The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-07-07

they can Americans that the former do the
work Now If this protects American la
)r let us try free trade half rs long rs We
have protection and see If there are not
less tramps aud II our mortgages do no,
diminish instead of increase Take the
statistics from the Michigan labor bureau
They show that nearly half the farms In
some counties are mortgagsd Farmers,
does this show an era of great prosperity
10 you!
II protection is the blessing that many
claim IL Is, why did they, after the Cnica-
go fire In 1871, let In all materials that went
10 help build up the burnt district duty
free, II seems rs II free trade was so bad
they should not have cursed Chicago with
II at such heart rending times. But they
say We are progressive people, and with
our modern machinery We can produce
wheat so much cheaper than We could
years ago. Well, grant this to be true,
but how about our wooden goods, Our
methers tell Us that years ago they could
let their wool out 10 be carded, spun and
woven by the old hand looms, and get one.
half the cloth made from 1t. Now ask If
we can sell our wool and with the money
buy half OF the cloth made from the
woolg While don't want to advocate go.
Ing back to the old hand looms. still l
will ask II We have not lost by their dissp-
pearance. IL II Is true that farmers can
produce cheaper with modern machinery,
II Is also true that manufacturers can pro-
duce correspondingly cheap with their
machinery, or else machines are q curse
instead Of blessing and unworthy of our
patronage. My flock of sheep constitute
nearly one half Of the income from
the farm, but | ask and am willing
to grant the same privileges. want TO
sell where can sell for the highest price
and buy where can buy the cheapest
wish TO have supply and demand regulate
what have to buy as we'll as what have
10 sell.
was born republican, raised repub
lican, and voted the republican ticket until
1884. My father was republican, and
| thought that he was always right
now take two republican papers and the
ChicdgO Times, and ehdeavor TO look az
matters sqsrely. The protectionists say
"We want the high price for the benefit
of the laborers." Now If this was true
would they not Willingly grant them u
few cents more day? They think moth
ing of spending thousands upon thousands
of dollars to send lobbyists to Washington
TO intercede for their particular interest,
and carry some measures through con
gress think the chaf plainly indicates
which way the wind blows In this case
They raise the cry that we pay our labor
higher than free trade England does. In
this they are correct, but they do not g
far enough with their statement and say
that England pays her laborer far better
than protected Germany does. That con-
clusiyely proves that II is not protection
that makes high wages in this country.
Some ask what makes wages higher then
| answer, supply and demand, In the
United States the demand for labor Is
practically larger than the supply, hence
the high price In England the supply Is
greater than the demand, consequently
lower prices prevail. In Germany there is
still greater supply of labor than in Eng
land, and still lower prices prevail. To me-
the tariff looks like cunningly devised
scheme to get the laboring masses 70 keep
buriening themselves with higher prices
for what they have to buy to add larger
profits 10 the great and Iicn manufacturers
of our land anu tax the masses ia favor of
atew. A FILLER OF THE Sell.