Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-30

cloth outside of the United States 80 in it.
A wagon load OF almost any kind Of ag-
ricnltural products will exchange for tu ice
as much clothing outside of the united
States as in it. That is the fact. That
g the end of the argument. Nothing can
% said 10 justification of the system to
which alone that fact can be due. The
home market fallacy explodes at once.
Who cares for home market which
gives him SO little for his producep The
protection to labor" argument goes the
same way. There is as much American
labor Or the side of the wheat as on the
s'de OF the cloth, and it is just as much
entitled to get more cloth for its wheat at
home than it can get abroad, as the other
American labor is to get more wheat for
It's cloth atlhome than it can get abroad
The patriots who screeoh about 'Ameri-
can labor" never seem to think Of this
The Minnesota farmer can get two suits
II clothes for his load Of wheat ia Canada
but the Massachusetts, manufacture,
wants load of wheat for one suit because
he is an American. but so am / an
American" says the farmer, land there.
fore you ought to give me four suits CT
clothes for my wheat. If I were mere
Canadian. vile subject of, Queen Victo.
eia. l should expect but two suits, but be.
ing au American I think am entitled to
four suits"
but wages are SO high in Massachus
etts," pleads the manufacturer.
They are higher still in Minnesota,
Is the quick reply.
but interest is so high In Massachus
etts." @
ut is much higher still in Minnesota.
II have to pay such high duties on raw
materials and machinery
"Oh. no, you don't. You have often
told ne that the foreigner pays the duties
and that high du.ies make cheap goods
Besides, look at the duties on everything
have to buy"
"But I want to Diversity industry and
give employr ent to labor"
Then why don't you give me four suits
of clothes for my load of wheatY Foul
suits Of clothing will employ more labor
in The making than one suit. Besides,
shall have three loads of wheat left, and
give you my promise that will trade
those out where they will give employ
ment to at least three different kinds Of
labor. You see am an enthusiast in thil
scheme of diversifying labor. There1
millions in it. You do for me what tn,
Government compels me to do for you
give me twice rs much of your product To-
mine 10 can get elsewhere. and promis,
to diversity industry to an extent thai
will surprise you. If the American PEG
pie want their industries diversified. Snt
are willing to pay such price for the
work, why ha, emit they as much right te
that fat contract as your"
Il think the Government ought to pro
tect its own citizens"
'.AgaiDst whom?'
"Foreigners.
IAN a foreigner?"
'No: why do you askp"
because am the guilty party. an
the man who wants to trade across the
line. and am forbidden by law. The fore
igners is innocent. If drive across the
line and trade my wheat for cl,thes, am
the man who must suffer for It,. Th,
foreigner who takes my wheat and give
me two suits Of clothes. such as you give
me but one of. is asked no questions. Yo,
want the government to prot ect you agains
,9e. Wbatare you afraid Of? You are afrait
l III get two suits of clothes instead of ont
for my wheat. You want protection
against my good luck. You want thu
Government to protect some Of its citi
z.ns against the happiness Of others.
we're the selfish bigot that you are,
would demand that our common Gov
eminent compel you to give me four suit
IT clothes for my load Of wheat. But
am disposed to be charitable, and de
nand simply that you give me just tn
same that the foreigner gives me, or tina
shall be free to trado with him. I asl
no favors because am an American.
ask only that you shall treat me and m!
product as we'll as the foreigner, whom
you so despise, is willing to treat US
Above all, demand my freedom. I an
an American, and If have not right t,
be free. then have no rights all.'
And so on. Against this plain fact, ex
empliied every day. that the American
farmers are getting of the actual com
forts of life, from half to two-thirds wha
their products actually exchange for II
the market where the ruling portiong O
them are sold, all the fsllaces of protec
tIonism are dashed to pieces. How Ions
do the farmers propose to be thus heecedi
How long do they propose to reject thu
teachings Of science. as taught in the col
leges they have built, when it so nearly
concerns them? How long do they pro
pose to deny themselves the one form OIL
liberty SO essential to their welfare? How
long will they tolerate men in Congress
who are ashamed to confess that they love
liberty IN that form? The money they
have already suffered themselves to b.
robbed of would double the railroad mile
age in the United States. and thus kill
every railroad monopoly in the country
The opening of our ports would secure III
against any long continued lack of money
Free trade would in fact, make of the Mis-
sissippi Valley a country where it would be
disgrace to be poor and dishonor to BIZ
in debt; for in such a country no one would
have any excuse for being poor Henri