The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-08-04
THE FREE TRADE Plea or CHEAP

The free trade attorneys claim as the
chief merit Of proposed tariff reduction
that IL will reduce prices. And IN this
they are at least partially correct. The
recent experiences OF England under the
fiscal policy now advoeted Tor tins
country shows that cheaper wheat rom
India, cheaper meat from America,
cheaper wool from Australia and south
America, have made Improbable lands
AZ home that values OF English farms
have fallen of forty 10 seventy per cent,
while each year large tracts are with
drawn from tillage.
III like result Of cheapness Is to follow
an approach 20 free trade here, an al
formative is presented which IL rs well Tor
large class Of our people to consider
before aiding TO strike down that policy
under which our country has hitherto
made such advances in wealth and
greatness.
We may well be appalled, IN contem-
plating a shrinkage in real estate values
in the United States TO one-half theextent
experienced in England, and the loss OF
farms and homes il would entail upon
those industrious toiler~ who nave in
Cured debts in securing homes for them
selves and families. Under n decline OF
one-iourth OF its present value the man
who had bought home for 50, 900, and
by wears OF industry and saving paid
81 900. would still find himself owing
81 .OOOIor property worth but 81 800. In
tho midst OF the ''cheapness" with which
he had been cajoled, the payment OF this
sum would be more difficult than the
original So 900 under existing conditions
al ready sale Of products aud lair re-
turns for labor. II the adoption oil the
English policy by the United states
should be followed by one-hali the re-
duction In real estate values that Eng
land has experienced in the past few
wears. mortgaged farms and homes
would revert by the thousands to the
creditors who. like the English landlords.
would permit what could not bcrented to
GO out OF tillage.
In no other country than ours does 80
large a per ceutage ui farmers own the
lands they cultivate. nnoother country
IL there SO laigea proportion 81 working
men who own the homes they occupy
nnoother country does the fiscal policy
80 decidedly favor the man who honeStl,
and indnstriously endenvors 20 better
his condition IN life. Nowhere elise in th,
world can the lnborer get so many of the
necessnl1es aud comforts oflifeforaday
work as here in the United states. Al
this we are asked to menace by adopting
a policy that has thrice brought dis"stel
10 the business of this country; polio,
with but one aggressive advocate amonl
all the nations 81 Europe-and that on'
nation to-day presenting within her bor
ders some of the strongest possible nigu
nents against the policy she seeks e
enforce upon others. While the Colder
club and leading British journals air
preaching the benefits Of free trnd'
the British farmer isdeprcsSed, 500, oO'
workmen are idle, and the police of Lon
don are kept busy suppressing uprising
of men made desperate 10y hearing thei
children cry for bread. Nothing can b
dearer than "cheapness" bought at slicl
price; nothing more un-Amelican thar
policy which makes such condition
,.,.s.tl,l,