The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-30
ST. PAUL. MINNESOTA MONDAY AUG 3d. 1875.

garded as a species of brutal barbarism,
which condemned the multitude to
wretchedness. Why should not the toll
ers of England and the toilers of the
Mississippi valley meet on equal terms
and exchange the products of their in
dustry? Are not cheap goods better for
us than dear goods? Is not cheap food
better for them than dear food? And has
anybody else, whose labor produces
nothing, the right to stand between the
food and the goods and make both dearer
for their benefit and the injary of the la
borers who have created both?
But suppose this cooperative move
ment to be organized; and suppose the
Hastings Grange agrees to take 81, 900 of
woolen and cotton cloth, blankets, saws,
hammers, nails, glass, putty, etc. ETC.,
and give in exchange $1,000 OF flour,
corn, hams, dried beef, salted meats,
etc. Now let US follow the transfer
The Englishmen load our food-supplies
upon steamer at Hastings levee, tran
ship it at ST. Louis into sea-going ves
sci, owned by themselves, and land it in
their English seaport free of duty, and
divide the cargo among the workmen of
their Union. The ship is then loaded
with the articles needed by the Hastings
Grange; they come to New Orleans;
there they are stopped by Custom
House officer and before they can pro-
ceed on their way the Hastings Gran
gers are compelled to pay duty OF from
20 to 120 per cent. on their property
say $500 on the whole cargo. Now we
will suppose the cost Of transportation of
each cargo to be the same. say 5000 on
the 81 900 of value. The account will
stand:
The food purchased by the Union:
Original cost 1000
Transportation 200
Total cost to the Union $1,000
The manufactures purchased by the
Grange:
Original cost $1,000
| TRANSPORTATION 200
Import duties 500
Total cost to the Changers s2,0C0
Only on this condition, and at the cos:
of this perpetual disadvantage, can the
Grange do business with the Union.
And why? This is free country,
the peoples country England is a
monarchy, the country Of an aristocracy
And yet on every $1,000 of interchange
the English workmen will be $500 bet
ter off than the American Grangers.
And who is it that thus stands between
the mechanic and the farmer and com.
pels the farmer to pay this increased
: price for the necessaries of life? 1t i:
the manufacturer OF the United States
And why does he do i,2 On the pretence
that his trade is not paying a reas enable
profit, and that his fellow citizens en-
gagged in other pursuits must pay him ;
bonus to encourage" MIN, that is t
make his trade profitable; and that to d,
this foreign goods must be kept out o
market, or increased in price. And We
who, as a rule, make the largest TO
tunes, the farmers or the manufacturers
Certainly the manufacturers. And i
=. there any law to encourage" the farm
: ers when the crop is small or the price
, low? Who thinks of asking the manu-
facturer to pay off the mortgage on tn
y farmers homestead. .on the pretence tina
the richer the farmer is the more manu-
factured goods he will buy' Wha
!. would New Eagland say to law com
pelling her to increase the profits G
western farming? The howl she woul
: send up would be deafening. She woul
ask us, how could she manufactur
cheap goods on dear food? She woul
ask where in the Constitution of the Us
:. we found authority to levy taxes. not fe
the support of government, but tor Ii
support of classes OF the community?
: And yet, why have we not as good
right to have our losses made up b
force of law as they have? Are we n,
citizens of one common country? H.
: an agriculturist any stewer natural righ
= than q manufacturer? Have we Pari.
: caste in this country on the farms. and
Brahmin caste in the citiess
g |
l. THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONER.
- We had expected that the Republic.