New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-09
yEV CONDITIONS. WITH NEEDED eau
TIONS

The passage of strongly protective tarii
hill bv the Senate will bring JOY beyond ex-
nresson 10 millions of wage-earners, VINO nave
learned bv bitter experience within the last
four wears what withdrawal OF protection
Actually means TO them AS all we'll know,
many Of them believed in 1892 that the
nrosneritv Of the country. the progress OF
lis industries and the demand and com
rensaton for its labor did not depend at all
mon the tariff To their minds the growth
and prosperity of the lanl were the inevitable
results of American enterprise applied TO bound
less resources For more than generation the!
had never known any serious impairment OF
nroduct,ye force any prolonged decrease in de-
mand for labor. or any widespread suffering.
Tbev wore trained by accustomed leaders to be-
ieve that they could vote with perfect safety Tor
q marty avowing hostility to Protection, and 1t
was bv the votes of such men. thus deluded ana
dofr.udod that the election Of Cleveland and
a Democratic Congress was secured in 1s92.
Four years Of disaster have been their reward.
Excepting by demagognes who have neither
se,f-resncct nor conscience. it will not be pre-
tended that the tariff which has now passed the
Senate Is as high in general range or duties OF
os fully protective as the act OF 1890. 1t Is GER
ranted nv the revolutionary progress OF indus
tries which began in 1890. and has not been en-
,irev arrested as respects the cheapening Of
production by the disasters since 1SsE Many
sincere Protectlonists believe that this is true
of other reductions which have been made but
Il is well for all concerned to take one mpo!-
tant fact to heart, that this Is In some respects
an experimental tariff. III parts it has Deen
based upon the experience OF unprecedented
prosperity attained under the duties OF 1871
But In other parts II Is based upon the theory
that there can now be attained as great ana
general prosperity and as full return FOR labor
under lower duties than were then judged neces-
sary. II is strictly In the line OF enlightened
and progressive Protection that such changes
toward lower duties should take place. wheIl-
ever the demonstrated ability OF home indus
tries TO resist competition in one branch after
another warrants them. Yet every step OF tllat
nature involves the possibility that lower bar
rfers against foreign competition may render
inevitable lower wages than have heretofore
baea maintained Only time and experience can
pruye whether any mistake Ia that direction
has been made.
sAnother essential condition Of prosperity Is
that il must not be plucked before 1t Is ripe.
n men undertake 10 anticipate TOO !ar the ex-
Ijecfcd restoration Of business and OF wages. they
lsre likely TO defeat their own ends. at least for
ssmestine There will be much greater demand
r,r kducts of home manufacture when new
ambitions have taken full effect. But II any
manufacturer sets out to put up prices before
SAMPLES OF goods waiting for sale have been
diminished. he Is likely TO drive business 10 wiser
competitors II he starts all his looms before
rhcre appears any gain in demand. he may In
crease his debts more than his business. II the
workers on their side, insist upon the wages OF
f,ll prosperity before there Is more business or
INV profit, they may put of for themselves the
.hsy of recovery from hard times. There ought
ID he a disposition, and in the very nature of
things will be with reviving business. TO restore
wages as far as safety will permit. because the
earnings Of the millions constitute the buying
force upon which depend large demand and