Part 19 (1/2)

And you will immediately perceive the result

Wherestrike an hundred bloith the ax, we shall be obliged to give three hundred What a powerful encouragement to industry!

Apprentices, journeyreatly sought after, and go aell paid Whoever wishes to enjoy a roof must leave us to ed to submit to you

As for those free trade theorists, should they ever venture to call the utility of this systeo for an unanswerable arguation of 1834 is at our service We should fight them with that, for there you have admirably pleaded the cause of prohibition, and of dull hatchets, which are both the same

IV

INFERIOR COUNCIL OF LABOR

”What! You have the assurance to dee, and to render service for service according to his own discretion, on the sole condition that he will conduct himself honestly, and not defraud the revenue? Would you rob the workinges and his bread?”

This is what is said to us I knohat the general opinion is; but I have desired to knohat the laborers the out

It was not one of those _Superior Councils of Industry_ (Coe manufacturers, who style theine themselves seamen, and wealthy bondholders who think theislate in behalf of that philanthropy hose nature we are so well acquainted

No, they orkmen ”to the manor born,” real, practical laborers, such as joiners, carpenters, rocers, etc, etc, who had established in e a _Mutual Aid Society_ Upon my own private authority I transformed it into an _Inferior Council of Labor_ (People's Co the Tariff), and I obtained a report which is as good as any other, although unencuures, and not distended to the proportions of a quarto volume and printed at the expense of the State

The subject of my inquiry was the real or supposed influence of the protective system upon these poor people The President, indeed, informed me that the institution of such an inquiry was somewhat in contravention of the principles of the society For, in France, the land of liberty, those who desire to form associations must renounce political discussions--that is to say, the discussion of their common interests However, after much hesitation, he made the question the order of the day

The assembly was divided into as many sub-committees as there were different trades represented A blank was handed to each sub-committee, which, after fifteen days' discussion, was to be filled and returned

On the appointed day the venerable President took the chair (official style, for it was only a stool) and found upon the table (official style, again, for it was a deal plank across a barrel) a dozen reports, which he read in succession

The first presented was that of the tailors Here it is, as accurately as if it had been photographed:

RESULTS OF PROTECTION--REPORT OF THE TAILORS

_Disadvantages_ |_Advantages_ | 1 On account of the protective tariff, we pay | None

ar, thread, | etc, which is equivalent to a considerable | 1 We have exaht, and 2 On account of the protective tariff, our patrons | have been unable to are also obliged to pay le have less to spend for clothes, consequently we | point in regard to have less work and smaller profits | which the protective | system is 3 On account of the protective tariff, clothes | advantageous to are expensive, and people er, | our trade

which results in a loss of work, and coreatly reduced rates |

Here is another report:

EFFECTS OF PROTECTION--REPORT OF THE BLACKSMITHS

_Disadvantages_ | _Advantages_ | 1 The protective systeet into the Treasury) every time we eat, drink, | warm, or clothe ourselves | | 2 It i lessnails, which deprives us of | labor | | 3 It keeps the price of iron so high that it can | None

no longer be used in the country for plows, or gates,| or house fixtures, and our trade, which ive | ourselves enough to do | | 4 The deficit occasioned in the Treasury by those | goods _which do not enter_ is made up by taxes | on our salt |

The other reports, hich I will not trouble the reader, told the same story Gardeners, carpenters, shoerievances

I am sorry there were no day laborers in our association Their report would certainly have been exceedingly instructive But, unfortunately, the poor laborers of our province, all _protected_ as they are, have not a cent, and, after having taken care of their cattle, cannot go themselves to the _Mutual Aid Society_ The pretended favors of protection do not prevent the the pariahs of ood sense hich our villagers have perceived not only the direct evil results of protection, but also the indirect evil which, affecting their patrons, reacts upon themselves