Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-12-31
Friday, December 81, 1885.

Earl Youmans is wealthy lumber
man Of Winona, Minnesota. He
doubtless has profited greatly by reason
Of the high import duty on numbers;
but accumulated wealth has not so
dulled his comprehension that he can
not see clearly the nonsense of pro
lection In recent letter to The WI
mona Republican Mr. Youmans says:
"In October last a serious confiagra-
ton occurred in the little town of
PASSPORT, Maine. The third day of
the present session Of congress Mr..
Boutelle. member Of congress from
that state-one Of the most earnest
and active advocates Of protection OF
the Blaine type in that body-who re-
cites Blaine's protection platitudes
from the floor Of the house OF repre-
sentatives, as Governor DAVIS does
from the stump in this state; who
deals out endless statistics demonstra-
ting to the farmers Of the northwest
how rich they have been made through
protection introduced bill, the i'm
portance Of which seems so imperative
that he asks unanimous consent for its
immediate consideration and passage.
And what does this bill propose? SIM
ply this: That the people in that little
municipality who have suffered loss
from the conllagration may, IN consid-
Grafton thereof. be allowed the poor
privilege Of purchasing whatever ma
terial they find necessary in repairing
their losses in the free and open mar
kets Of the world, whereSOeyer, and
Of whomsoever they can buy cheapest.
In other words, for few short
months, and because of serious loss
and calamity, their representative IN
congress asks that the heavy hand OF
tariff taxation be removed. He re-
cites with plaintiye wall to the listen
inc ears Of that august body, the
woes that have befallen this little
community, and imploringly beseeches
congress to make to them some
prompt reparation for immediate re-
lief, and the most ellicacious and po-
tent compensation the champion and
apostle Of protection has to offer to
his stricken constituency is free trade"
at must occur to everyone that the
necessities Of a community which has
suffered as the people Of PASSPORT
have il similar to that Of every new
country like Minnesota. The first
pressing want is building materials,
and it is from the incXcusable, indie
feasible and outrageous tax that gov
eminent authorizes a few individuals
to impose for their own benefit upon
these materials that Mr. Boutelle asks
relief. So far as the tax upon lumber
goes, most unhestatingly assert from
4 knowledge derived from long eXpe-
rience in the business, that that burden
Is no more onerouS on the people of
EnstuuiI. Maine, than IL il ON the
farmers of Minnesota, who constitute
the great bulk Of lumber consumers in
this state. Nor can there be suggested
n reason for this legislation in the one
ease that is not equally applicable to
the other"
What pregnant crushing answer to
the assertion that a tariff tax is bless
inp and not a burden, is the action of
this republican member of congress.
We are continually told by the average
politician that undoubtedly the tariff
needs revision and adjustment and
harmonizng, and probably reducing on
some articles" and weayes this non
sense in endless variation into the
platform, but free trade visionary,
dreamy, ideal, impossible. What
British free trade? Terrible" When,
however. the protection member Of
congress asks for immediate suecor for
his constituents, and can tolerate no
DELAY, he rusheS instinctiycly to the
dreamy idealism of free trade"