St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-27
If Protection Is Any Good
Canada Ought to Be Fat
Enough to Kill.
Are the People Of the West
Cowards, to Be Driven by
Blood-Suckers?
A Driving Argument for the
Cause Of Low Taxes and
Economy.

Mr. Holmes asserts that his two weeks
absence has made him a protectionist.
Mr.. ii. says he had never given the
subject much thought, and about year
ago had become free trader. He is con-
slStent in one thing at least. He became
free trader without ''much thought -
and turned full-fedged protectionist
after two short weeks hobnObbing with
Eastern manufacturers. Most men reach
clear convictions on this great subject
only after years of careful study and
thorough investigation. Mr.. Holmes,
special form of protectionism is
sort of Canada-phobia. We
must have protection against Can
ada, or no telling what terri
bic destruction will come upon US. And
now what does he say of this people,
who will ruin US if they get half a
chance? Canada" he says, ''has but
100000 people, and there is no home
market there. Both manufacturers and
laborers there are in bad, very bad
shape" And SO Mr.. Holmes is afraid
that a people 60,000,O00 strong-intelli-
gent, Skiliful, ambitious, with the most
magnificent and unequaled natural
resources-must have protection from
that little handful of impoverished
manufacturers and half-fed Iaborers.
The giant needing protection from the
plgmy. Here is skijlful, enerergetic,
thrifty, pushing mechanic. Across the
street is an incompetent, unSkillful,
half-fed, half-clothed mechanic. Who
would ever dream that the formre
needed protection against the latter?
Much less would nation of the former
need protection against nation of the
latter. Yet such are the suggestions
that two weeks intercourse with the
pampered manufacturers of the East
produce. By the way, these manu-
facturers do not seem to have explained
to Mr.. Holmes how it comes that Can
ada should be in such plight as this
under the eXOrbitant protective tariffs
that Sir John MacDonald's government
has given er. If protection is any
good, Canada ought to be
FAT ENOUGH TO KILL.
Mr.. Holmes further says. if the free
trade idea prevails. there will come
upon the East a terrible panic, and
money will be withdrawn, and, bad as
it will be in the East. the. West will
catch it still more terribly. [ am sur
prised that a man of MIR. Holmes in
telligence and experience should allow
himself to be so ,guyed by the men
who have bled the West year after
year and decade after decade, and who
will now try to frighten US into silence
and further submission by such cock
and-bull, Jack-the giant-killer nonsense
as this. If Mr.. Holmes had been famii-
lar with protectionist literature he
would not have repeated this old fad.
The most terrible, universal, and disas-
ferrous panic that ever befel this
countrycame after twelve years of
the highest protective tariffs this
country ever saw. "O," but saya million
protectionists at once, ''protection did
not cause that panic" | don't care
whether it did or not. We have been
paying out from five hundred to a thou
sand millions per annum to support this
god or demon called Protection, and |
want to know why he didn't protect.
What's he here for, anyhow? and why
are we feeding him this enormous
amount, ii he does not attend to business
and give us some protection from these
terrible calamitieS. He is too expensive
an individual to keep lying around for
ornament, whether he wear coronet or
horns. Mr.. Holmes finally states that
he loans money to farmers, and would
naturally advocate what he supposed is
for the farmers interest, and yet pro-
lection is what he wants. There is no
doubt but that his interests are largely
Identical with those of the farmers. ANY
man who has loaned money to farmers
during the last ten years has probably
more interest in agriculture than any
bonanza farmer. l have tried it myself
and know how it is. But when Mr..
Holmes will study the question, instead
of taking his opinions on the subject
from Eastern manufacturers, he will
find that protection is not what he
wants. Let us see. The farmers of the
West have had new and cheap lands.
unrobbed of the richness that ages have
stored up in them. The climate is at
least as favorable to the production of
as great variety of farm products as
that of any other country. Now, if
with
THESE GREAT ADVANTAGES,
and in addition thereto, protective
tariffs give the Western farmers still
greater advantages, our farmers should
be living away up on the top shelf.
Every farmer who is not shiftless ga
loot ought to have good house, fine
barns, fine stock, carriages to ride i'm
and money in the bank. Farms and
farm produce ought to be high. But
what are the facts. NOtwithstand-
ing the great increase of population,
which ought to have enormously in
creased the price of farm land, we find
that it is not worth more than one-half
what it was ten years ago. The profits
of the farm for the last FIVE years have
scarcely been sufficient to keep soul and
body together. He who has farm prop
erty can scarcely give it away. Mr..
Holmes and myself have had to take
lands for our clients that could
not possibly be sold for SO cents on
the dollar what they have cost, and
some for not even 25 cents. WHAT'S the
matter? If God and Nature and protec-
tive tariffs have all been boosting the
farmer, what is the matter with him,
and what is the matter with farm prop
erty? Ill tell you just what ails him.
Mr.. Holmes or myself, as the agent
of some Eastern party. loans farmer
$1,000. Now. if the farmer is out of
debt (Which is a violent presumption he
uses that $1,000 to buy machinery.
furniture, clothing, etc. If he buys inn
ported goods bearing an average tariff,
he will pay out just $40 of that 81 200
as taxes to support the United States
government, and help pay the great
debt. If he buys domestic goods, he
will pay out at least $500 as bonus to
the manufacturers. That is, he
will pay $500 for his purchases.
above the market prices of the
world, while he is forced to
sell his produce at the market prices of
the world. And when they are worn
out he will have to buy again, and
again pay from $500 to s470 bonus or
tax out of each 1000 he spends. And
all this time he does not so much as own
the 81, 900 that he is paying such tax
upon. And now how about that 81 600
mortgage? 1t went into vault
in New York, where thre are thousands
more like it, and no custom house officer
ever calls upon it for cent to help sup
port the government that protects it,
~ 20 holm now tho N national dab+