Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-10
FREE-TRADERS HARD PUSHED.

One of the faircst, and perhaps the
ablest, of the Mugwump organs is IIar-
per's Weekly. Whenever it resorts to
sophistry and misrepresentation 1t is hard
pressed, and realizes that its stock of
sound arguments is exhausted. In vari-
Gus ways il has shown during the present
campaign that it fully appreciates that
the friends of Protection have the advan-
tage of the discussion before the country.
II is the necessity of its position which
fol- ces 1t to be disingenuous in its treatment
of the tariff issue in its relation to the in
terests of farmers. In an article addressed
to the farmers of the Northwest, designed
to influence them on the ground that their
interests are not protected, and to arouse
sectional prejudice against the Eastern
manufacturers, that paper says:
what is his home market This country
consumes 20 per cent of its farm products,
and exports 30 per cent. of them. But the
farmers are half of the population, and they
therefore consume one-half of the 30 per
cent. product or 80 per cent The people
engaged in manufactures. mining and me-
chanics, are about one-i fifth of the population.
Their consumption. therefore, is about one
fth of the 20 per cent, or IL per cent. of
the whole. But of these people so engaged
only about one-third are benefited by the
high tariff. Mr.. Russell of Massachusetts,
an admirable authority, saws that not one in
ten of the industries of that State is protec-
ted by the tariff, and the protected pay the
lowest wages. This protected part would
consume one-third of the IA per cent. or a
little less than per cent. of the farmers
product, while the foreign customer con-
sumes 30 per cent. The home market
therefore is a market in which the protected
manufacturer offers to take ) per cent. of
the farmers crop, AMI TO charge him for his
manufactured goods in exchange a. per cent.
more than they worth in the markets of
the world"
The American farmers are too intelli-
gent, have too much practical experience.
to accept the superficial arguments and
perverted facts of Harper's Weekly,
They have too much acquaintance with
business affairs and the details of trade to
of what they produce are bought and
consumed by people concerned in pre-
tected industries. 4 majority of them
see plainly that the stimulating effects
of Protection on manufactures. on the
general results of labor, favorably effects
the landed interests. builds up villages,
towns, cities. and home markets, benefits
all branches of agriculture and exerts a
helpful influence on all the legitimate in
terests of the country. All branches of
honest American industries. productions
and business are related to
and dependent gu each other. There !
lisa fraternity and solidarity of inter-
est in the general body of American
freemen. The hand cannot say TO the |
head or to the foot, ~ have no need of
thee" None but the demagogue. the igno-
ramus, or the solitary In his seltishness,
ignores the INTERPRETATION aud community |
Of interests of Americans. The sophisti- |
cal conclusions of the Mugwump organ |
are deduced from a misstatement of facts,
accepting as authority Congressman Rus
sell of Massachusetts, whose incompe-
tence in dealing with economic questions