The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-10-13

eV ftgufes IN the OoOhS o. MS 1FtOute
Library.
The following interview in the Cincinnati Enquirer
with farmer Blossom shows how protection doesn't
protect;
Farmer Blossom had shown me over his half Sec
ton of well titled land. We had rartaken of a good
country dinner and were in sitting room enjoying
our cigars when he said with a sigh:
Free trade is going to ruin us poor farmers"
what free trade?"
why the Mills BILL"
Have you read it2"
NO"
Then how do you make out that it is free trader
"Why, the papers say So"
"what papersr
"The Republican papersand the Republican states
men, too"
"Eh? 1 see that you have some very valuable
books here in your library bearing this subject
census reports, treasury reports, reports on COM
merce on the tariff also. Now, suppose we put them
to a little practical use. When did We ever have
"free trade" as you call it, in this country?'
"oh, frequently"
"But when?"
"Well. can't say, but I've heard So
But hearing is not always believing, especially
when demagogue is trying to fool you out of your
vote Then you can't tell when we had free trade in
this country ?"
mo"
"Never. The nearest We ever came to it was in
1889 when all interstate tariffs abolished and
tarifson all foreign goods were reduced to nominal
figure. What do you suppose was the result
"why, the country sufiered-was ruined"
.on the contrary it took its first step forward. and
in twenty years had about doubled in population
and auadrupled in wealth. When did we have such
tariff laws as are contemplated by the Chicago plat
form?"
81 do not know"
an 1sOs. And what do you suppose was the re-
suit ?"
why, the country prospered more rapidly than
ever, didn't it?'
"Let us turn over few pages in the book and see.
In 1905 tariff duties made prohibitory and COM
merce with the world shut off, just as the Chicago
platform eontemplates. There financial and
commercial collapse, there was ruin and disaster
everywhere In 1909 the prohibitory tariff was re-
pealed and a tariff about one-fh as high as we have
at present was enacted. What followed?"
''You may tell me-"
''The nation again moved Off on career of pros
perty In 1872 the tariff of 1909 was doubled, and the
war cut off importations and expectations We had
a home market as in 1903. What was the result?"
81 never read that part of history
Hard times prevailed, banks suspended and there
was distress everywhere In 1916 the protection doc
tors took hand and undertook to cure the patient
by framing the first protective tariff, raising the
taxes somewhat higher than in 1872. What do you
suppose followed"
Better times"
Times grew worse there was still greater depres-
sion of trade In 1918 the doctors gave the patient
another dose of protection, increased the tariff tax
all around. and then what?'
II am sure do not know"
1.-THE year 1919 was one of universal disaster. The
country moved slowly and laboriously. In 1924 more
tariff was puto and there was no improvement In
1928 q still higher tariff tax was put on and times
grew little harder. In 1882 the country changed
doctors and part of the tariff tax was wiped out.
What followed?'
go on and tell me-"
Business Immediately revived. In 1888 the tax
was lowered again and prosperity increased By the
year 1887 the United States treasury overfowng
and the surplus was divided around among the
states. An area of wild speculation followed the
distribution the land bubble was blown up so large
that it burst and panic ensued the effects of which
lasted for nearly years Then things started to
move off smoothly until 1872, when the protection
doctors again got hold of the country. and the
famous tariff of that year was enacted Can you tell
me what happenedT'
81 was always in favor of the tariff of ~ 1t built
up the country"
History doesn't say so. On the contrary, in 1913
the depression was greater than what followed the
paaie of 1887 and from which the country had re-
covered. Prices of farm products fell one-haf and
commerce was cut in two in the middle. Then for
the first time in the nations history the protected few
began to get rich at the expense of the overtaxed
many especially at the expense of the farming in
terest In 1916 the tariff of 1882 reduced about
one-half and what followed?'
Ruin and disaster"
"Just the reverse. Then for the first time the
country began to go forward with giant strides.
Commerce increased at a marvellous rate Manu-
facturers imbued with a new life. Agriculture
was prosperous to degree hitherto unknown, and
the policy of lowering the tariff tax to prevent the
accumulation of a surplus was pursued. In 1851
panic superinduced by land speculations, ensued,
but before 1855 its effects had passed away and upto
1860 agriculture, manufactures and commerce were
on the high tide of prosperity, and we successfully
riyaed England in maritime greatness. In 1861, to
meet the exigencies of the war, tariff taxes were
raised substantially to the protective basis of 1872
In 1864 these taxes were raised fifty per CENT and in
1867 they were raised again, although the war was
over In 1888, under the pretense of reduction
they were again increased to their present standard
Since the war the millionares have grown, while the
great agricultural interests has stood STILL strkesof
workingmen against oppression have convulsed the
land In 1873 q financial cyclone swept the country
and impoverished countless numbers of peop,e.
Tramps filled the land from ocean TO ocean, and
laws against tramps were enacted. The panic OF
1873 lasted until 1879, and the suffering among our
people was equal TO oyercrowded Europe. Unem-
ployed workingmen the rule for seven years,
and the protected few demanded more tax as the
remedy while they imported foreign paupers in for
eign ships to take the place of American working
men who refused to accept starvation wages in a
land that should be land of plenty, if tax burdens
were justly distributed. How do you like the picture
of the tariff of AZ multiplied by at least two?"
az had no idea that all that was in that book"
Read it carefully. Only the outline has been
given. You said that you always believed in the
tariff of 1922"
"Yes"
ut is all the protection anybody needs in this
country?"
ayes"
what was the average tariff tax under the law of
1922"
al cannot tell YOU"
Hand me that volume on the foreign commerce
of the United States, by Mr.. Nimmo. Let us look
down this column on page %, and we find it to be
thirty-fve per cent and fraction"
ayes, that's the figure"
"You are willing to stand by that sort of tarifff
"of course"
'You don't regard itas free trader"
mo, sir.'
you wouldn't want to see it any higher-thatstax
enough, isn't it?'
That's the tariff of ~, and it is high enough for
me-it's high enough for anybody
You say that the Mills bill is free trader?
'.Yes, most emphatieally."
"why?"
Because that is what it is called
do you know what the average amount of tariff
tax it provides for?"
NO.
"only forty;two per cent, and fraction cut of
five per cent from what it is now"
.What?"
"Yes, sir; forty-two per cent or seven per cent.
more than the tariff of42 which is 50 satisfactory to
you"
@well, declare"
Haven't you been humbugged into the belief
that the Mills bill means free trader
at looks that way"
what do you think about it now, with these facts
from your own library presented to you in an off
hand way?"
Il have about come to the conclusion that the