The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-11-01

The following extracts are from paper
read before the Berrien County Grange 10y
Freeman Franklin Esq.
1T ia urged by the advocates of free trade
that a tariff is but another means of taking
money out of the pockets of the people, TO
put il into those of the manufacturer, that II
restricts commerce, and in many cases pre-
vents it, and hence DESTROYS free intercourse
between nations and the interchange of
commodities: that ii fosters monopolies and
forces the consumer to buy in the highest
market and to sell in the lowest. Now ac-
knowledge that an iniudicious or high
tariff. when not needed, does this; but a
proper one does not. A Just tariff enables
the government to raise a revenue sufficient
TO pay its running expenses, and large pro
portion il derived from the wealthy class,
who are the largest consumers of imported
goods, thus saving the masses direct tax
for the same. A fair tariff does not restrict
commerce Or hinder the interchange of COM
inodities, neither does it force the producer
10 sell in the lowest market and buy i'll the
highest. To illustrate: Four-ifths of all we
produce is consumed at home, one-fifth ex-
ported. What, then, governs the price of
what we SELF Certainly the four-hfths.
Now what enables this nation to consume
four-fifths of all it produces? Unquestiona-
bly, it's great manufacturing and mercantile
interests, whose hundreds of thousands of
employees are all consumers and not produc-
ers. What would be the case If our factories
were closed and the vast horde Of laborers
employed by the same were to become pro-
ducers instead of consumers! The tables
would be turned, and as farmers we would
have to depend upon an export demand Tor
nj least one half OF all we raise, and the result
would inevitably be extremely low prices, and
/ venture to say that the loss on our products
would more than balance the extra cost we
have to pay for what we consume, which
pays duty, and it does not end here. With
the close of our factories competition would
cease, and foreign countries would be able to
dictate prices to us, which they would not
hesitate TO make as high as possible. So
that in the end a judicious tariff enables us
60 get more for what we have TO sell, and to
buy cheaper than we could do without it.
It seems to me that no one who will give
the subject careful consideration will advo-
cate the doctrine of free trade. The govern
rnent must have about S350,0OO,O0O annually
for its current expenses, and this, as l said
before. must be raised either 10y direct taxa
ton or by tariff If raised by direct tax,
who think you, would pay itE | answer.
those of moderate means, such as the farmer
mechanic, merchant, ETC.: and when you re-
feet that this would be tax of 81 for every
man, woman, and child in the United States,
you necessarily see that direct taxation would
he a grievous burden, and that the bond
holders and money loaners would escape
their Just proportion, which would still fur
ther increase the burden, while by judo
Gus tariff, the bondholder, the millionaire,
and rich corporations must pay their part.
and last but not least, the large class called
society young men (the dude of modern So
ciety), children of rich parents, who think
themselves too good to wear anything of
domestic manufacture. and must have foreign
goods, foreign cigars, foreign liquors. etc,
contribute no small proportion of this
$350,000,000.
We shall, in future number, publish
further extracts from this able aud valuable
paper