the
United States are closed to-day, but
the Canadian mills are running on full
time. and supplying our market. be-
cause the cost Of labor there is cheaper
than here. The effect OF free trade In
lumber upon our manufacturers has
been TO increase the number of mills
that were forced into BANKRUPTCY from
2l2 In 1895 up TO 3o5 in 1896. their liza
bilities growing from 1921 200 in 1895.
up TO $i4,047,ss4 in 1896, an increase OF
nearly Sill 100000 I'm the liabilities of
the lumber mills that were forced into
bankruptcy. The national treasury has
also suffered TO the extent OF $2,43T, csc
a year. through loss OF customs revenue
on lumber, since 1893. Lumber is piled
up. unstable. at all the mills in this
country. As with free trade in wool,
so In the American lumber industry,
the effect OF this democratic policy has
been injurious 10 the lumbermen, TO
the owners OF our timber lands, TO the
lumber mills and to their employees.
In both cases there has not been an
iota OF benefit TO American interests
with these clear and convincing
proofs of the deadly destruction that
has been wrought. indiscriminately,
through the democratic free-trade
policy. IL is unnecessary TO seek
further argument that the policy OF
protection is essential to the success
of American producing and manu-
featuring interests and 10 American
labor This Is the reason why Mai. Me-
Kinley's nomination was universally
demanded Mt ST. Louis. and why he was
overwhelmingly elected the next presi'
dent OF the United States.
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