Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-06-25
PeREEcrINo PROTECTION.
Two slight Change. ssssestes o.. the
Iaterest Of Earnac 70 and labor~Fs.

Two Slight Changes suggesteS IN the
tRt~rest Of FARMERS ssd LabOr~rs.
The senate Is now engaged In remedy
ing the small imperfections of the Ding
ley bill. which, rs all good protection
lists assert. rs one OF the best tariff bills
ever drafted. II distributes its bless
lngs TO nll-fnrmer, laborcr and manu-
facturer. without doubling the good
Intentions of tho makers. We wish TO
suggest one or two minor details which
might possibly help the bill 10 fulfin
Tho expectations of Ito authors;
First.-Lubin's export bounty scheme
might enable the farmer 90 get q small
slice Of the benefits OF protection OF
course the farmer doesn't expect-espe-
cially at first-tO get an much of tho
benefits IA the manufacturers have been
gettiag for 30 years- A protection Of
about 20 per cent.-thnt 60 ten cents per
bushel on wheat, Ave cents on corn. etc.
would satisfy him, while Il takes four
times as much to satisfy ordinary tariff
infants.
This small export duty would not
make good the farmers loss because Of
import duties on manufactured prod
ucts, saying nothing about past losses.
but In course OF time. after his industry
had felt tho stimulating effects OF resl
protection what protects" the farmer
might muster up courage enough TO fol-
low the example OF Oliver Twist
which example hns grown into n Gus
tom with protected interests-0nd ask
Tor more" Possibly also he might
form political trusts or combines 20 de-
mand more" and rnise millions OF dol
bars TO send Hobbies TO Washington TO
bride congress. While protection ia In
Drder export duties are the farmers
only hope. With them he may hope not
only to change his losses to profits. but
also TO regain that power and position
which were once his, but which have
long since passed into tho hands Of the
manufacturers
SccOnd.-It In nlso fitting 90 recognize
the lnbOrer in the distribution of tariff
profits. Like tho farmer, he now puts
his hand into his pocket 70 help swell
the profits OF protection. practically
mono OF which comes his way. II Is not
an easy matter to eQualize the benefits
of protection SO that the workIngmau
shall get bis full share. a prohlbitive
duty on imported labor might In tho
course of time afford some protection
by restricting tho supply of lnbor, 30
that manufacturers could carry out
their good intentions Expressed whom
asking for higher duties) and pay
ingmen."
At present the condition OF working
men In the protected Industries Ia pitia-
bic I'm tho extreme. The PHILADELPHIA
Ledger. "a good republican piper, told
us Rbou. May that In the protected
Iron and coal Industries OF Pennsyl-
vauin the waRe rate has been reduced 20
low Tint IL in scarcely sufficient 10 pro-
vide the neccssarics OF decent sanitary
living" IL says 1.-The lowest classes OF
allen cheap labor swarm In the iron and
cool districts OF the state" and the
competition for work Is so fierce that
they contend. not against the employ
ers for the highest wages. but among
each other for the lowcst?'' -As mp.
peers by the testimony presented TO tho
Legislative committee. they
herd In squolor. subjects of abject pen
ury. and are bcsct by disease, dirt and
hunger" The Ledger thinks our Inn
migration laws are defective and I'm
provident" and suggests that ito prop
erly protect American workmcn con-
gress should pass an immigration ns
we'll rs n tariff bill" This Is a good
idea and should be acted upon at once.
The only wonder Is TINT some OF tho
good manufacturers In their anxiety "a
protect and raise the wages Of their
workingInen, did not think Of this plan
before. Then. II they should have Q
law passed which should make IL com.
pulsory for them TO give at least one
half OF their protection and monopoly
profits to their employees. protection
would begin to be an oil around bless
ing. Tho manufacturers might still
be getting the lions share. but they
would not get oil.
When these changes arc mado In the
bill Il will undoubtedly be what the
New York Tribune declared its proto-
typo. the Mckinley bill, to be-'-ths
bravest and best tariff bill ever passed. =
Will they be made ?-Byron W. Holt
TAs Monkey aaA the C@taA
1