Protective Tariff

Most people Lave a rather indefini idea aa to what a protective tariff Js Many seera to regard it as a means th government takes to raise money on im porta instead of directly from our own people. Now, while this would be tru enough of a tariff for revenue only, it i very far from the truth as applied to a high tariff. What is meant by a protective tariff, i a tax laid on imports, high enough - as a protectionist would say - to enable man ufacturers in this country to compet with those of Europe. The very idea of a protective tariff carnes with it the fac that the articles protected cannot be man uf actured in this country except at a los unleas the government steps in and by taxing like foreign articles, so increase their price as to enable the same thing to be produced at a proflt, and often a is the case with our present tariff. at suol a profit as enables our manufacturera to become millionaires in a few years. The tax levied on some foreign goods is so high that they are practically shut out o our markets, and in such cases the man ufacturer here, having no competition can and does fix his owa prices withou mnch regard to the interest of anybody but himself. It might be said that the competition of those manufacturing the same article here would interfere with his operations, and so it would if it were not for the fact that manufacturera by agreement fix their prices among them selves, just as high as the tariff on for eign goods will allow. So that practic ally there can be but little competition in prices, so long as the foreign article is so heavily taxed. Sewing machines, for this country for $85, they take acrosa the water and sell for $35. The American buyer, in other words, has to pay $50 more than the European for the same article. The same is true of many other exporte. Mowers and reapers for example. This is not right and it proves tha1 the claim of the protectionist, that we cannot without the high tariff compete with the cheap labor in Europe, is not true, for if we can manufacture articles here pay for thetransportation, andcommissions in selling, and the duties there and still compete with them in their own market where the advantages are all on their side, we can surely do it in our own country where the advantages are all on our side. We are now doing it every day - competing with them at their own doors. We even take meats to Europe and compete with them successfully in the markets. We enjoy every means of successful wiAipcLifciuii. um cuiu, iruu, iüuu, cupper gold and silver mines are the most extensive in the world. Our transportation facilities are nowhere excelled. The inventive genious of our people is equal to almost any emergency. We have brought torth f rom the bowels of the earth that which is used in every country as a means of light, and the telephone and ;elegraph, are but other examples of the superiority of the genious of our people. Those who took pains to examine into the comparative merits of the exhibits at the üentennial will agree that as a rule American exhibits in machinery were much the best in every way, and it is no wonder that under such circumstances we can beat European manufacturers at iheir own doors. It would not do to say ;hat our manufacturers take machinery o Europe and sell it at a loss for none jut a fooi would do that. It is safe to wresume tnat tne sewmg macnine tnat is sold in Europe by the enterprising manufacturer for $35 is sold at a reasonable rofit and that the same machine sold ïere for $85 realizes for the seller an immense profit, but not one dollar of it goes to the government. This provea ;hat the tariff is so high on that class of machinery as to shut out foreign work altogether and allows the Imerican manufacturer to flx his own price. Just in ueh cases as the above do we flnd built up the great monopolies - combinations of capital which have before now conrolled legislation and bought up courts and juries whenever they thotight it necessary. In the late presidential canvass -hese same men everywhere supported he republican nominee because that pary has always been a high tariff party, ihey rell knew that the democratie )arty had always been opposed to monopolies of every kind and opposed to ïigh tariff as being beneficial to th few and injurious to the many; and as this hreatened in case of democratie success io lessen their profits, self-interest and not labor interests, bade them vote with ;he party that had promised to keep up ;he high tariff and keep on protecting ;he rich. In doing this they were controlled by elf-interest alone, they were simply votng in the interest of their own pockets, and against the interests of at least ninenths of the people. The time will come when the farmer, mechanic and laborer, will better understand this question and will know that the main point with the manufacturer is not labor interests as he jretends, but self interest. They will earn that the tendency of the whole proective tariff is to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, and that thfirefore it s not the system he ought to vote for or upport by upholding the party that has always stood by it. Every day the rich ariff loving monopolist is beeoming beter able to control legislation and govern .he votes of his fellows by fair or foul means. Many of these men are already mbued with the idea that their employees' votes ought to be cast in accordance with the will of the employer. In 1880 many heavy manufacturera gave their aborers to understand that a vote for the democratie party meant dismissal from heir employ. The time may come ere ong when such things will become more common and the laborer will be expected o vote as his employer dictates. It is safe to meet the question now, meet it by casting your influence, small though it e, toward strengthening that party that ïas always been the friend of labor, and against monopoly, and which, therefore, receives its strongest support from the aboring classes. Let every democrat register.