The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-11-18
For the VALLEY vIraINIAN.
Tariff VS.. Free Trade.
BY AN OLD DEMOCRAT.

III. l1uitOT, HOW lnaL tue STtdt pItoiuOA oa~''
election has passed and its results, either for
good or evil determined for the next four years,
it has occurred to me that an article on the tar
libby an old Democrat, might be a subject OF in
terest to the many readers of the VIRGINTAN.
few weeks since while passing through q
portion of Virginia on trip for recreation, l
perchance to meet a well-to-do farmer who
invited me TO his home and to partake ofhis hos
pitality, which offer | readily accepted. The
conversation from agricultural matters natur-
ally changed to politics. He informed me that
he was native of Rochester, N. Y, and in
politics, Democrat, and in order to qualify
and improve the term, said he WAS a War
Democrat" He evidently wished to be under
stood that War Democrat was composed of
better material and occupied a more honora-
bic position than a Copperhead- Democrat,
which appeared to me like an admission that
the nearer he could get to the sentiments of
the Republican party on the war question the
more honorable he would appear in the eyes of
an intelligent community. If that was not his
object, what other motive induced him to
define his political status SO promptly and
explicitly? But for his war" qualification no
doubt, he would have been ashamed TO ac-
knowledge that while in his native city he as
sociated, politically, with the copperheads, the
Morrisseys, the Tweeds the Keflys and other
prominent Democratic leaders in the Empire
State.
l listened to my new acquaintance's argu-
ment defining the political status with no little
interest and with a feeling Of sympathy, as
perceived that his political experience was
similar to my own. For nearly twenty years
before the late war tried to be consistent
Democrat, and at the same time was in favor ola
,ariff for protection, but the more l read and
pondered over the subject the more was con-
fused and convinced OF the fallacy of advocat-
ing protective policy and then voting for men
thoroughly committed in favor of tree trade;
that it would be impossible for a man possess-
I'd of comm N sense to place himself in a more
ridiculous position. Hence. contend, that
man with a blue uniform, fighting for the I'm
ION. or one firmly convinced of the utility of q
protective tariff, would make very inconsis-
tent and unreliable Democrat
There is another fact that ought to open the
eyes of every Southern Democrat and advo-
cate of free trade; it is this-the South has al
ways been solid against protective tariff, and
against the introduction of manufacturers on
IN extensive scale; that the true interest OF the
South was to encourage agriculture exclusive
~, and to look to foreign countries for a mar
let for its products, and to secure in exchange
oreign fabrics, while the Northern States have
adopted a system directly opposite, have favor
cd both interests, and as far as possible erected
factories iron works, and workshops on eyery
stream OF water that flowed through agricultu-
tal districts, and in this way created home
market more certain and profitable than for
eign one. Now, look on this picture, then on
tnat"-look at the South, then at the North
ook at Virginia, North and South Carolina,
then at Pennsylvania, New York and Massa-
chusetts.
Did it ever occur to the Virginia free trader
gh a haf VIZ ha of
sinia was the Empire State of the Union; that
N population, representation and political in
1uence she was the superior of New York or
Pennsylvania; yet in the brief space of sixty
i've years she has f-llel from the first in the
list to the tenth in population and political
lower. And why it is thus2 1t cannot be said
hat New York, sixty-tive years ago, had SUI
.,erior advantages to Virginia On the contra
y the natural advantages were decidedly in
.tvor of Virginia. The harbor of New York
entered by large ships with danger and diff
iculty with full tide, while Norfolk harbor
can be entered by the largest vessel that floats
II any hour without the aid of pilot. New
York has but one navigable river, 1.-THE Hud-
,on,) that connects with the ocean, while Vir-
sinia has its Chesapeake Bay, it's Potomac.
James, York and Rappahannock. Then again,
rawing a comparison between the Hudson
nd the Potomac would be like comparing
New York City with the most insignificant
,ettlement on the Shenandoah River As the
traveller ascends the Hudson on one of its
mammoth steamers, he Is lost in wonder at the
immense amount OF its commerce; steamers
nd crafts of every description so numerous
hat it seems almost impossible to navigate
though them without a collision. The shores,
'ach side, are one continuous line of cities vii |
ages, factories, mills, and institutions of in
iustry. Then take look at the noble Poto
mac, from its mouth to Alexandria, a distance
If one hundred miles, here and there will be
zen delapidated wharf, a shanty for a store,
md one or TWO negro log cabins, and these
omprise the business and population on the
banks of the Potomac. Here we have two mic |
lures drawn true from life.
The Inhabitants on the Hudson for the past
'ixty five years have believed in ard voted for
protective tariff, believed in home market
md created one by erecting factories and
workshops in the midst of cultivated fields and
ne homesteads OF the enterprisIng and nielli- |
gent farmers. They believed in the motto
united we stand, divided we fall"
On the other hand, the dwellers and polite
i leaders on the banks of the Potomac and |
throughout the old Common wealth, tor sixty. |
i've years have believed in free trade, an ex- |
;luslve agrl ultural regime, and non-inter-
curse with manufacturers and greasy me-
;lanlcs." Aud what is the resultY Where |
iou ind one acre OF wheat, corn, and oats YOU !
will find three acres Of broom sage, scrub oaks |
nd worthless weeds and brush For the want |
II home market the farmer contents himself |
y cultivating patch Of tobacco, Il few acres
i corn and potatoes; these with span ofraw-
'oned mules, COW and a pig, he lives moves. |
nd has being from one generation to anotb- |
The former Governor of Virginia
IPnrV A w 6o1ixoroI
Liberty Hall, Alexandria, about thirty years |
go, in an amusing description of the mode OF
srming in some parts Of the State, related a
conversation between a traveller and an old |
.shoned farmer. The traveller was from
Washington, and riding ON the roa1 neal
Ianassas, he overlook Il farmer also on horse
ack. The farmers horse was SO poor that
ne buzzaIds would not have stopped to pick
is bones; tor a saddle he had ragged bag
llled with straw and a piece of rope for bride
ems. AS they moved on the traveller inquired,
Whose farm is this 2" Its mine" was the re-
ply. After proceeding another mile, the ,rav-
-ier again inquired, who owns this farm?"
l'his also belongs to me" said the farmer In
it course OF another mile, for the thir time,
ne same question was asked, well, my
riend who owns this house and farm ~ "This |
lso belongs to me-" said the farmer; 'But. |
ook here, stranger" said the owner, Il don't |
want you to think that I'm SO id poor as to
own all the farms in these ere partsw
This is not an oyerstained picture of the
node of farming on the stretch of coun-
Try extending from the Potomac river to
ne Rappahannock. 1t is also a truthful pic
yure OF many other sections of the South,
where farming is the exclusive occupation OF
me people, and where the farmer is compelled
0 sacrifice one third OF the value of his crops
Ii the cost of transportation to a distant mar
.et. The remedy is combination OF agricul-
ure and manufacture sufficient to create a
,ome market, and then will Virginia blossom
IKE a rose. To BE CONTINUED.
Communicated