Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-29

J
misgovernment, but simply the desire on
one side perhaps of too much gain, and
on the other perhaps occasionally hasti-
ness to misjudge men who are large en-
| ployers. But those questions can be
disposed of by the exercise of the ballot
and without sweeping revenue reduc-
| tions, and the precursors of free trade.
Applause
LOGICAL ARGUMENT
of the free trader? What says that sweet
singer of Ohio, the Honorable Frank
Hurd? He says our wages are so high
that they tempt European laborers to
| come here, and thus place too much
competition in the American market.
That certainly is an extraordinary state
ment. Mr.. Hurd wants US to lower the
wages of the American workmen SO that
the English artisan shall stay at home,
and on cheaper wages compete, with the
doors flung open by low tariff, with the
American laborer reduced to so cents
limit on his own soil. That is the prop
osition of Mr.. Hurd; that is the lay of
every free trader. That is the prospect
low wages-held forth by our democratic
friends to tempt the American laborer
from prosperity 10 indulgence.
| He is told about his pair of blankets.
In Gods name how many pairs of blan-
kets does a man wear out in lifetime?
| Perhaps the average democratic free
trader may have a nightmare and kick
his blanket all to pieces. [Applause and
| laughter. But the well-conductcd Amer
lean workingman does not have the
nightmare, and he doesn't kick more than
/ = -
healthy. Laughter.
| Afraid of tempting the European la
! borers to our shores! Here we are with
| AN AREA.
nearly as larF as all Of Europe. Here
we are with thirtyeight states and eight
or nine territories. Here we are with
Only sixty millions of people on this vast
area, and yet they tell US we are over
crowded! How then about their model,
Great Britain with about twenty-si
millions of English men, women and
children, cooped up in a narrow area
leaving out Wales and Scotland-of
ffty-one thousand square miles; not as
large as the state of Illinois, and accord
ing to the free traders, England is not
over-cl DIVIDED, but we are here with our
sixty millions and our ilIimitable terri
y >
afraid indeed to pay large wages for fear
that some less fortunate friends may
come from Europe and assist in building
up this magnificent nation of ours. In
former times, the democratic party often
dwelt on the evils of knoWnothingism:
if we are to judge from their arguments
to-day, we should say the democratic
party is now the knownothing party of
America. Applause.
My friend, Mr.. Fairchild, in running
over the free list of productions, passed
by an interesting item. I shall read it
particularly for the benefit of the ladies'
HUMAN HAIR.
| laughter it is here in black and white
listen to the rest, "raw, uncleaped and
not drawn" is to be placed upon the free
list. Cheers and laughter. Now, !
don't know where that hair comes from,
but this much / am certain of, that no re-
spectacle American lady would wear any
hair that comes to this country raw and
uncleaned. It must be intended to make
wigs for gentlemen in the state depart
ment at Washington. 1t must be intend
ed, perhaps, to adorn the bare space that
time and perhaps the vengeance of provi-
dence have left on the Uranium of our be-
loved chief magistrate. Cheers and
laughter. 1t may be intended for any of
these things, but to place this thing be-
fore the American people as blessing
why, gentlemen, the attention of the
National Health association should be
called to it. The importation of cholera
rags, the importation of smallpox rags
all these things fade into utter signif,
canoe before the audacIous proposition of
Mr.. Mills, of Texas, to send raw and I'm.
cleaned hair into America, free. And
for one protest against it. Cheers and
laughter. But this is not the only absurd
thing proposed.
has been alluded to, most useful thing
indeed; and the ladies have taken a hand
in wool. l was reading the Woman's
Magazine, published down east, to-day
and 1 had read my friend Mr.. Medill's
paper some days before. Mr.. Medill
proved. or sought to prove, by columns
of stastistics, and has been trying to
prove during the last few months, that
the sheep of America have decreased in
numbers since the establishment of the
protective tariff as it exists. The facts
shown by The Woman's Magazine
and 1 certainly would not be IN,
gallant enough to contradict it, nor
hope would Mr.. Medill-prove that since
the reduction of the tariff on wool in
1888 the number of sheep in America
has declined about four millions. They
may air as they please their columns OF
, statistics, but short pregnant fact like
, that is worth great deal more, because
stastistics can be made to lie just as &C
, counts can be doctored. You can pick
out statistics here and there to suit your
argument. No honest issues are estab
, lished by statistics. They are establish
, ed by the general result. What are
THE GENERAL RESULTS
that stand before us as nation to-day
Let US look back to the free trade times
Free trade was in full blast in thi:
country in 1857, the year of the grea
financial crisis. The name of the yeal
1857 falls on the American heart with
] chill, because it was year of disaster
. and 6naucial ruin to this country. The
competition of slave labor, a venerable
democratic institution, the administra
, tive misgovernment also, inclination tC
. coddle the institution of slavery, al
these things aud Others combined, in
spite of free trade, to make 1857 tht
, most disastrous financial year in Ameri
can history. Three years later, almost