The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-08-24
INCONSISTENCY OF FREE TRADE
ATTORNEYS.

Contributed by the Home Market Club of ILL.,
The free trade attorneys have several
strings to their eolian harp, each set to
different tune, according to the pre-
sumed necessities of the situation. The
voters ear will be tIckled with his favor.
tie strain, and the music timed to his
crudest step, always provided that bis
toes point toward the free trade camp.
The farmer is told that he, of all men,
should stand for free trade; that protec-
ton but adds to the price of what he
BUYS, and that his trouble with the price
of what he has to sell comes from the
fact that his market is not far enough
from home. The mechanic is treated to
the song of cheaper food and raiment
when free trade comes. The laborer,
after a few solemn strains over the hard
ness of his lot, is melted with martial
notes to tumble down the wall of protec-
ton to home industries and enter upon
the blessings which free trade has in
store for its advocates.
But the manufacturer is likely to de-
tect some dIscord in songs which prom
Use higher wages for labor and lower
prices for products. Another string is
touched, and there comes to him the
grand promise of the worlds markets.
He is told that goods which Americans
are unable to buy will find ready pur-
chasers beyond the seas, and that on the
pinIons of free trade increased wealth
will be borne back to him, if he will but
join in the worship of the image that the
Golden club has set up.
Who so blind as not to see inconsis-
tency in all this2
The farmers profit is now diminished
by expense of transportation to centres
of consumption, and many are barred
the production of certain profitable
crops by remoteness from markets. His
obvious interest is to have markets near
er to the farm, and when possible sell in
his own county rather than Europe. He
should remember that every man kept
at work and earning wages in some 9TH
er occupation than farming lessons COM
petition in growing farm products, while
increasing demand and prices for the
same.
The mechanics interest lies in having
every dollar of wealth produced in this
country kept at home and spent in
building better houses, more machinery,
finer furniture-in short, adding to the
facilities of production and the ability of
our people to purchase the products of
mechanical industry. Let him reflect
upon the disadvantage at which he
would be placed if compelled to depend
for wages upon some calling in which he
is not skilled. In his own trade he is an
expert, at any other work he would be
q novice.
The laborer, dependent upon others
for his means of support, is the first to
feel the pinch of dull times. When
building factories, making railroads, i'm
proving streets, etc, ceases, he is the
first thrown out of work, and the least
able of all to endure enforced idleness.
AS his department of labor is one requir-
ing strength rather than skill, it is the
most of all exposed to competitor.
And the manufacturer, how is he to
get the promised hold upon the markets
of the world? These are already occu-
pied by the manufacturers of other ma
tons; otherwise they would not be so
persistent to get into the markets of this
country. How are they to be displaced
Obviously in but one of two WAYS: The
American manufacturer to secure mar
kets now monopoliZed by Europeans
must either supply better goods at the
prices now paid, or he must supply
equally good articles for less money. III
he makes the sacrifice, the cheapening
process must fall either upon the mate
rial used or the labor put upon the fin
ished product.
In face of the fact that $3.50, OOO, 900
were last year paid TO foreigners for
products which could as well have been
in this country, the folly
of further concessions in behalf of free
foreign trade must be apparent to all ex-
cept those who will not see.