Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-10-03

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remainder of the question
f. Yes, l see your point. L
truth the man who produces pay
all the taxes at last; but we prefe
a tariff that protects while it take
to a system that levies direct.
upon property and let's the impOT
ter here and the exporter abroad
90 free. We have tried both, sir
and the indirect system is best fO
farmers. Free trade means tina
farmers shall pay the taxes. TART
means that importers, city million
aires and dudes shall pay a share
Besides, we have learned that free
trade increases the purchasing
power of money, whileit diminishe'
the value of property aud the pro
ducts of labor.
b. Do you really know what il
the difference between free-tradC
and protection?
F. Yes, sir, think | do. Free
trade means to raise nothing and
buy what you want of agents, &c,
Protection means to raise enough
for yourself and have something to
sell to bring back money.
b. But look at the price of wheat
this year?
f. Yes | look and see that India
has produced some thirty 100000
bushels of wheat this year and
England controls it. Make us her
subjects too and our wheat would
be worth nothing and the labor
that we expended on it would be
living on the 10 s, 6 p. a week that
supports the English farmer and
laborer. My friend, wheat does,
not pay this year with 20 cents a
bushel protection. Wn6h would it
be ffDv e world was turned loose
upD ? Moreover, | get so much
be,-S z rices for butter, chickens,
eggs and all other productions of
the farm than l did in the little
free trade leriod that l can man
age to get along. Take this ad-
vantage away to-day and l would
be no better OIL than my father
was in 1857 when mortgages stood
on the farm than the wheat
straw.
b. But the manufacturer gets all
the profit from a tariff?
F. l used to think so when
didn't think at all. | thought l
was thinking, but it was a mistake.
now believe with both Hickory
Jackson and Henry Clay. The
more manufacturers there are the
cheaper they will be. The more
people work in shops the more
mouths there are to feed. The de-
mand and supply fix the price of
products. We have gained seven
teen million Of population here in
lhe last fourteen years. want as
many more, and wantthem to work
1t manufacturing. They will have
mouths to eat what we produce
and we will want what they make
10 produce with. The family that
lakes care Of itself is the thrifty
'amily. The one that raises moth
ne to sell and goes out to buy is /
certain to become bankrupt. Our /
rational family has tried it twice /
md with the same results. want .
10 more Of it.
b. You surprise me. BY free
rade supposed the farmer to be
he one most highly favored.
+. want no such favor. Ac-
Ording to the census of 1870, there
we're 1922, Al, persons engaged in
arming and 2,7O7,42l in manu-
acturing, mechanical, and mining
Industry. [ have not the figures
1r 1880, but, of course, they are
luch larger although the pro-
OrtiOn is no doubt about the same.
here are today. about seven Of
he former class to three Of the
liter. Now these three. tenths of
ne latter class, with their depend.
mt wives and children, are consum-
rs of the surplus farm products of
nc former class, and without their .
ltronage these seven-tenths would |
ll it no easy matter TO sell what !
icy raise. This is our home mar.
ct in which we are not willing to
low foreign competition to our {
'rious damage, and we have q
ght to be suitably protected !
yainst such competition. If the c
&c trade theory be carried into t
feet would it not seriously Grip
c, if not destroy, the business of ?
e manufacturing class, the very ?
npOn wnlcn our nome j
arket rests?
b. | had not thought of this be.
re. n
T. But this is not all now, indeed, .
e worst of it. This class, would, .
necessity, turn farmers and be-
me most active competitors with j
in supplying other limited mar 81