The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-09-27

always contain in a piece of paper, put
it in his pocket, to carry, God knows, to
some little starving one.
Not quite so bad. my Woodworking
friend, yet in New England, is it? But
it would not take long to get there after
the doors are thrown open.
A few months ago an item was in the
papers at home recording the death of a
prominent manufacturer, stating that
he left large property accumulated by
80 years close attention to business.
One Of the free trade organs in New
England commented upon this by say
ing that he had gained his fortune
through the protection afforded to his
business by the tariff laws of the coun-
try, and just in proportion as he accu-
INFLATED his wealth others had been
made poorer. And when | am at home
in New England l hear many use this
senseless argument, never stopping to
think of the hundreds of laboring men
this manufacturer kept employed at
good wages, and who now own their lit
tie homes aud see their children grow
ing up happy and cohtented.
II America had been for ten years I'M
der free trade rule there would probably
have been no mention made of any
large fortune, but in the same issue
there might have been a dozen items
like the following: Yesterday John
Jones applied to the-Parsh Relief
Committee for admission of himself and
| family into the work-house. Jones was
a sober, intelligent looking man, ready
and willing to work, but said he could
not get employment at over shilling a
day, and as he had eleven children they
were in a starving condition. The com
mittee told Jones they could do nothing
for him, as the work house was already
full" Such an item is rarity in an
American paper, but there are plenty
such in English papers.
But there is an argument used at
home that often carries great weight to
laboring man. That is, that if all
goods were admitted free the laboring
man could buy his food, clothes, &C.,
much less. Granted for the sake of ar
gument; but would the difference in
the price you pay for these things any.
where near equal the difference in pri-
ces of labor, the difference between two
dollars to three dollars per day for skill
ed labor and three shIlings to four shil-
lings per day under free trade rule?
These are not the wild statements of
warped judgment. They are the calm
results of weeks of investigation.
Last week woman in Northern Eng
land (name given if necessary said to
me, What blessed country America
must be. My brother was unable to
earn enough here to support his family.
He was cabinet maker. So he went
to America. Works in Lawrence
Mass, and is sending home to his wife
60 every week. The English mer-
chants acknowledge these facts, but
many say to me, with knowing shakes
of the head, ut won't be so in twenty
years" 1t rests with us whether it
shall be so or not, and if the laboring
man votes with the party that favors
protection to American Industries he is
adding one more stone to the little
homestead he is trying to build for him
self and family. | tell you, friends in
New England, they see these things
much clearer over here than we do at
home, and are waiting patiently to see
which side the fence the pear will fall
when it becomes ripe.
1t is something cannot understand
how an American voter, especially our
adopted fellow-ctizens, can side for one
moment with the party that favors free
trade.
Free trade means starvation to the
laboring men in America. You may
not see this now from your homes as
see it three thousand miles away. Mr..
Gladstone said in speech last Satur-
day, 1--WE hear great deal lately about
surplus population. 1t is not true
Certainly Mr.. Gladstone ought to be ac-
cepted as authority on such matter,
and he goes on to give his views of the
labor question.
| come home thorough Out-and-out
protectionist. see, or think ] do, how
foreign countries look upon it, and full
as clearly l think ] see the widespread
ruin to America involved in free trade
principles.
l am no politician who can so twist
words as to have them mean almost
anything. but use plain words that all
may understand. A politician who is
on the wane might shout and vote for
free trade-I can understand that-but
cannot understand how a laboring
man or mechanic can deliberately, OF
his own free will and accord, 90 to the
polls and cast his vote for any party
that advocates free trade.
Plain words, but honest ones, believe
me, and words, that if had the power,
| would proclaim from the house-tops,
if it would impress itself any more
strongly upon American voters. Yours
truly,
CYRUS II. BATES, in Boston journal.