The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-05-24
The Protective system.


throughout the great West and Northwest
are organizing, through the fundamentally
OF societies called Oranges" the object
of which Is TO bring the power Of combi-
nation and cooperation TO bear against
the evils Of the protective system, which
II appears they have discovered 10 be the
true cause of the depressed condition of
those whose dependence for livelihood is
upon the fruits Of agriculture. It would
seem as if the farmers Of the West had
determined to be no longer the dupes Of
the political hucksters in our National and
State Legislatures, who are the paid agents
Of Northern capitalists. fglft
Recently Ex-Governor Donnelly, Of
Minnesota, took occasion in addressing
Farmers Grange at Hastings, to impress
upon his hearers the fact that the burdens
Of the protective system were bearing
down upon them more than railroad dis
elimination or extortion. His speech has
been widely circulated and is opening the
eyes of many who have heretofore been
blind to their own interests. Governor
Donnelly submitted facts and figures that
show how this law by which few are au-
thorized to plumber the many operates:
He 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 victims Of laws made to
enrich and "protect" pirates and piracy
He read paper signed by the principal
merchants in Hastings, in which they
state that the amount Of purchase 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
buying only the necessaries Of life" This,
Of course, is one Of the proofs and conse-
quences of steadily declining prosperity.
What is the cause Of it? The speaker
said with no less truth than force, " I'm
just laws 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
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 consid-
err the operation Of these new slave laws
Here are few significant facts
A sewing machine costs for work and
material sl2. We pay $40 for it. The
same machines ara o,,,,ortoJ o.. E,,.,,,>, a =, I
sold for s32, after paying freight over the
Atlantic. found in the Belfast Nens Of
Dec. A, 1872, the advertisement of the
Singer" sewing machine for &c los,
about $3.50 of our money. We pay the
difference of nearly $40, under our patent
for being the most patient and gullible
fools that ever pretended to capacity for
selfgoyernment.
Mccormick gave evidence in law suit
recently that his reapers cost $50 to man.
ufacture We pay nearly 5000 for them
The threshing machines for which we
pay $500, could, | am informed, be built
for 500. And so of all other implements.
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 Congress
men; and in part, it is the effect of that
robber-device called a protective tariff
The Englishman has free trade he, there.
fore, can buy an American made sewing
machine for s32, for which the American
living next door to the protected" man
ufacturer, must pay more than double that
sum. What is to hinder the American
from ordering his American made sewing
machine from Belfast, and after paying
freight on il twice across the Atlantic
ocean, getting it for one-half the price
which he would be compelled to pay his
neighbor, the manufactures? Why should
American laws thus place American citi.
zens at a disadvantage to Her Majesty's
subjects in an American market? Who
can say there is justice in such laws Ia
enslaye Americans in their own country
| So, too, of reaping machines. An I'LL
nois farmer could send to England, buy a
Mccormick reaper, and have it shipped
across the Atlantic and half way acros,
the continent to his farm, for half the
money which he must pay to boss McCor.
mick for the same machine-but for what
Why but for the blessed fact that oul
Great Father at Washington deems it ne.
cessary to "protect' poor, struggling, pov.
erty stricken Boss Mccormick.
Such are the artificial profits which the
protected" monopolist enjoys under the
paternal care of our Great Father. Where