The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1888-10-18
The Workingrnan's Interest in
Protection.

Protection.
The Free Trade advocate is the
orist, calmly Indifferent to those prac-
tical aspects of good government
which statesmen recognize as mo.
mentous. Point him to the fact that
millions of workers are now engaged
in those industries which will suffer,
some of them disappear, when ex-
posed to unrestrained foreign COM
petition, and ask him what is to be-
come of these people, he at once res
ponds that they can go at some 9TH
er work, and beyond this-he saith
not. This may satisfy the clustered
professor of political economy, and
those who are content to repeat his
theories; but the thousands of voters
who depend upon steady work at
fair pay cannot afford to become the
victims of a theory, whatever it's fas-
cination for the visionaire With
them every question of governmental
policy is practical one, in the de-
cision of which they cannot hazard
mistake.
Under the policy of Protection the
productions of our country-of agri-
culture, manufactures, mines, forests
have SO marvelously increased that
there is to-day more work for more
men than at any time since the first
factory wheel revolved in America,
or the first furrow was turned. There
has not been day since the May
flower landed when an average days
work would 60 SO far as it will to-
day in supplying the comforts and
necessaries Of family life 1t is this
condition that the workingman is
asked to jeopardize by reversing the
fiscal policy under which it was
brought about. Aside from the sus-
piclous circumstance that the inspir-
alton for such a change, as well as
the arguments put forth in its behalf,
nave foreign origin, and are large
ly championed by men intele sted in
foreign trade, there are certain prac-
tical aspects of the situation which
no prudent voter should ignore when
casting his ballot.
Let it be remembered that every
competing foreign article sold in this
country takes the place of domes-
tic made article which might have
been sold. Just SO much more for
eign goods as are sold to our people,
just so much less domestic goods
can be sold. If domestic goods can
not be sold, they will not be made.
If not made, employment in their
manufacture must stop, idleness en-
sue, and with it privation and dis
tress. 1t is not enough for the theo-
rist to say that men thus thrown out
of employment can take hold Of
something else. Other lines of bust
ness are now as full as manufactures.
Crowding agriculture with men else
where thrown out will Inevitably
press depress that industry. Thous-
ands who are now buyers of prod
ucts will be unable to pay, and will
either raise what they need or go
without. Wages will go down under
the diminished demand for the prod
ucts of farm and factory, hard times
will reign supreme, and the Free
Traders millennium will draw nigh.
Then, and not till then, can goods
be produced as cheaply here as in
Europe, for labor under such condi-
tons can be procured on equal terms
here and abroad.
Every voter who earns his living
by harder work than clipping cou-
pons will do we'll to contemplate the
tendency and result of the present
Free Trade appeals before casting
his ballot for it's furtherance in the
United States, whose citizens are
worthy a better fate than such pol
icy has in store for them.
Kenosha County Normal In
Stitute.