Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-09


protective system 10 one Of robbery and plum
der-the robbery and plunder Of one class to
support another. This assertion vas well
answered by Congressman John A. Kssson,
Of Iowa, 10 an address Wednesday evening
last before the Brooklyn Revenue Reform
Club, free trade association. bat willing to
ALLOW . candid discussion Of the protectionisi
side Of the question. Mr.. Kssson said the
"sobbcr" argument rested on theory alone,
found In books Of eminent free trade writer's,
While the answer that he would make rested
upon history and facts. We copy from his
fsmAsks:
INCREASE or IMxIoRArfAN AND POPULATION
Take for example, your declaration that q
protective tarid 10 necessarily robbins the
many for the benefit Of the few IL an unjust
and burdensome taxation oppressive TO the
people, and especially to the poor. II that
IL true. you will admit that IL ought TO dis.
courage immigration, retard the increase OIL
population, and embarrass the material devel-
opment Of the country. You must further
admit that the iaboring classes certainly
should NOS leave q country blessed with free
trade and 60 TO . country oppressed by this
system Of robbery and injustice. When
appeal to the facts Of history. 1 hnd that in.
stead OF rstarding immigration and embar.
RAISING the growth Of population. there came
from the free trade country whose policy you
ssk M 10 folIov only 10 900 in 1860 a after
our system of robbery and Injustice
was adopted, twice the number, or l5i,
600 came in 1870 from the same country,
and 1874 900 in 1880; and while there was
under free trade in 1860 a total immigration
Of only I5O. 600. IL rose in 1870 TO 1856. 900,
and In 1880 To 593. 600. Were all these i'm.
migran,s incspsble Of Judging for themselve.
whether there "a, more profit 10 the lsborina
classes In a free. trade couutrvp Did thew moi
know whether. on the whole. the comforts
of life and means of gain were greater In
the country which they had left or in the
country 10 which they Gamer Shall 20 tc
the vritIngs Of the free-trsde economists 70
And This fact. or am I justified in learning i,
from the men who had experienced both The
blessings and the vrones under both svstemsi
when each 100. 900 of Immigrant: wrot,
back to persuade another 100, 900 to come,
. ua 'as! ~ ,a. u 81. a 1891 t,a =. Wv
nv nv w. 49, a";a.aS, '"' s~e ''e's'
"A ~ -. 4, vnh IN. ror,,.,,o,, T.,
.,..l 90 H.. .ln~v rrn,x IN If E,r zion.
=. All ,h., =, The cIo.s ~ an, f,.e',,.d.
,,s,;aa ,h. .n,,rs ronul.,,or % tho un;,ad
S,.,.. %. an 600 M T. ,o.s % az 600 oOT
T., $50 an, o. n 600 ooo IN ,sso noss III.
1870. ,na.....i 1;sno,,,,,. 4, ~. 80, =,
..'h.;.,sna, ,nc,s..sd .,ni.,r...m.n, - ~.
ss..,i.,,,a 80 a.,,s, =, A.. !, -" ;" ,s W.
.np q" aa,.n,. s.""s - 80. Ia . o .n.'
his ~ .n.,.;n;n, : lao. nonni.,;or ~ nnr,
CO.., ana wssi,h, rAnn,.n.s !
"so"f" o' ""@'euIruRh AND "ASofAc'
roHAs'
Has this system which you so violently
condemn impeded the development Of the
country II ! look in your books on political
economy perhaps should answer Yes"
prefer to look into my own book. which Is the
history Of the United States A. disclosed BY
the census taken under the Law. inquire,
first. ~ to its eject upon that class of popu.
lation with which have been identified, and
which you say suffers most of the burdens
and injustice. | And that the value Of the
farms Of the country in 1860 vas o.. 200, OOO..
300, rising to 81. 900, o00.O 900 in 1870 and Ia
1880 to -eio. 1877 200. 900. The gross value
Of their products in 1860 was not returned
but 10 estimated at o. 400, Oo0, 600; in
1870 n wss n soO OO0 900 and IN