The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-16
PARTY FAITH.
CONTINUED from Third Page.)

never be omitted in a tariff change l.
the imperative need of preserving the
American standard of living for the
American workingman. The tariff rate
must never fall below that which VIII
protect the American workingman BY
allowing for the difference between the
general labOr-cost here and abroad, SO
as to at least equaliZe the conditions
arising from the difference n the Stan-
dard of labor here and /di1rr-
ence which il should be u aim 10
foster in so far as 1t represents the
needs of better educated. better paid.
better fed. and better clothed
workingmen of a higher type than any
to be oun in a foreign Al
all hazards, and no matter what else
Is sought for or d.
changes of the tariff, the American
workingman must be protected in his
standard of wages, that is. in his staE-
dard Oh living, and must be secured the
fullest opportunity of employment. Our
laws should in no event afford adVan-
tage to foreign industries over Amer
can industries. NThey should in no event
do less than equalize the difference in
conditions at home and abroad.
PROTECTIVE TARIFF NO LONGER
A THEORY.
1t 8 a matter of regret that the pro-
tective tariff policy, which. during thu
last forty odd years has become part
of the very FIBRE of the country, is no.
now accepted as definitely established.
Surely We have a right to say that IL
has passed beyond the domain Of the
Dry, and a right to expct that not only
its original advocates, but those VINO
at one time distrusted it on theoretic
grounds, should now acquiesce in the
results that have been proved over n
over again by actual experience. These
- -~~-- hor4 hnAn tho ~ =
prosperous years this nation a evec
seen; more prosperous years than n
other nation has ever seen. Beyond
question this prosperity could not
have come if the American people mad
not possessed the necessary thrift, en-
ergy and business intelligence to turn
their vast material to ac-
count. But it Is no less true that 1t Is
our economic policy as regards the
tariff and finance which has enabled us
as a nation to make sue good use Of
the Individual capacities of our citizens
and the natural resources of our cOun-
try. Every class of our people is ben
Gifted by protective tariff. During the
last few years the merchant has seen
the export trade of this country grow
faster than ever in our previous histo-
rv. The manufacturer could not keep
HI factory running If it were not for
tn protective tariff. The wage-earnec
would do we'll to remember that il
protection is robbery" and is to be
punished accordingly. he will be the
first to pay the penalty; for either he
will be turned adrift entirely, or his
wages will be cut down to the starva-
ton pOiEt. AS cOncluSively shown by
the bulletins of the Bureau of Labor,
the purchasing power of the average
wage received by the wage-worker has
grown faster than the cost Of living.
and this in spite of the continual
shortening of working hours. The
continual savings of the workingmen
of the country. as shown by the depos-
it's in the savings banks, have increas-
ed by leaps and bounds. At no time in
the history Of this or any other
country has there been an era so pro-
ductive of material benefit alike to
workingman and employer. as during
the seven years hat have just passed.
The farmer has benefited quite as
much as the manufacturer, the mer-
chant and the -wage-earner. The most
welcome and impressive fact establish
ed by the last census is the wide ami
even distribution of wealth among all
classes of our cOuntrymen. The chief
angencies in producing this distribution
are shown by the census to be the de-
yelopment of manufactures, and the
application of new inventions to uni
versal use. The result has been an IN
~creasing interdependence of agriculture
and manufactures. Agriculture is now
as it always has been, the basis OF CIV
ilization. The six million farms OF the
United States, operated by men VINO.
as a class, are steadfast, single MIND
ed, and Industrious form the basis of
all the other achievements of the
American people and are more frulttu'
than all their other resources. The
men on those six million farms receive
from the protective tariff what they
most need, and that is the best of al,
possible markets. All other classes de
pend upon h farmer. but the farmer
in turn depends upon the market the
furnish him for his produce. The an
nual output of our agricultural prod-
ucts is nearly four billions of dollars.
Thei increase in value has been prod
fgious. although agriculture has ian
guished in most other countries, anu
the main factor in this increase is the
corresponding increase of our
manufacturing Industries. American
armer have prospered because the
growth of ther market has kept pace
with the growth of their farms. IN
additional market continually furnish
ed for agricultural PRODUCTS by 40
mestic manufacturers has been far In
excess of the outlet to other lands. Al
EXPORT trade in farm products is neces
sary to dispose Of u suplus; and the
export trade OF our farmers, both il
animal products and in plant product:
has very largely increased. Without
the enlarged home market to keep ths;
surplus down, We should have To re.
duce production or else e the woric
at less than b cost or production. IL
the forty years ending in 1900 the tota
value OF farm property increase
twelve and a half billions of dollars
the farmer gaining even more during
this period than the manufacturer
Long ago overproduction would hav'
checked the marvellous development o.
our national agriculture, but for tn
steadily increasing demand of Ameri
can manufacturers for farm product
required as ray materials 10
steadily expanding industries. The far
mer has become dependent upon tn
manufacturer to utilize that portion o
his produce which does not go directly
TO ood supply. In 1900 fifty-two per
. cent, or a little over half the tota
value Of the farm products Of h ma
ton was consumed in manufacturing
industries as the raw materials OF tn,
factories. Evidently the manufacture
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