St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-18
DESPERATE REPUBLICANS.
Their FaIIacious Arguments and
Intentional misrepresentation

Intentional Misrepresentation
To the Editor of the GLOBE.
1t is amusing to listen to the bare
faced assertions, sOphisms and clap
trap of Republican campaign speakers
on the tariff issue.
The peripatetic spouters who have
spoken in this city were not content
with placing the Democracy in a false
position by charging them with being
free traders. pure and simple, when
they are only in favor of tariff re-
ductiOu on imported goods to the
extent Of ) per cent. but they employed
the most fallaciOuS and misleading
arguments to bamboOZle intelligent
voters who attended their meetings to
hear the tariff question honestly dis
cussed from Republican standpoint.
Mr.. Horn. of Michigan. eXpatiated on
the beauties of the tariff system. and
eXempiified the benefits resulting from
it by stating that the salt industry in
his state had received such an impetus
from the tariff that now salt is reduced
from $3.50 to 50 cents per barrel through
competition Of rival manufacturers. but
bis sophistries have been cleverly re-
futed by Mr.. YOumans, who is a
lifelong Republican and thoroughly
familiar with the manufacture of salt
in Michigan. Gen. Sheridan and Judge
ThurStOn spoke to large houses here.
but absolutely failed to explain why the
present high tariff imposed on foreign
articles during the war should be main
tanned in time Of peace. when the treas
urv vaults are bursting with a surplus,
V b ch is constantly increasing. They
pictured the woes of unhappy Ireland
in the most pathetic terms, and dilated
on the evils inflicted on that country by
English free trade. as ii any comparison
really existed between a weak and con-
quered island within a stones throw of
Britain-an island oppressed by alien
aristOcracy, with its feudal tenure, and
this great country of ours, free and
independent, 5000 miles distant from
England. reaching from ocean to ocean
and from the lakes to the gulf, where
every farmer is his own landlord-a
country with diversified industries and
natural resources unsurpassed by
any nation under Gods footStOOl.
During the eighteen years of
Irish parliamentary independence the
infant manufactures of Ireland grew
vigorous and strong. but they were
checked in their growth by English leg
iSlatiOn after the SO-called union and
ultimately crippled and wiped out. But
will the apOlogIsts for high tariff duties
seriously say in the presence of intelli-
gent American freemen that the manu-
featuring interests of this country will
suffer the same disaster as Irish in
dustries by a reduction of per cent or
even p per cent in the pres
ent tariff schedule? Such talk
Is ridiculous, and those who
but little respect for the intelligence of
their audience. Our industries have
long since passed the infant stage. and
are now old enough to compete with
foreign Industries without being
prOpped up by high tariff paid out of
the pockets of the people.
The latest orator who has tried to
throw dust in the eyes of his auditors is
lion. William W. Thomas, of Maine,
who addressed a SWedish-American
meeting last Saturday evening. In the
course of his address he Is reported as
saying that only per cent of all our
American farm products find market
abroad. the other "a per cent finding a
customer at home. I'VE had better"
he said. watch over and protect the
interest of the fellow at home who buys
the "a per cent.
Now, what are the facts? Since the
present eXOrbitant tariff has been in
operation the exports of farm produce
have increased from year to year, until
the number of bushels of wheat eX-
ported last year was nearly 1O2, 600. 900,
and of corn over 4C .000. 600. 1t is the
foreign market and not the home mar
ket that the tariff has built up for the
farmer. And not only that. but the ex-
port prices of corn and wheat have de-
clined from - cents and S1.36 per
bUShel respectively, in 1856, to AZ
cents and 50 cents in 1887; that
is to say. decline OF One-third in the
price or wheat and corn from the aver
age of the ten years before the tariff to
the average OF last year. How Will Mr..
Thomas or any other prOtectionist ex-
plain these facts 10 the Scandinavian
farmers of Minnesota? The tariff has
built up a home market for the pro-
tected manufacturers. but it has
not developed home market
for the unprotected agriculturist.
If it had. the price OF corn and wheat
ought to be higher in the United States
than in England. as the price of manu-
featured articles is higher here than
across the Atlantic. The market quo
tations on corn and wheat last year were
higher in Liverpool than in Chicago by
% per cent on wheat and 40 per cent ON
corn. The prices actually got by farm
ers were considerably less than the
Chicago prices, and it is reason
able to say that Liverpool prices were
at least 80 per cent higher than the orig
inal American market where the farmer
sold the commodities. The "hOme
market" created by high tariff for the
benefit of the farmer is in the imagin-
alton OF these hired emissaries of high
tariff monoDolists and milhOnaires, and
is not visible to the naked eye
from one end of the country to the ether
The fact is, Republican orators and
newspapers have such a poor cause to
advocate that they must, of necessity.
have recourse to MISREPRESENTATION and
falsehood. 1t is the duty of honest men
to nail the lies on the head, and that is
why | send you this communication.
An IRISH-AMERIcAN.