Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-11
Bookwalter as a Free Trader.


free trader. That is the whole secret
He was captured by the "tariff for rev.
enue only plank of the Democratic Ma
tional platform of 1880. In his letter to
the Illinois Courier, dated September
80. 1880, he says: a s-r
1t may be shewn that under Repu6li
Gun rule there tCds created q system OF
tGriT and revenue that has driven our
once proud and powerful merchant ma
rine from the seas, rendering us depend
ent upon twelfth-rate nations like Nor
way for bottoms to carry the products
OF our industry to foreign ports. 1t may
be further shown that this same ''perni-
cious system of tariffs" and revenue has
So Disseminated against the farmer of
America and laid such an unequal bur
den upon his shoulders that he finds it
difficult, upon the richest and cheapest
lands on the globe-requiring no scien-
tific modes of culture-to compete with
the European farmer in the markets of
the world, whose lands are fifty-fold
higher in value, and requiring the most
expensive methods of culture.
That is mere rehash of the free
trade arguments prepared In London
under the auspices of the Golden Club
and sent out in. pamphlet form all over
the West. for the purpose of converting
Western farmers to the doctrine of Brit
ish free trade. Such were the reasons
which lead Mr.. Book walter to leave the
Republican party. He knew, and yet
knows, full well, that so long as the Re
publicans remain in control of Congress
or the Executive department of the
Government the protective features OF
the tariff will be maintained.
The Central organ of Ohio Democracy
proclaimed both before and after the
nomination of MI. Bookwalter that he,
as a manufacturer, was willing to
compete with all the world" Bookwal-
ter being the owner of several patented
articles of general utility, and having a
monopoly of the manufacture and sale
of such goods, is, no doubt, able to com
pete with all the world; and free trade
might be beneficial to him, though il
would destroy other industries upon
which fifteen millions of the American
people depend for their daily bread.
The assumption that our "once proud
and powerful merchant marine" was
driven from the seas by the :ariff legis-
lation of the Republican PARTY is unsup-
ported by the facts, as Mr.. Bookwalter
ought to know. We all know that our
merchant marine was swept from the
ocean by British-built cruisers sailing
under the Confederate flag. The British
free traders succeeded in destroying
American shipping by furnishing the
Confederates with well built and well
armed ships. Now the same men pro-
pose to wipe out of existence our -four.
ishing manufactures by removing the
protective duties levied upon British
made goods. Then they can have eve
rything their own way.
And, strange as it may seem, Mr.
Book walter and the free traders gener-
ally assume that American farmers
ought to be free traders, because free
trade will reduce the price of foreign
made goods. The argument is specious
and looks plausible on its face. But lei
the question be fairly discussed on 6oth
sides, and the farmers of America must
be convinced that free trade would have
a very depressing effect upon them
would make "hard times" permanent
though it might temporarily reduce the
prices of foreign-made goods. Bnt what
does the destruction of American manu-
featuring signify? It signifies just this
The cutting off Of more than one-half OF
the market for American farm products,
and an increase in the number of Amer.
lean farmers of at least thirty per cent.
for if the men now employed in manu-.
featuring are thrown out of employment
by the closing of the establishments, OF
by reduction in wages below the liv-
ing point, they, too, will become farm
ers. They must live some way, and
farming being the only thing left open
to them they would necessarily engage
in it, thereby adding greatly to the an
nual product while diminishing the
market. Is there farmer in Ohio OF
elsewhere so dull as not to see that such
an increase in agricultural products
would resultin ruinous letting down
in prices both at home and sbroad2 II
is not at all unlikely that under free
trade the exports of American grain,
beef, pork, cheese lard. etc., would more
than double in quantity within few
years, while the aggregate money value
would probably decline.
Frank Hurd knew his man when he
consented to the nomination of Mr.
BoOkwalter. On the tariff question Mr..
Bookwalter is "a platform in himself" )"
and though it be true that the Governor
of Ohio has little or nothing to do with
tariffs and revenue systems, yet the elec.
ton of free trade Governor in Ohio
would be hailed as triumph of the
principles of free trade in State which
has hitherto ranked among the foremost
in favor. of protection.-(Ohio State
Journal, Aug. /.
A Brave Drummer Boy.
In the war with France, previous tC
the Revolution, an English drummer