The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-06-01

ceptions from partial and local causes,
are the most prosperous, as well as the
most self-sustained and independent
Of any Of our great classes, and this
agrees perfectly with our experience
and observation.
But the most surprising result of our
neighbor's arithmetic is yet behind.
By another series Of figures he proves,
to his own satisfaction apparently, that
the farmers of this country, in the year
1880, actually lost on that years. opera
tions 81, III, 7S3, 7OS, or 81 per cent. on
the entire capital invested in farms.
But 1880 was not, If we remember
rightly, an exceptionally bad year.
Farmers rs rule succeeded that year
about as well as usual. II this state
ment is true, then..the farmers of Amer.
lea have been going behind at about
the same rate every year since, and 1t
will only be little over ten years from
that time till they will have sunk their
entire capital, lost their farms, and
been turned out a. beggars and tramps.
A proposition of that kind is 30 alb.
surd on the face of it, and these fig res
lie so grossly and so palpably that
refutation is need less.
Now all this fearful and wonderful
figuring out of the lost and hopeless
condition of the farmers, is paraded as
an argument against protection, and
they are exhorted to worship this fetch
no longer. But how protection is re-
sponsible for the trouble, or where the
connection is established our friend
does not explain, and we fail to see it.
The fact is our excellent friend has tar.
iff ON the brain. No catastrophe OF
cataclysm of nature can happen but
that he is ready to blame it on the tar.
if. He actually attributes the effects
of floods, drouth and chinch bugs here
in Kansas to the robber tariff.
Suppose the entire protective system
were SWEPT away would that help the
farmer? Does our neighbor, down In
the bottom of his heart, believe il
would? We doubt it.
Free trade means the destruction o.
every branch of our manufactures will
which foreign products come in compe
tition, and the turning out of employ
ment of the millions of men engaged
in them, who would cease to be con
sumers and join the great army Of pro
ducers. What would then become o.
the beef, pork, grain and flour which
these men and their families now con-
sumo? They must find a market
across 5000 miles of sea and come IL
competition with the food products OF
the world. What would become of the
millions of dollars worth of perishable
articles, such as milk, butter. chickens
eggs, vegetables and small fruit which
these people buy and pay well for
They would simply be dead loss, a
no market could be found for them.
The truth is the farmer is as deepl,
and directly interested in the mainten
ance of the grand and beneficien
American system of prot ection as tn
manufacturer.
! Any blow aimed at it is aimed a
directly at the we'll being and prosper
ity of the producer of bread and mea
as at those of the producer of woolel
Tor cotton goods, iron or steel.
/. Space fails US to notice the startlin,
misstatements and fallacies of the othe
ARTICLE, as we intended. But we d
not propose to let such broad-gau!ye
errors pass unchallanged, and sb.al
notice the substance of the article her
latter.