The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-27
The Root of the Trouble.

The Root of the Trouble.
Dlsinterested observation is often the
most reliable. The Montreal Star. In
the recent Canadian campaign. made
strong point for Protection in that do
minion by its repeated citation of what
an alleged revenue" tariff had done
for the United States. THE Demo-
Gratis" 1t said. tried revenue tariff
and almost bankrupted the American
nation, as every farmer, every mechan-
ic, every merchant and every manufac-
turer in the Union knows" 1t con-
tinued:
"A few years of national poverty and
panic affecting the Canadian people
such as our American friends have been
cursed with through their revenue tar
iff, would set back the trade and COM
merce Of the dominion twenty years,
would breed discord, would discourage
all kinds of business enterprise, and,
in all probability disrupt the dominion.
A revenue tariff needs only to be an
alyzed impartially to show its absurd
ity. Let us consider what a revenue
tariff under present circumstances
would likely do for Canada. Let 1t be
borne firmly In mind that a revenue
tariff means tariff lowered to the
point where the outside world can prof
ltably to them do the manufacturing
for US, and by the substitution Of for
eign goods for home goods bring an as
sured revenue to the government. On
all the great things that are consumed
1t would mean relatively little Of saw
ing to the Canadian consumer, while 1t
would put the wages for making them
into the hands Of Germans, Americans
and other foreign makers. Canadian
manufacturers Of all great staple arti-
cles have abundant home competition.
which has kept prices low to the farm
ers, laborers. and other consumers,
while the manufacturers profit has by
home competition been kept right down
to low water mark. The protective tar
If has held this market for Canadians
Lower the tariff very little and you
wipe out the profits the Canadian maxi
ers have had, and Immediately you
have revenue tariff. BY this lower
ing nobody in Canada will be benefit
ted to an extent expressible in dollars
and cents to the Individual to mean
a substantial saving, but there Is one
result you will get with vengeance;
you will take the bread out Of the
mouths of Canadian mechanics; you
will close up all the great factories Of
the dominion; you will reduce the tail
ors' customers. the grocers' patrons.
the shoemakers' buyers; you will throw
out of work an army of bookkeepers
and clerks--in fact you will stop the
circulation Of q vast amount Of money,
and bring on Just such financial crisis
as the American nation has been desc
lated with"
These words from an impartial and
unbiased source, show what is thought,
apart from the doctinaires who at pres
ent dominate the American Democracy,
Of the plan Of wooing prosperity by
giving over to foreigners the profits of
home business. Nothing which Is said
In the foregoing citation goes beyond
the truth. We in this country have had
recent ana vivid demonstration that
the consequences Of revenue tariff
are just as the Montreal paper de-
scribes them. They not only include
loss of profits, loss Of markets, loss of
wages and loss of work. but that in
finitely greater loss, loss Of confidence
in the future. Three years Of such a
tariff in this country have wrought
worse havoc than was wrought three
decades ago by five years Of phenom-
email war. The wreckers who have ef-
fected this disaster will hardly be per-
mitted to achieve q new dispensatlon
Of ruin by the substitution Of a mone-
tary for a revenue implement Of tor
ture
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All Pennsylva MIA is honorad 4, +ho