Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-07-10
TARIFF ON IRON AND STEEL.
Evils Which would Follow Any Rash
Dealing with Protective System.


Dealing with Protective System.
Partial reports of what President
Schwab, of the United States Steel Cor
poration, said on the subject of the Tariff,
In his examination before the Indus
trial Commission at Washington last
Saturday. have been widely published
In newspapers inlmieal te the policy
which has built up the industries of the
United States, aud made this country
tue most prosperous of all the countries
If the world. The workingmen are
more interested in the maintenance of
the Republican Protective Tariff policy
than any other class, They are even
more interested il t than the class
whose capital is invested in American
industries, for this reason: When a
crash comes, such as that which fol
lowed the success of the Free-Trade
propaganda IF 1892, it cuts down the
income of capital invested in manufac-
lures, to be sure, yet people who own
property are only obliged TO retrench
their expenditures; they are not re
duced to absolute poverty. But work.
ingmeH lose their employment, and in
nany cases have nothing to fall back
upon. In countless instances their
come tramps without even shelter
over their heads at night. These things
happened as a result Of the approach
of Free-Trade in the policy of the ma
tional administration which followed
the success of the Democratic party at
followed whenever rude hands were
laid upon the American ark of Protee-
ton. These things would certainly fol
low any rash dealing at the present
time with the Protective Tariff system
which fences the American working
men from direct competition In his
home market with the undergrad labor
of foreign lands.
The report of what Mr.. Sehwab said
before the Industrial Commission
shows that sIr. ScLwab admitted that
American manufacturers often sell
their products in foreign markets at a
lower price than they obtain at home.
But 1t also shows that be declared a
large part of this export trade is con-
Quoted at loss. ana that he went on
to give the reason why shrewd Ameri-
can business men are willing under GER
tain conditions to do business at loss.
1t is done, he very clearly explained,
For the purpose of keeping their works
running full all The time" This is
matter of more consequence to the
laboring classes than to the men who
own the factories. Mr.. Schwab con
tinued to the effect that those classes
Of steel and iron manufactures in
which the cost of labor is not a heavy
ITEM, such as billets and rails, could
get along now without any Tariff, but
in the finer grades, such as wire. where
the cost OF labor Is the heaviest item
OF production. the present Tariff Is
necessary In order to give labor its ade-
quate reward Mr. Schwab also
called attention TO the eff, ct of foreign
Tariffs. IF we could only get into
Germany and France duty free" he
said the worlds markets would be
| ours Germany, next to the United
States, has been moving upwards as an
exporter of manufactured products
| faster than any other nation in the
world She is doing this under a Pro
tective Tariff policy. France, conspieu-
Gus for her economic sagacity, is also
Protective Tariff country.
American newspapers which are so
fictitious for the welfare OF American
workingmen, will do well. If they quote
the testimony of Mr. Schwab before the
Industrial Commission. TO wee that
these important points ia his testimony
are not overlooked--Milw Sen
tinel-