The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-11-27
HALT

he goes on after this fashion:
at has passed homestead and ex-
emption laws, it has given IabOring
men free homes, it has protected them
from the competition of the pauper Ia
Dor Of Europe, it eXempts them from
national taxes, while the cOpperhead
party has just been defeated in the at
tempt to tax the poor mans last dol
lar ut the same rate with the rich mans
iuXuries.
The Inquire is discoursing Of the
benefits conferred upon the poorer
classes by the Radical party. The
mendacity of the string of assertions
above quoted, is beyond parallel. Does
the Inquirer dare to say, in the face of
history, that The Republican" or
Radical party is the author of our
homestead laws? Why, the principal
enactments classed under that head,
were passed before the ''Republican"
party was born. Hon. John L. Daw-
son, one of the leading Democrats Of
this state, acquired national reputa-
tion by his advocacy Of the Homestead
Bill, as early as 1872. That was
Democratic measure and ali other
homestead laws have been moIeled
after it. And how about the eXemp-
tion laws? Why upon the face of ev-
cry note waiving the exemption laws,
is specified "the act of 1919, exempting
$500 worth Of property nom levy and
sale.' Was the "Republican' party
in existence in 1919? If our memory
is correct, it came into life with the
Fremont campaign of 1856, seven years
after this exemption law was passed.
As TO giving anybody free homes"
there are plenty Of anxious "Republi-
cans who would like Mr.. Lutz to in
form them where they can be had, as
they are ready to start for them at
once, even if they lie at the head wa
tiers of Salt River.
SIT has protected them from the COM
petition of the pauper labor Of Europe"
If this means anything, it means that
high tariffs have been put upon iron
in order to prevent the foreign manu-
facturer from shipping that article to
this country and selling it here at low
er prices than those asked by the do
mestic manufacturer. Is any body
fool enough to believe, for moment,
that the enhanced price of iron bene-
fits the lahOrer in the ore bank or the
furnace? He must be simple-minded,
indeed, who has any such thought. 1t
benefits the manufacturer, not his en-
ployee. And why not the latter? Be
cause the wages Of labor are not regu-
lated and determined by the profits OF
capital. If this were 50, there would
be no pauper labor in Europe nor any
where else; there would never have
been negro slavery in the South, nor
W hite slavery iii the factories of New
England. Tariffs protect capital, not
labor And, again, much more of the
labor of this country. especially Of the
naval districts, is employed upon ag-
riculture and the mechanic arts, than
in mines and furnaces. Does the farm
er pay his workmen more because he
is compelled to give higher price for
the iron in his plough and the steel in
his axe? Or does the artizan pay his
j0urneynien better wages because the
tariff makes him pay more for his
tools? None but a madnan can an
svcr these questions in the affirmative.
Every man who uses these articles, the
cost of which is enhanced by the tar
if imposed upon them to protect"
our manufacturers from the "competi-
tion of the pauper labor Of Europe
is made to suffer in order to build up
the capitalists who manufactures them.
Three-fourths Of the laDoring men Of
the United States use those articles, in
some form or other. The protection
they receive from tariffs is the protec-
ti0n which wolves give to lambs.
"It exempts them from national
taxes" 1t appears that, in the ethics
of the Inquirer, "a lie well stuck to is
as good as the truth" We ask the
editor of that paper, does not the la
boring man pay taxes in stamps, in du-
ties upon the fabrics he wears, and in
the prices of food he eats enhanced
by licenses and other federal taxes? Is
not the butcher a laborer and does not
he pay federal license? And do not
laborcrs generally eat meat and is not
the price Of meat higher than former
ly on account of the butchers license
and other federal taxes? Is not the
miller laborer and does ne not pay
federal license? And do not some Ia
borers eat bread when they can get it,
and is flour cheapened by the fact that
the miller must pay a license and 9th