Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-05-03

revenue only and the free traders com
bine, what should republicans with
convictions and the Bourbons do?
--u---u uu
The PLEA OF "HoME Market"
CoHsIDERED.-The Enterprise il mis-
taken in surprising, that We have. or
ever had, any special desire to engage
il in controversy on the subject Of the
tariff. Units very frstissus. it brought
forth some notions on tariff taxation
which We then thought and still think
untenable and detrimental to the in
terest Of the agricultural and laboring
classes Of our section. This we at
tempted to show, courteously we hope,
and certainly withOutmalice. Wheth-
er we succeeded or not 10 another
question, but orr endeavors were di-
rected to prove. that high protec-
tive tariff-by which we meant and
mean the present tariff-was oppres-
Give to our people and at war with
the plainest principles Of justice. We
further attempted to show that this
tariff did not protect the laborer
even in the manufacturing districts,
and if 1t did, that it protected three
millions Of people at the expense Of
forty, and we went on to cite, that in
the protective countries of Europe the
wages Of laborers were abont one half
what they were in England where
there was no protection at all. And
just here We interpolate the question.
if the laborers in our manufacturing
districts are happier aud better of
than laborers elsewhere in our coun-
try, why the unrest in which we find
them-why are they seen banded to-
gether for self-protection, and abovs
all, why are they heard. with clenehed
aud uplifted hand. cursing their en-
ploveis to their faces? The truth is,
whoever else may be the beneficiary
Of protection, the laborer is not and
he feels it without being able to ex-
plain it, but his instincts teach him
that the men who are building pala-
eos and growing richer and richer ev-
cry day, whilst be is sinking down to
poverty and pauperism, are his natu-
raj enemies and the people he is called
upon to fight. Here his instincts are
in measure at fault. It is the pro-
tective law-lhe present tarifF-which
is making the rich richer and grind
ing the faces Of the poor--it is against
THAT that the laborer, both here and
elsewhere, should band together to
overthrow. We gish not to be mis-
understood. We would vacate the
present protective tariff and substi-
tute for it a tariff for revenue only,
sufficient and only sufficient to pro-
vide for the public debt and sup; ort
an economical administration of the
Federal government, and In the dis
tribution Of the tariff tax, we would
discriminate against all Injuries and
IN favor OF all necessaries of life.
But We are wandering away from
the purpose which we proposed to
take in hand when we commenced
writing, which was. to consider the
claims Of prOtectionists. that high
tariff. like the one under which the ag-
riculturists are nov staggering. builds
up q "home market" for their pro-
ducts and thusfully compeasates them
TOR the advanced rates they have 10
pay for everything they have to buy
within the lines Of the protected in
dustries. Now, in the first place, pro-
lection does not build upa hcme mar
-ket, except for the manufactures, aud
what, anyway, is the value Of q mar
ket to the farmer which is capable Of
consuming only the smallest sort Of q
fraction Of what he produces !? In
the second place, it does not increase
the public wealth by keeping our
money at home and forcing Us to pay
double prices for all we need. But
we cannot discuss this latter subject
now. The census Of 1870 shows that
the agricultural interests adjacent to
the factories have increased in The
same proportion with the factories
themselves, So lsat no additionalade-
mand Ter the products of agriculture
IRON other sections Of the country has
been created by TIE growth Of the fac
Tory IN crest. Where then j. the
tome market for Ossr corn, wheat and
/, baeeo. and what il It worth n 40