Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-06-28
DOM PIATT
On Free Trade and Protection as they
Affect the Farmer.

A farmer is q man who tolls for fifty
years for the privilege of living tell
and then, in majority of instances,
gets cheatet. out of that by rheumatism.
He eats what be cannot sell; wears barely
enough to make him decent IN appear
anre, but not sufficient for comfort or
health; is a hard task master to his fani-
ily, and death to his wife. He ia indus
trious, sober, anil if you don't touch him
on a horse -tr ade, almost as honest as
country merchant.
1t is his fate to work at loss. Now
would you like t. know why?
We arc an agricultural people. From
sea to sea, across this wide continent,
from lake to gulf, is vast stretch o. farm
land. You will read in the press, you
will hear on the streets, from the Presi-
dents message down to the cross reads
orator, that this grand pursuit is the un-
derlying prosperity of our country, 1t
is more tban that; it is the great under
lying foundation of our existence.
1t is not only the author and creator OF
our homes, but of all the immense i'm
provcnents that amaze the world. THIS
network of railroads, measuring over one
hundred Thousand miles of operating
rails, was built by farmers. These great
cities, all these towns, canals, telegraphs,
mines and factories were built out OF our
earnings. We make eight tenths the Ia
bor OF ths land. We pay the taxes, sup
port the banks, and make the millionaires.
We 10 all this, while remaining poor
ou rselves. The country is prosperous,
but the prosperity never rcaches us. We
barely live. And whyl
will tell you. Our government, that
was designed to be purely political fab
ric, has come to u pattrnal concern, and
is to us farmers the hardest step parent
ever created. Congress legisatcs for
every interest on the continent save that
of agriculture. In every shape, IN every
direction, Ne are legally swindled and
abused.
l can take up but one. What is the
great factor necessary to successful farm-
ing? Is it good seed, 60 d breed, or rich
soil, or agricultural implements9 No, my
neighbors; these are important, hut not
the most important. The one
great factor that overrides and lessons all
Others is marke, for our products.
Now you get from your Congressmen
agricultural reports printed and disirlbN
uted at your expense hy the government.
They are said to be gratis-iree OF cost
1t is an impudent lie, Wepay Tor them
and there is no hook published that costs
as much as that same ag-
,icultural report. Yoi ta&e-or you
ought to take--an agricultural journal.
They are all worth their subscription
price. But in any one OF all these do you
ever find 4 word as to how to get or inl-
prove marke,9 Never.
Well, this patcrnal government has
been for the last twenty-five years pro-
viding market for every industry in the
land save that Of agriculture.
Now this patcrnal government OF surs.
has been for twenty-five years fostering
certain selected and favored industries.
These so called Industries were pro-
nounced young, weak, and rickety, and
paternal government, as nurse and doc
tor, fed the pulling infants on pap that
we farmers paid for. Every cent given
these sickly industries WAS taken from our
hard earnings; and, my brother farmers,
those sick weaklings are as sick and
weak to-day as they were twenty five
Years ago. We are assured that If the
paternal government were TO remove the
stays and crutchcs and give them an
ounce less OF pap to day, they would all
tumble down and die.
Tha theory and process OF the fostering
is about this: There are two sorts OF labsr
in Europe. One is known as common
labor, and the ether as skilled labor.
The first is called pauper labor, and
against this we need protection. 1t is
called pauper labor because the laborers
work for bare subsistence. This is not
the condition of skilled labor in Europe.
It is better paid than with us, for while
the wages are somewhat less, the cost CT
, living Is not 80 high; so that the laborer,
all things considered, is better OFT tban IN
, the United states.
The experiment has been tried OF 'e'cn>
ing skilled labor from abroad TO our