The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-10-31

Ii A recent article We attributed |
the democratic disasters in Ohio and |
Indiana TO the mistaken policy of
that party in regulating its own
doctrine of revenue reform. We
then alluded to valuable pamphlet
recently published by Mr.. Graham
McAdam, secretary of the New York
Free Trade Club, and promised to
recur to it. It is q modest tract OF
only thirty.seven pages. issued by q.
P. Potnam's Sons, and is entitled
"The Protective SyGtem, What it
Costs the American Farmer" Now
We apprehend that if come insidious
rats were to make free with
granaries of our farmers, carrying of
never 60 small a portion of their
wheat, an attempt at least would be
made to stop their depredations.
Certainly if a farmer was told that
there were rats on his premises be
would endeavor to ascertain the truth
or the ialsity of the report. Mr..
McAdsm, in other and more forcible
words. tells us that these rats abound
and that they are of the breed OF
Protection. Let the farmer reflect
for one moment. Does he not see
that he either pays a duty TO the
government, or bounty to our own
manufacturers On every article OF his
clothing, on most OF his groceries,
and on all OF his agricultural tools,
the prices Of all these articles being
governed by their consumption in
the home market? Does he not also
see that although he contributes to
the welfare OF the manufacturers,
they pay him absolutely nothing in
return, as the price OF his wheat and
corn is mainly determined in the
markets OF the world whsre he is
obliged to compete with all other
nstionsi How important is it then
that every farmer, whether he has
heretofore been q democrat or 9
republican, should henoeforlh enquire
into the economic views OF the
candidates for Congress who sex his
suppCrtI These are the conclusions
at which Mr.. McAdam arrives:
/. The heaviest burdens ofthe Ameri-
can protective system fall upon the
farmer.
2. The farmer receives nothing in re-
turn. On the contrary, he is hampered
in his efforts to extend his export trade.
3. The millions which he gives an.
nuslly for the support Of the prOtectiV,
sy tenn are either appropriated by mo-
nopOlies, already overpRid, or are sunk
absolutely in the losses Of unwiIe manu-
featuring experiments.
We reach the practical question, Wha
is the farmer going to do about it?
Congress made the protective tariff.
Congress must unmske it.
So long as Congress is composed o.
protectionists, just so long willthe ferme
be plundered.
Nay, more. So lorg as the represent
stives Of tho unprotected classes are in
different. while the representatives Of the
| protected interests are aggressive, keer
and organized, just so long will thu
farmer be made the victim.
The unprotected masses have the rem
edy in their own hands.
| Their voters number 5000 600, those
of the protected classes only 100000.
The victims have an overwhelming
majority. But their representatives IL
Congress have been Indifferent.
Indifference must be- allowed no longer
The farmers representative must bt
alive on this issue.
Republican or democrat, he must moi
be permitted TO evade this question
neither to play fast and loose with it
I he party name must not serve as 6
cloak, either to him who would bstray
the farmer outright, or to him who WoulC
stand calmly by while the thieves de-
their work.
Let him be what else hs may, the far,
mer's representative must be g fret
trader.
There lies the remedy. Mske the fgh
in the congressional districts. Is thi
man protectionist? Vote him down.
Vote for the free trader.
Are you q republican? Vote for th'
free trader. Are you = dsmocratf Voti
for the free trader. The politicians ar
quick to learn. The next canvass viii
bring out free trade candidates il botf
parties.
Either that or a new political division
with free trade as the chief issue.
In either case, the end is certain. Pro
lection is wrong. 1t can only live III th
darn. Turn upon it the light of earnes
discussion, and it will die.
Free trade is right and must prevail.
But he preiaces them in the csgsn
reasoning and abundant illustration
This is his
OUTLINE.
The protectionist starts with . gros
assumption, which he does not attempt L