Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-10-27

To keep away the blast,
And every chimney now again is puning,
Because the summers past
Tho Work;uuman's Interest In Protect ion.
The Free Trade advocate is the
orist. calmly indifferent to those
practical aspects OF good government
which Statesmen recognize as mo-
mentous. Point him to the fact that
millions Of workers are now fgaged
in those industries which will suffer,
some OF them disappear, when expos
ed to unrestrained foreign COMPETE
ton, and ask him what is to become
of these people, he at once responds
that they can GO at some other work,
and beyond this-he saith not. This
may satisfy the clustered professor
of political economy, and those who
are content to repeat his theories !;
but the thousands of voters who de-
pend upon steady work at fair pay
cannot afford to become the victims
of theory, whatever its fascination
for the visionaire. With them every
question of government policy is a
practical one, in the decision OF
which they cannot hazard mistake.
Under the policy of Protection the
productions Of our country-of agrl-
culture, manufactures, mines, forests
have SO marvelously increased that
there is to day more work for more
men than at any time since the first
factory wheel revolved in America,
or the first furrow was turned. There
has not been a day since the May
flower landed when an average days
work would go as far as it will go to
day in supplying the comforts and
necessaries Of family life. 1t is this
condition that the workingman is
asked to jeopardize by reversing the
fiscal policy under which it was
brought about. Aside from the sus-
picious circumstance that the inspir-
alton for such a charge, as well as
the arguments put forth in it's be-
half, have foreign origin, and are
largely championed by men interest
ed in foreign trade, there are certain
practical aspects of the situation
which no prudent voter should ig-
more when casting his ballot.
Let it be remembered that every
competing foreign article sold in this
country takes the place of domes-
tic article which might have been
sold. Just go much more foreign
goods as are sold to our people, just
so much less domestic goods can be
sold. II domestic goods cannot be
sold, they will not be made. If not
made, employment in their manufac-
ture must stop, idleness ensues, and
with it privation and distress. 1t is
not enough for the theorist to say
that men thus thrown out of employ
ment can take hold of something
else. Other lines of business are now
as full as manufactures. Crowding
agriculture with men elsewhere
thrown out will inevitably depress
that industry. Thousands who are
now buyers Of products will be una
BILE to pay, and will either raise
what they need or go without. Wa
ges will go down under the diminish
ed demand for the products Of farm
and factory, hard times will reign
supreme, and the Free Traders mil
lenium VIII draw nigh. Then, and
not till then, can goods be produced
as cheaply here as in Europe, for Ia
Dor under such conditions can be
procured on equal terms here and
abroad.
Every voter who earns his living
by harder work than clipping cou-
pons will do we'll to contemplate the
tendency and result of the present
Free Trade appeals before casting
his ballot for its furtherance in the
United States, whose citizens are
worthy better fate than such pol
icy has in store for them.
the day of election, be given or de
livered to, or received by, any per-
son within sixty feet of the voting
place, except he be one of the CON-
misioners of election, who shall re-
ceive the same ony at the ballot box,
and in his official capacity.
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