The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1888-08-24
HOME MARKET CLUB TRACTS.
The reee Trade Pie. Of Cheappess.

The free trade attorneys claim as the
chief merit of proposed tariff reduction
that 1t will reduce prices. Aud in this
they are at least partially correct. The
recent experience of England under tho
fiscal policy now advocated for this
country shows that cheaper wheat from
India. cheaper meat from America,
cheaper wool from Australia and South
America, have made Improbable lands
ut home; that value of English farms
have fallen of 40 to 70 per cent while
each year large tracts are withdrawn
from tillagc.
Ii a like result of cheapucss is to fol.
low an approach to free trade here, an
alternative is presented which it is we'll
for II large class of our people To serious
ly consider before aiding to strike down
the policy under which our country has
hitherto made such advances in wealth
aud %grcptncss.
We may we'll he appalled, in contcm-
plating a %shrinkagc in real estate values
in the United States to one half the cx-
tent experienced in England. and the
losses of farms and homes il would en-
tail upon those Industrious toilcrs who
have incurred debts in securing homes
for themselves aud families. Under q
decline of onc-fourth its present value,
the mar who had bought IL home for
g. 1900 and by years of industry and saw
ing paid $1,000. would still find himself
owing $1,000 for property worth but
81. 500. In the midst of the ''chcapncss'
with which he had been cajolch, the
payment of this sum would he moro
difficult than tic original $4,000 under
existing conditions of ready sale of pro-
x1iyc,o o,,.( f..ic t.nt,,c,,, Cos. 1.l.u slC
adoption of the English policy by the
United States should he followed by one.
half the reduction in real estate values
that England has experienced within the
last few years, mortgagcd farms and
homes would revert by thousands ia
creditors who. like the landlords of
England. would permit what could not
be rented to go out of tillagc.
In no other country than ours does SO
large a percentage of farmers w tho
lands they cultivate. In no other coun'
try is there SO large Il proportion oil
w~oriiMgmen who own the homes they
occupy. In no other country docs the
fiscal policy SO decidedly favor the mar
who honestly and induslriously cndcav
ors to better his condition in life. No,
where else in the world can the lnborci
get ST many of the ncccssarics and com,
forts of life for II days work as here il
the United States. All this VIC are asked
to menace by adopting Il policy that ha!
thrice brought disaster to the business
of this country; IL policy. with but on,
aggressive advocate among all the ma
tions OF Europc-and that one nation
today presenting within her border
some OF the strongest possible argument.
against the policy she seeks to enforc,
upon others. While the Golden Clul
and leading British Journals are preach
ing the benefits of free trade the British
farmer is depressed. 100000 workmcl
are idle. and the police of London ar,
kept busy SURPRISING the ui,risings o
men made desperate by hearing ticil
children cry for bread. Nothing can bs
dcalcr than 'c!,capncss' bought at sucl
Il price; nothing more un.Amcrican thar
81 policy which makes such a condition
possible.