The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-12
HOW America PIanaer. Amer.ean..

EA-GONefnOr DOnnelly, OF MlnneSOla,
recently delivered vigorous address before
''grange" of husbandmen at Hastings,
He told them truths which ought to be
known and understood of all men who are
going daily on the dOwlhill side of pros
perity, as the victims of laws made 10
enrich and protect pirates and piracy.
He read paper signed by the principal
merchants in Hastings. in which they state
that 'the amount of purchases made by
farmers has fallen off during the last five
years, One-third TO one-half; that is to say,
the farmers are evidently ecOnOmizing in
every way. making smaller bills. and buy
ing only the necessaFies of life." This, of
course. is one of the proofs and conse-
quenecs of steadily declining prosperity.
What Is the cause of itl The speaker said,
with no less truth than force; unjust laws
have driven the farmers of the whole eoun-
try to the wall, and diminished their means
of existence one-tbird or cne-balf This,
of course, signifies shrinkage of the entire
business of the country to the same extent.
The laws of the country, ard tbs monopoly
power they create and protect" have been
bent to impOVerish the people, and now
they begin to feel that they have killed the
goose that laid the golden eggs.
When will our farmers begin to consider
the operation of these new slave laws,
Here are few significant facts.
4 sewing machine costs for the work and
material $l2. We pay so for it. The
same machines are exported to Europe and
sold for $32. after paying freight across the
Atlantic. | found in the Belfast News of
December 4, 1872, the advertisement Of the
''SiDgcr" sewing machine for SO los, about
$32 80 of our money. We pay the differ
enee OF nearly $40 under our patent laws,
for being the most patient and gullible
fools that ever pretended to capacity for
self-government.
Mccormick gave evidence in lawsuit
recently, that his Feapers cost $50 to manu-
facture. We'pay nearly 5000 for them.
The threshing machines for which we
pay 500, could, am informed, be built
for 800. And so of all other implements
In part this is the effect of our unjust
patent laws; in part, 1t is the effect of the
purchasing power of wealth amassed by
means of those laws upon venal Congress
men, and, in part, it is the effect of that
rObber-deYice called n protective tariff,
which. binds men hand and foot in this
''laRd of liberty" in the power of the pro-
tected monopolist. The Englishman has
free trade he, therefore, can buy an Amer
lean made sewing machine for $32, for
which the American, living next door to
the protected manufacturer, must pay
more than double that sum. What is to
hinder the American from ordering his
American-made sewing machines from Bel
fast, and after paying freight on it twice
across the Atlantic Ocean, getting it for one
half the price which he would be compelled
to pay to his neighboF manufacturer! Why
should American laws thus place American
citizens at disadvantage to Her Majesty's
subjects 10 an American MARKET Who can
say there is iustsce in such laws to enslave
Americans in their own country.
So, too, OF reaping machines. An Illi-
nois farmer could send to England, buy a
Mccormick reaper. and have it shipped
across the Atlantic and halfway across the
continent to his farm, for half the money
which he must pay to Boss Mccormick for
the same machine-but for what. Why,
but for the blessed fact that our Great
Father at Washington deems it necessary to
protect poor. struggling. pover-y
striker Boss Mccormick.
Such are he artificial profits which the
protected monopolist enjoys under the
paternal care of our Great Father. Where
are tho farmers artificial profitss His pro-
duce is as low rs before the war, while
everything he bays and every expense that
he must meet are at war prices, thanks to
the blessed protective system.
SAYS an Iowa paper:
{ "A farmer would cheerfuily sell his pork
at s. IS or So per hundred, if cotton and
wooden goods salt and other articles which
he buys were at proportionatc rates, but
they are not. So farmer comes to town
and puts two loads Of potatoes on his feet.
in the shape 81 his winter boots. If be
STAYS all night he viii cat load Of oats.
His wife wears iive acres Of wheat. and the
children each ten acres Of corn. aud arc not
very warmly clad then. For an overcoat
he wears good four year old steer. and If
lie sports a Sunday suit. il is in the shape Of
at least twenty head Of lat hogs. And on
the top Of that his farm wears mortgage
that is worse than haripan to the soil, and
the annual tax rots into his roof worse than
rain Chicago Times
.sf.