The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-03-07
TARIFF ron REVENUE.

ny All. Froteotton, restriction aud re.
taliation, all lead TO poverty and the
ruin OF the masses. Our public lands
have boen given away until they are
well.nigh exhausted, aud their vast
products are credited to the protected
policy, though the producers are not
allowed to buy what they need with
what they soil, except from associations
OF protected manufacturers and ct such
prices as they may choose TO ask. Our
merchant marine il driven from the
sea, and while We have no chips and
do not build any worth speaking Of,
except under the monopoly Of the
coastwise trade, the farmer, who is
compelled TO send bis products abroad,
and must do so by ship, Is not allowed
to buy ship abroad at any price, while
the manufacturer can buy all the Fog
liah machinery he pleases to do the
work Of American operatives. No one
will attempt ~ deny the fact that high
protection has ruined our commerce, and
has driven our ships from the seas.
In order that country may be pros
porous, according to past experience
and political economy, commerce must
be free. OF all the ships that come
and 60 from our ports, not enc do you
SEQ carrying the American flag. while,
upon the other hand, you sec ships from
all foreign nations. Il Is claimed that
England, alone. does coz Of our carry
ing trade aud other foreign nations do
tho balance. Statistics tell US that We
pay foreign nations $4,000, 900 an
nually TO do our commercial business.
Can a more degrading or humiliAting
condition for 4 once great shipping
country be imagined The sixty thou
sand gAllent sailors we bad in 1860 are
all gone, orsa,e in the service Of foreign
nations. This is enough 10 condemn
this protection system with all fair
thinking men the world over. No
commerce in the world in 30 DISTRACTED
by Legislation in the interest Of the
few, TO tho inj ury Of the great mass, az
in this boasted land Of equal rights.
Waylands works on political economy,
which are adopted in most ell the coll
leges as n text book, takes up this
subject and discusses it thoroughly. Il
shows, and, / think, in very plain
and simple manner, that this class pro-
lection il detrimental to commerce aud
burden TO the laboring man. As far
as l can ascertain, all the Profs. in the
colleges are absolutely down on protec-
ton, so much 30, at least, that they
don't teach ii, nor recommend IL TO be
taught When this bill for protection
was passed by Congress, it was claimed
10y It's authors and advocates TO be only
temporary to meet the exigencies Of q
war. The idea Of saddiing II upon the
government as q permanent policy was
not dreamed of, as tho debates Of con-
gress will show. From 1s46-6I was
our period Of comparative fee trade |;
never has this country before or since
been in q more prosperous condition.
Now if high protection il not benefcient
to the monopolies of this country, why
is it that whenever anything Is said in
congress concerning the tariff, that
these capitalists rush to Washington in
large numbers with their pockets filed
with gold, and try and do bribe the
representatives Of the people in their
interest, pay attorneys enormous sums,
who 1.-Two in elegant style, to lobby year
in and ear out for their interest, Is it
not a notorious fact that they do it ?
Tho millionaires, made so by congress,
pay no more to support this govern
ment than their humblest operatives.
In short, combinations Of wealth de.
mand and grant nothing that gives
relief to the unorganized masses Of the
people. If protection supports the gov
ernment and sustains it, as is claimed
by its advocates, Why is it that 1t has
not long ago paid off the National
debt, If it is such a benefit to the people
and the government . Now let MS ex-
anime and see what are the real facts
about it. The poor negro in the South
who hoes corn for $40 per month, ia
taxed 35I on his shoe leather, 751 on
his jack knife, 1907 on bis flannel
shirt, and other things in proportion.
Take the cotton grower of the Sonth,
who furnished more exports in 1881
than all the manufacturers put togeth-
or, yet the iron and steel manufacturers
get their raw material free, and their
products are protected by duty rang
ing from 80 to ls0 per cent. When
the Gotten grower starts out in the
spring to put in his crop, he is taxed
80 per cent on his wagon, plow, harrow
hammer, hoops for his barrels, etc.
From tho time he sees the light in the
morning until darkness at night, he
sees no untaxed hour or untaxed thing.
He is enveloped in taxation, soaked,
steeped and saturated In it.