The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-08
HOUSTON, TUESDAY, MAY $, 1900.
TEN PAGES TODAY
TARIFF rALLAcY nxrosED.


To protect the infant industry and the
American laborer against the hurtful com.
petition OF cheap manufactures and pau
per workmen Of Asiatic and European
countries has been the siren song OF the
apostles Of high tariff for time out o.
mind.
The song is not rendered with suct
magic effect as formerly, since "orgnni-
cations powerful enough to Cypress the
people are no longer infant industries
in the judgment of an undeceived coup-
try but still we hear it's wavering notes
now and then. In proportion as the SONG
loses its charm, one may trace the de-
cadence of the party IN the public conf
dence that by its constant use has held
the government to a policy which has
limited the opportunities of employment,
advanced the price OF necessities and con-
centrated wealth to the few who are IN
the favor OF National legislation.
The Baltimore Sun goes cunning for the
proteotlonists with the following facts,
and assails them from an lntrenched po-
sition which the most tactful of the lot
can not successfully assault;
The fact that the high wages in this coun-
try do not prevent our competition with the
under paid labor OF foreign countries is IL
Illustrated by the observation of DR.. II. Mur-
ray-Aaion, that THE rice growers OF the
Southern States, paying hfteen times the
wages, can produce rice at less than one
tenth tho cost per acre of raising an acre
OF rice in the Orient The Japanese laborer,
with his primitive methods and implements,
takes care OF but one acre Of rice a year,
whereas one laborer IN tho South, with i'm
proved machinery, cultvates eighty acres aud
raises moro per acre than his miserably paid
Oriental competitor. The United states will
some day. and perhaps before long stop i'm
porting rice altogether Rice can be produced
in ten states In tho South. and there are now
over 10000 acres IN the South devoted to
the cultivation OF this crop, with vast areas
which may be turned to the Same usa" Thus
one by oqe the props supporting our present
oppressive and trust breeding protective tariff
are knocked out. II VIC can produce at less
cost than the foreigner there Is no excuse for
tariff rates that only serve TO help our trusts
to put up prices on us.
Texas has entered the list OF rice pro-
duclug States, and Is aiding In the
presentation OF the object lesson from
which our contemporary draws the con-
clusion that the trust breeding pro-
tective tariff" is doomed to lose its sup
porting props.
Add TO this demonstration the lesson to
be acquired from the labor strikes OF the
hour. and the inlquties practiced by the
authority of the tarifi-fostered trust are
more clearly accounted for These strikes
are not due so much to lack OF steady
employment on the part OF the workmen
engaged in them, as to the fact that the
continuous rise In prices has so reduced
the purchasing power OF money as to ron.
der the wages of most workmen lower
now than they were during the close
times of few years ago.
If the wage-earner could make the
wase-payer divide with him his srofts.
enjoyed from monopoly, the wage-earner
would be coutented enough, no doubt.
This he can not do. Then, he has no SEN
sible alternative but to join his fellow
sufferers, the consumers OF the country.
IN victorious battle against tariff sys-
tenn that binds him victim to tariff
made greed. Standing together they can
win. Standing apart the vassalage of the
people to the monarchs of monopoly is hut
fooiishly perpetuated.