Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-04

"No price for property; no sales except
those of the sheriff and the marshal: no
purchasers at execution sales except the
creditor, or some hoarder of money; 40
employment for industry; no demand for
labor; no sale for the products of the
farm; no sound of the hammer, except
that of the auctioneer knocking down
the property. Distress was the univer-
sal cry of the people: relief. the uni
versal demand, was Numbered at the
doors of all Legislatures, state and fed
eral."
1924 to 1888.
The low tariff experience of 1916 10
1924 was so unsatisfactory that a thor
oughly protective tariff was adopted In
1924. being about the first real protective
tariff measure. The duty which 1t levied
averaged 80 per cent. of the value of the
articles on which the tariff was placed,
and the result was much development
of industry, labor employed: prosperity,
peace, cOntentment. Government reve-
nues plenty, money good and plenty,
money making and debt-paying period:
great increase in taxable values; Jack
sonian protection era; slave question be-
coming dangerous political issue; free
trade adopted as an ally TO slavery.
Commenting on the experiences of this
first thoroughly protective tariff meas
ure, Maj. Mckinley, In one OF his
speeches in Congress calling attention TO
the prediction of disaster made by the
opponents of protection at that time.
says: None of these awful prophecies
were fulfilled; none of these dire results
ensued. The nation was not palsled. but
quickened into new life. The merchants
did not move out of their costly piles OF
stores and dwelling houses. they re-
NAMED only to require larger and finer
and more costly ones; the poorer classes
were not driven to cold water as their
only food and diet, but their labor was
in greater demand and their wages adj
vanced i'm price. The entire country un-
der the tariff moved on TO higher tri-
umphs in industrial progress, and to a
higher and better destiny for all of its
people"
1888 tn 1s42.
In 1888 the low tariff theory again
took possession of the public mind sui
iiciently TO give control in Congress
and II Democratic revenue tariff" was
adopted under the lead of Calhoun. Thi.
abandoned the protective theory entirely
the duties averaging less than Is pei
cent, and resulted in gradual closing
down of American factories; labor idle
and poor, very low wages, low prices
of farm products. destruction of indus
houses to feed the idle workmen; in
duAry, agriculture and commerce par
alyZed, money poor and scarce. reduction
in the volume of currency. States I'M
able to pay interest on debt. deficit il
the national treasury; the nation unabl,
to borrow money at home or abroad
debt-creating period. The experience,
were similar to those which are fresl
in the minds of the people of the United
States today. The national trasury be
came bankrupt and the credit of tn,
United States very low. the revenue fel
off largely and the government was com
PEELED to borrow money to pay current
expenses as is the case under the Wilson
tariff today.
1874: to IS46.
The result of the low tariff expert
ences from 1884 to 1912 was the return
| of the protectionists, then the VIII,
| party, to power and the passage of
protective tariff measure with an aver
age rate of duty of about % per cent.
| which was vetoed by President Tyie
| but passed over his veto. Under th
protective tariff came u development il
| Industries, revival of agriculture, in
crease in immigration. money good an,
| plenty, revenue sufficient for all ex
penses of the government and a wealth
producing period. Carey, commentin;
upon this period in the national his
tory, says: Labor was everywhere il
demand, planters had large crops, an,
the domestic market was growing witt
a rapidity that promised better prices
The produce of the farm was in deman,
aud prices had risen. The consumption
of coal. iron. wool and cotton and woolei
cloth was immense and rapidly increas
ing, while prices were falling becaus
of the rapidly improving character of tn
machinery of production. Production o
every kind was immense, and commerce
internal and external, was growing witt
uncxampled rapidity.
| 1916 to 1861.
The slave power of the South. rccog
nizing the prosperity and increase,