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No. 55.--VoL. V.
PRICE 6D,
SUBIACO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1878.
Protection versus Free Trade.
comparable with the beet, we lack the But if this be true, is it to remain so ? through the early years of her history, accumulated capital, long and well - Is it to continue ? Is the present low only tenfold more rigorous. Down to established trade, and that other impor price of labor, arising from causes not 1842 her tariff amounted to absolute As Protection versus Free Trade is tent species of capital which alone can connected with the tariff, to be taken prohibition, and it was only when advantage of to inaugurate a system capital bad accumulated, vast indus' now occupying the particular ittentIon come from experience. which will still further depress labor ? tries were builded up, and wellof our American COttaillS, we give FREE TRADE MEANS Low WAGES. The argument of the gentleman from oetebliehod trod. wee 000urod, that nha below a portion of an address by a wellsought other markets. With skilled known American political economist, on higher to Again, we pay wages the New York, showing our ability to this question, for the benefit of our labor that enters into the manufactured compete with foreign workmen and mechanics, with improved machinery, capital, and with readers :-article. We pay a higher, rate of foreign manufacturers, is based upon the with accumulated cheap labor she believed herself able to to presumption that from fifty sixty interest for the money used in the HENRY CLAY IS NO LESS ENIPBATIC. manufacturing business of this country. cents a day is what the workingmen supply the markets of the world and defy competition. Then free trade was Ay, more than that, there is an in- are receiviog in this country, and that itis conceived as the true and only policy, In the United States Senate, February equality in the shape of local taxation to continue. and all nations were invited to embrace 12, 1832, he delivered a speech from which in many of our manufacturing WE Do NOT WANT FIFTY -CENT this new and universal theory of sowhich I now read :-towns is very, very onerous to called political reform. The fall of that policy [the tariff] bear. LABOR, The United States did not embrace sir, would be productive of conor men would be men party of No sequences calamitous indeed. When I bold enough to advocate the reduction even though it might enable us to adopt this new theory, and England is to -day look to the variety of interests involved, of labor as a naked proposition, its what the gentleman from New York is seriously considering the question of The manufacturers and to the number of individuals interested, provisions, as I shall attempt to show pleased to term " political economies free trade. laboring-men of that country are disthe amount of capital invested, the you later, is inevitable reduction of the purely American." He then quotes approvingly Mr. cussing it, willing to flee from that value of buildings erected, and the price of labor all over the country. whole arrangement of the business for The price of labor to-day is inadequate Isaac Southern Bell, member of Parlia- which promised them increased wages the prosecution of the various branches to the necessities of the laboring men, ment, the English judge at the Centen- and greater comforts, but which has of the manufacturing arts which have and the workingmen of the country are nial Exposition at Philadelphia, on his brought them neither. sprung up under the fostering care of patiently accepting the inevitable in the report on the iron interest of the United WHO WANTS Low TARIFF ? this Government, I cannot contemplate hope of relief and better times in the States, in which he declares that " the in the United any evil equal to the sudden overthrow very near future. increased of labor value possible pretext can there be What And while I would of all these interests. History can rejoice at the reduction of the rate of States has unduly added to the cost of for such legislation at this time ? I from certain listen attentively to the carefully conproduce no parallel to the extent of the interest for the use of money and the iron and the demands mischief which would be produced by decrease local taxation, I must pro- sections of the workmen are now acting sidered of the gentleman from of a disaster. The repeal of the edict of adversely to the true interests of the New York. [Mr. Wood] waiting to test against this or any other measure Nantes itself was nothing in comparison which looks to the scaling down of the trade," which means that labor is too hear of some American interest which with it. That condemned to exile and wages or labor, although it might enable high ; that the price of labor in the was demanding this new legislation, brought to ruin a great number of us to compete more advantageously with United States has unduly added to the and at last I was rewarded for my cost of iron, and is now acting patience. Ho sent a letter to the persons. The most respectable portion the foreign manufacture or to accept free was of the population of adversely to the true interests of Clerk's desk to be read from Messrs. trade wholly. condemned to exile and ruin by that trade. Worthington & Co., of Jackson, MichimanuThe rich stores of American measure. tut in my opinion, sir, the rnmnr.a Reduce tits tariff,. and labor is the nt the Centennial KwavaVivitaramiarg tutZlitlVtgrili would policy tariff of the repeal sudden Exhibition at Philadelphia, rivaling aie of favor of the bill, and that they were bring ruin and destruction on the whole exhibits of all nations, commanded the the preseut and the proposed rate must able to import steel to this country, people of this country. There is no admiration of the civilized world and duty must be made up somewhere, way. As manufacture it into agricultural implievil, in my opinion, equal to the con- was the constant wonder of the be compensated in some when ments, and send it back again at a sequences which would result from such foreigner. They exceeded his expec- always has been the case, economy in production is to be studied, profit. That was a strange statement catastrophe. was, inquiry frequent the tations, and the manufacturer looks to his pay -roll and entirely inexplicable until the What has accomplished all this of labor and commences there first. In distinguished gentleman from Michigan, THE FOUNDERS OF THE REPUBLIC the advance in a single century of of the gentleman from [Mr. Conger,] always on the alert, language the and its early statesmen comprehended Republic !" and the whole answer is New York (Mr. Hewitt), " the stated to the House that this firm, Chiefly this subject and understood that it was contained in this statement difference is in the higher wages paid," which was well known to him, did their of the highest importance to give pro- in consequence of the protection and that difference must be removed : work with the convict labor of Michigan the by manufacturers tection to American industry and afforded maintained, at thirty-two cents a day. No other tariff must be the American labor. The very second law tariff." or the manufacturers must be de- statement was needed. This was the to reduced wages means The bill of any kind that passed the Congress of only interest in the whole country over, It means the closest, stroyed. the United States after the adoption of operatives. the gentleman published as satisfied manufacamong WHOLE THE LABOR IS CHEAP the Federal Constitution embodies the sharpest, competition with the proposed change. Comment manufacturers whole doctrine of the protective turers at home with DOCTRINE is unnecessary, for when we commence economy system in its first section, to abroad. It means the closest to employ convict labor I will concede We reform. tariff of and trade in the price of the article produced. of free wit free trade is practicable. question the understand Whereas, It is necessary for the And the very first step taken in the might as well If the oft -repeated argument be true is a question of the It here. the of and part now on the economy of direction the for Government, the of support the duty falls upon the consumer, that several of whether in discharge of the debts of the United manufacturer is to reduce the wages he price of labor, or any then I ask the Committee of Ways and have shall we industry of he branches because not laborer; to his pays and States, and the encouragement Means upon what principle of fairness protection of manufactures that duties loves to do it, but because the labor at all. or equity have they increased the duty is the self-preservation it. Chairman, Mr. demand his business of be laid on goods and merchandise exigencies on sugar, the necessity of the poor be should is and as it nature, of the law and first so, been always That has imported. man's table, and decreased it upon silks of is welfare general The to nations. of no exception Revenue and protection are distinctly present and future will be and satins, which go to make up the measure and any importance, paramount recognized. And if revenue was needed the past. elegant apparel of the rich ? Or why in steadily this keep not does Why, we can even see this tendency which then to pay the obligations of the increase the duty on other staples of the enand foster not does Government, how greater that necessity underlying the great speech of the view, which poor man's household and decrease it American and labor If the necessity existed then for chairman of the Committee of Ways and courage American now upon velvets, which are only accessible great the to the encouragement and protection of our Means made on Tuesday last. He uses industry, is in opposition ? life, and subversive of the to the wealthy law of language this necessity of the what manufactures, Again, the committee have imposed a are governments which upon principles manuthe of iron exports The total manufacthese when upon us to -day, wheat to be indepen- duty of 20 cents a bushel upon turers, in the language of the factures of iron for the fiscal year 1877 established. We want and they have suffered wheat ground comprehensive and broad in that the dent that showing thus 48,089,540, was distinguished gentlemen from New an ourselves, self- into flour to come into this country : York, " lie weakened and prostrated and apprehension arising from the competi- sense, strong within discrimination against every unjust all in self-sustaining and supporting with mechanics tion of foreign sick almost unto death!" flour manufacturer in the land. Again, We can only compete with foreign American workmen has now little things. they have under their bill suffered proto we ought and duty our is It manufactures by being placed upon an force. manufactured cloths, to come cloths, the assuredly and sacredly. as And as further showing that such tect absolute equality with them, and until country at SO per ad valorem ; this into the United of the industry that equality is reached free trade, or, apprehension is without foundation he labor and same bill they allow the cloths in the and honor her States as we would protect what is little better, tariff reduction is states thatinto clothing for wearing-apparel It was put in evidence before the from taint or her territory from invasion. made simply impracticable and vicious. We to come in for 45 per cent duty ; a dishave disadvantages in the United Committee of Ways and Means, by Mr. We ought to take care of our own crimination against every manufacturer We first. industries her and nation iron American the celebrated Roach, by States which can only be overcome every sewing readily ought to produce for ourselves as far of clothing, every tailor, that he builder, favor ship a wise discrimination in woman the country over. much send as then and as practicable, Pennsylvania in workmen obtained of American and against foreign They have reduced the duty upon sixty cents per abroad as is possible, the more the to from fifty manufactures. -iron, wrought and cast : and vkhat scrap think our friends abroad If better. It may be asked, What disadvantages day. the result ? Why it will throw be will only have to illiberal they this position if workMr. Chairman, I grant you does America labor under not common thousands of men out of employment to other countries ? And I answer mem can be obtained readily at from bring their capital and energy to this and will wholly destroy the profession that while we have natural advantages fifty to sixty cents a day there need be country, and then they will share with of the puddlers of the land. equal to any, skilled mechanics, im- no serious apprehension arising from us equally in all things. The bill in some cases protests the This was the policy of England all proved machinery, and industrious labor competition of foreign manufactures.
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