Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-06-02


products as well as Of certain agricultu.
raj products such as are produced here,
aud as a necessary consequence a pro
digious fall in the prices Of all these
commodities. The great industrial
corporations of England, France and
Germany with the advantage of their
cheap per cent. capital, and of labor
at paUper wages could aud would
forthwith GIL our markets TO overflow.
ing with cheaper goods than we ever
saw before, aud many Of us would
think at first that the milleni I'm had
set in. This would affect the farmer
very happily. lie would be able to
buy nearly all his goods at an immense
reduction, and at the same time sell
his own surplus at rs good figures as
he did before the happy change occur.
red. lie would be buying where he
could buy cheapest, aud selling where
he could sell highest. This would
certainly be good for the farmer ifit
would last; but would it last2 How
would il affect the home manufacturer?
lie would have one of two alternatives,
viz To reduce his prices, and in order
10 do so reduce the wages of his EN-.
ployes 10 the starvation rate, or quit
business. But as our working people
are wholly unacquainted with that
kind of servitude which prevails in
the old world-that system under
which the poor man esteems it bene
faction TO have leave to toll for soup
and rags-they would strike for better
quarters, and the factories would be
closed. IL is needless 10 describe-if
it could be described-the tremendous
revolution IN industrial affairs that
would then take place in this country.
Five millions of Industrious, thrifty
aud happy people would be forced TO
change their employment, and the
greater portion of them their homes.
What would they do? Necessarily
they must become farmers. We would
then be nation Of farmers. Think
OF that Think of fifty millions of
people occupying this vast country
stretching from ocean To ocean, and
from the lakes TO the gulf possessing
more iron ore, more coal, more cotton,
more raw material OF every descrip-
ton, more water power and greater
facilities and advantages of every con-
ceivable kind for manufacturing oper-
atoms than any people on the broad
earth, all of one accord throwing away
these estimable blessings and settling
down TO blowing in order that they
may "Juy tcherc they can Bag cheapest"
IL is not necessary TO point out the
folly. the utter madness of a country
putting itself in so dependent and
hel pless condition as that described.
The mere suggestion of it is surely
enough for any one capable of the
slightest mental effort.
But while our people would still be
enjoying the glorious privilege of
buying where they could buy cheap.
est" they would soon find, after
American manufacturing establish
meuts had ceased to exist; that they
could not buy cheap any where. SO
soon as foreigners found themselves
masters Of the situation the only limit
70 prices would he the buyers ability
to pay. The American people would
then know some thing about the evils
Of monopoly-would then realize in
sorrow the difference between what
free traders now stigmatize as the
monopoly power of the "protectionist
barons" and that kind Of power in the
hands of foreign capitalists welded
against u.s. They would then begin
to think it best for Americans to leg
islate for Americans in spite of the
beautiful theories of schOOlmasters and
scientific dreamers.
There is Il good deal of loose talk
about this thing called monopoly in
connection with the manufacturers
and mechanics, and it isas erroneousas
il is loose. An absolute monopoly in
any kind of business in this country
except under protection Of patent,
is an impossibility. Even under a
tariff that wholly excludes foreign pro-
ducts there could not be a monopoly
here, nor any thing approXimating it,
There is too much capital aud too
much enterprise and business vigilance
and vitality among our people tor any
one man or combination of men TO
have all of good thing TO themselves,
or to be permitted to enjoy extortion-
ate profits long at a time. The enor-
nous profits alleged 10 have been
made by manufacturers in the East
have been largely exaggerated for
political effect. No doubt many of
them have made handsome gains, and
so they ought--so ought every live, in.
dustrious man. Aud it is quite likely
some of them have made exorbitant
and unreasonable profits, more than
Justice entitled them 20. Greedy and
avaricious men the world over, in all
callings, will avail themselves Of any
advantages afforded them TO obtain
their fellow mems earnings without
fair consideration. There would be no
more fairness and no less greed ON the
part VI such men under a free trade
system than under protective system.
All they want is an opportunity to APP
propriate n neighbOr's things, and that
they will find now and then under
any code of laws that might be devils,
ed.
A. nm avilnncn IhnI hmm cnm nnIi.