Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1880-11-20
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Now that the election is over we will |
not be suspected Of discussing political |
subject fer partisan purposes The late
sots has established pretty thoroughly |
the last that majority Of the people of |
the Northen States prefer Protection to
Free Trade or to Tariff for Revenue
Only" The latter means imposing only
such light tariff as will not efectually
prevent, or even seriously interfere with,
the importation Of the manufactures of
other countries Take for instance glass
A tariff Of 25 per cent would bring in
revenue to our government, and not dis
courage foreigners from exporting it to
our, land but q tariff Of say l03
(which has been charged), will shut out
all foreign competition, and furnish CON-
plete Protection to the manufacturers Of
glass One Of the best points made by
the Changers in their organization Of the
last few years, related to this point.
They said that exorbitairt tariff was only.
building up AMI making rich monopolists
OF the manufactures, and positively bring
ing the country no income. A glance
establishes this truth. If the tariff is
not too high large quantities Of goods
will be imported ON which the govern
ment collects a revenue; but an exorbit-
ant tariff stops such trade, hence, no gov
Jernmental income. Any reasonable per-
son viii thus probably admit that a
Tariff for Revenue only" possesses the
advantage Of increasing the country's ex-
.chscquer.
Probably all acknowledge az a great
underlying principle of our government,
"the greatest good to the greatest num-
bsr." There are probably seven million
farmers in the U. S. to-day. Agriculture
is the great unprotected industry. We
venture the opinion that if farmers would
study this matter carefully, lst, with a
view to their own interest, and I'd, to the
i,sterest of the COUNTRY generally, that
then each and every one would oppose
high .arif They would regard this
question today as of greater moment te
them than the more common one t.
what party do yon belonga We woulc
just like to know why the farmer, wht
tolls as faithfully as any other class, why
he should have no protection, at the sam,
time he is paying bonus to nearly every
,other industry The answer will be be
cause he must export to find market
Then if he cannot be protected, is it no
unfair to compel him to nurture ever
other business because his own is health
and self-sustaining7 Protection formu
lated is then: "a tax on healthy indus
tries to maintain weak ones" Furthe
the farmers get no benefit in return
Those who favor Protection urge tina
manufactures in this country would di
without it. This we do not admit or be
ieye, as it is position without proot
They then ask for bon,ss to sustain q
Improbable business, accordidg to thei
own showing. Now, who paysit NJ
the manufacturer, for it is paid to hin
Not the foreigner, for the duty he pay
goes to the government. It must con
from the unprotected industry, /. e. Il
farmer. It is quite evident that an
business demanding protection is not C
pable Of fostering any other unproftab
business, hence from the healthy vocatic
nust come the sustainance "But,' sa,
the Protectionist, "each business pa,
she tariff ON every other, and thus 6
pay alike, just the same as does the "a
mer." Let Us examine this and see if
will bear scrutiny. Simplify and su
pose community Of farmer, tinsmi
and shoemaker. The tinsmith pa,
say $40 FER annum to foster the she
makers business, and the shoemaker s
to foster the tinsmith's. This balanc
naither is virtuhlly out of pocket ar
But how is it with the farmer He pa
$40 to foster the shoemaker and t
same fer the tinsmith, being an ootlay
on h,s part of $50. For which, ma,
be receives nothing! Thus the faru
not only gets no benefit, but is also
positive and continual loser by the
perimept.
(To b constaued.)