River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-08-16
Free Trade is Unjust to the Farmer.

The advocates of free trade are es-
pecially earnest in their appeals to the
Western farmer, as the voter most
likely to furnish aid in Overturning
the existing fiscal policy of this coun-
try and once more trying that of Eng
land. In their efforts to this end they
are untiring. ingenious, INSCRIPTIONS.
No possible resort remains untried, no
illustration unused, no appeal long
neglected. They seek to inflame the
worthy ambition to better ones con-
dition in life by picturing a mythical
market which is at once both the
cheapest for the buyer and the dear
est for the seller. They seek to create
sectional prejudice by persistant repe-
tition in speeches and writings of the
antithesis Western farmers" ''Eas-
tern manufacturers just as if the
West had no manufactures, the East
no agriculture. They ignore the COM
nonsense inference that, if the peo-
pie of the United States paid the duty
on foreign competing articles sold in
this country, the foreigner would be
by no means so perslstant for the re-
moval of our tariff. In view of such
tactics it will be well for farmers to
keep in mind certain facts which with
practical men are likely to outweigh
all the theories of British free traders
and their attorneys in the United
States.
Money is necessary to the existence
of government. Under our fiscal sys-
tenn the main reliance of States, Conn-
ties and municipalities is upon taxa
ton of property-the exception being
sale of licenses for carrying on GER
tain lines of business. Money raised
by taxation comes from owners of fac
tories. machinery and other personal
property, as we'll as from farms and
farm equipments, and is the price
paid by the owners for defense of
their rights in property and the peace
able pursuit of the business of their
choice.
To exempt any one mans property
from taxation would be an injustice to
all compelled to pay taxes. Yet this
is Just what free trade proposes to do.
American owners of farms, houses,
machinery, &C., are to be taxed, while
the same rights they enjoy are to be
given free to others-to men who owe
no allegiance to our government and
who seek profits from trade here to be
spent in other countries.
Hay, barley, wheat, wool, &C., are
grown in large quantities by Canadian
farmers who never paid cent of
taxes toward the support of our gov
eminent. If these men prefer to send
their products here to be sold in our
markets, why should they net be tax
ed. at least as much as our farmers
are taxed, for the privilege! But
the free trader says no, let the for
eigner have our markets without cost,
although the American farmers taxes
need to be increased in consequence,
and then complacently suggests that
if growing such articles under this
one.sided arrangement proves un-
profitable our farmers can turn their
attention to some other production.
Protection insures for our own citi.
zens not only the first, but always the
best chance in the markets of the
country they have helped to build up.
This is both patriotism and good bust
ness policy. It's opposite is the IN
American policy advocated by the
President and other free trade advo-
Gates, and for which they have re-
ceived the plaudits of the Golden
Club and every prominent journal in
Great Britain. 1t remains to be seen
if a majority of American farmers
agree with them.