The Lincoln County herald., 1873-04-30
zsv America pIxudsvs Ancricass.

| Ex Governor Donnei'y, OF Minnesota,
recently delivered q vigorous address
before q grange. of husbandmen at
Hastings. lie told them truths which
ought to be known and understood Of all
men who are going daily lower on the
downhill side Of prosperity, as the vic
tins of laws made to enrich and protect"
pirates aud pirscy. Ne read q paper,
signed by the principal merchants in
Hastings, 10 which they stare that "the
amount of purchase made by farmers has
fallen off during tho last five years one
third 10 one half; that is TO say, the
farmers arc evidently econmizng in every
way, making smaller bulls, and buying
only the necessaries Of liie." This, of
course, IS ooe Of the proofs and conse
quenco Of steadily declining prosperity.
What is the cause Of it2 The speaker
said, with no less truth than force, "Unjust
laps have driven the farmers of the whole
country to the wall, and diminished their
means of existence one third or one half
This Of course signifies shrinkage Of
the entire business Of the country to the
same extent. The laws Of the country
and the monopoly power they create and
psotsct, have been bent to impoverish the
people, and now they begin to feel that
they have "kllled the goose that laid the
golden eggs"
When will our farmers begiu to CON
slider the operation Of these new slave
laws2 Here are few significant facts
A sewing machiue costs for the work
and material S12. We pay $40 for it.
The same machines are exported to Eu.
rope and sold for ea2, after paying
freight across the Atlantic. l found 10
the Belfast News Of Dec 4, 1872, the
advertisement of the "Snger" sewing
machine for E6 los about S32 so OF our
money. We pay the difference Of nearly
$40, under our patent, for being the most
patient and gulible fools that ever pre-.
tended to capacity for self government.
Mccormick gave evidence in a law.
suit recently that his reapcrs cost $50 to
manufacture. We pay nearly 5000 for
them.
The threshing machines, for which we
pay 500, could, l am informed, be built
for Sl00. And 90 of all other imple.
ments.
In part, this is the effect of our unjust
patent laws in part, it is the effect Of
the purchasing power Of wealth amassed
by means of those laws upon venal Con-
gressmen and in part, it s the fleet of
that robber device called a protected
tariff. The Englishmau has free trade /;
he, therefore, can buy an American made
sewing machine for S32, for which the
. American, living next door to the "pro.
tected" manufacturer, must pay more
than double that sum- What is to hin.
der the American from ordering his
! American made sewing machine from
Belfast, and after paying freight on it
twice across the Atlantic ocean, getting
. it for one half the price which be would
, be compelled to paw to his neighbor the
:. manufacturer Why should American
= laws thus place American citizens at a
Disadvantage to Her Majesty's subjects in
an American market2 Who can say
there is justice in such laws 10 enslave
Americans in their own country?
: So, too, Of reaping machines. An
:. Illinois farmer could send to England,
buy a Mccormick reaper, and have it
shipped across the Atlantic and half way
. 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 eur Great Father at Washington
= deems it necessary to protect" poor,
:, struggling, poverty stricken Boss McCor
mick.
Such are the artificial profits which
= the protected" monopolist enjoys under
= the paternaI care of our Great Father.
y Where arc the farmers artificial pro
= ducts. His produce is as low as before
: the war, while everything he buys and
!. every expense that he must most are at
J war prices. thanks to the blessed "pro.
~ tective system !"
;. Says an Iowa paper:
! "A farmer would cheerfu!ly sell hit
pork at So IS or So per hundred, if cot
II. ton and woolen goods, salt and other arti
=, cles which be buys we're at proportionatt
g ratea but they are not. So farmel
:, = comes to town and puts two loads of po-
g g tatoes on his feet iu the shape Of winter
= =, boots. Ifhe stays all night be will eat
~ load of oats. His wife wears five acre!
= Of wheat, and the children each ten acre
- Of corn, aud are not very warmly cIat
!, then. For an overcoat he wears goot
)" four year old, and if he sports Sunday
:. suit, it is in the shape of at least twent,
20 20 head Of fat hogs. And on top of tina
.. .. bis farm wears mortgage that is wors
~ than hardpan to the soil, and the anuua
! tax Yots into his roof worse than rain.
y Another urbane journal says:
=. In driving through this country W,
10 see many farms which are unoecupie
- uncultivated, and apparently going t
;" ~ ruin many others occupied by tenant
" .. whose general squalidness indicates
10 10 close scramble With the necessity of ex
., 40 istence, some Of them occupying house
y which ave even un6t FOR the shelter o
a