The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-01

A CHICAGO free trade paper which finds
no way of escaping the arguments ofthe
protectionists as to the universal depres-
sion of English agriculture under the
free trade policy, cuts the Gordian knot
by saying, "The loss to the English far
mer is a gain to the English manufact-
urer." Another of the same stripe, but
of deeper magnitude, admits the injury
to the farmer but says ''it has helped
the laborer or wage Garner IN other in
dustries.
These same papers have been for
months filed with appeals to the farmer
of this country to adopt the free trade
theories of Cleveland and other Golden
Club free trade agents, on the express
ground that it would be so great a boon to
the poor farmers for whom their bowels
of compassion were yearning to bursting,
vet there is not one word Of truth in all
their fervent protestations. Look, for
instance, at their onslaught upon the
wool growing farmer, taking protection
from his farm product, but maintaining
protection TO the manufacturer of wool.
The Mills bill sweeps it from the farmer
and the Democratic free trade organs
say, eff the farmer loses by it the man.
ufacturer gains" and then. supposing
the farmer is too obtuse to notice the
deception, will in the same column
indulge in the most e~xtravsgant
protestatlons of sympathy and de-
votion to the best interests of the poor
farmers who are suffering from the rob-
berIes of Eastern manufacturers.
The last RepieU contains an old letter
signed workman which has done
campaign duty in every presidential
campaign for the past twenty years,
attributing our loss of naval supremacy
to our protective tariff. The original
writer and those who fish it out of some
old closet and dust it up and republish
it at regular periods are themselves OK
ceedIngIy forgetful, or what is far more
probable, are so professedly Impressed
with their convictions of the peoples
ignorance that they will not detect it's
age or the malicious falsehood it con-
tains.
In 1889, when Washington, Jefferson,
Carroll of Carrollton, Roger, Sherman,
Fisher, Ames the Muhlenburgh, Hamil-
ton and other heroes of the Revolution,
framed and passed the first act of con-
gress for the protection of American in
dustries, which Washington signed az
President on the 4th of July, Webster
was a free trader; he subsequently, be-
came a strong advocate of the protective
principle. When Calhoun gave in his
illusions to Southern notification and
free trade, Daniel Webster was the
strongest, or n of the strongest, cham
pions of protection for the "UnIon, one
and inseperable now and forever" in
the United States Senate. His early in
experiences, whena free trader, are com
mendable in the eyes of the Golden
Club Democracy, but they are incapable
of approaching his manly grandeur and
greatness when standing like a rock in
opposition to the disunion and free trade
heresies of the Calhoun Democracy
which eliminated under the last Demo-
cratic administration prior to Cleveland,
and 1t is equally insulting to the COM
mon sense of the people to attribute the
destruction of our naval supremacy. de-
monstrated in the var Of 1912 with Eng
land, and established under a protective
tariff, to the effects of protection rather
than to what every intelligent man in
the United States knows to be the true
cause, the Democratic rebellion, aided
by free trade England on the assurance
that if successful they should have free
trade with the Southern Confectionery
forever.
Why are the English press and people
80 anxious for free trade with the u. s..
unless it is to be Of great benefit 10
them? And why are the Democratic
party for free trade with England. unless
1T is to show their gratitude TO England
Tor their assistance during the war?
While the Western farmers are ont
stripping Eastern farmers, why do we
hear so much from the Democracy abont
he robbery of the West by Eastern
capitalists?