The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-05
BOGUS PROTECTION.
What Taxation Hasn't Done
for the Farmer.
THE FREE TRADE BUGBEAR.
Less Than Three Thousand Persons
Control Halfthe National Wealth
ofthe United States

Ofthe United states
Farmer Blossom had shown me over
his half section of well titled land. We
had partaken of good country dinner
and were in the sitting room enjoying
our cigars, when he said with sigh:
Free trade is going to ruin US poor
farmers"
What fres trader"
why, the Mills BILL"
Have you read it ?''
mo"
Then how do you make out that it
is free tradef"
"Why, the papers say So"
What papersP''
1.-The Republican papers and the Re
publican Statesmen, too"
"Eh? 1 see that yon have some very
valuable books here in your library
bearing on this subject -census reports
Treasury reports, reports on commerce
on the tariff also. Now, suppose we
put them to little practical use.
When did we ever have free trade as
you call it, in this countryf'
"Oh, frequently"
But when?"
Well, l can't say, but 1've heard
60"
But hearing is not always believing
especially when demagogue is trying
to fool you out of your vote. Then
you can't tell when we had free trade in
this country?"
mo"
THE VERDICT OF HISTORY.
Never. The nearest we ever came
to it was in 1889, when all the inte- state
tariffs were abolished, and all tariffs on
foreign goods were reduced to NOM
inal figure. What do you suppose was
the result?"
why, the country suffered-was
ruined"
"On the contrary, it took its first
step forward, and in twenty years had
rupled in wealth. When did we have
such tariff laws as are contemplated by
the Chicago PLATFORM"
II do not know"
"In 1908. And what do you suppose
was the result?"
Why, the country prospered more
rapidly than ever"
"Let us turn over few pages in this
book and see. In 1903 tariff duties
were made prohibitory and commerce
with the world was shut of, just as the
Chicago platform contemplates. There
was q financial and commercial COL
lapse, there was ruin and disaster
everywhere. In 1909 the prohibitory
tariff was repealed and a tariff about
one-fifth as high as we have at present
was enacted. What folloWep?"
You may tell me-"
1.-The nation again moved off on a
career of prosperity. In 1912 the tariff
of 1909 was doubled, and the war cut
off importations and expectations. We
had home market as in 1908. What
was the resultf"
81 never read that part of history"
lizard times prevailed, banks sus-
pended and there was distress every
where. In 1916 the protection doctors
took hand and undertook to cure the
patient by framing the first protective
tariff raising the taxes somewhat
higher than in 1872. What do you sup
pose followed"
Better times"
"They grew worse; there was still
greater depression of trade. In 1913
the doctors gave the patient another
dose of protection, increased the tariff
tax all around, and then what?"
Il am sure do not know"
The year of 1919 was one Of universal
disaster. The country moved slowly
and laborlously. In 1924 more tariff
was put on, and there was no improve
ment. In 1928 a still higher tariff tax
was put on and times grew little
harder. In 1892 the country changed
doctors and part of the tariff tax was
wiped out. What followed?"
go on and tell me-"
TRADE 8EvIvAL OF 1888.
Cuisines Immediately revived. In
1888 the tax was lowered again, and
prosperity increased. By the year 1887
the United States Treasury was over
flowing, and the surplus was divided
around among the States. An era of
wild speculation followed the distribu-
ton; the land bubble was blown up so
large that it burst, and panic ensued,
the effects of which lasted for nearly
two years. Then things started to
move off smoothly until 1912, when the
protection doctor 3g1 got hold of the
country, and the angus tariff of that
year was enacted. an you tell me
what happened?"
81 vas always in favor of the tariff
of 40. 1t build up the country
History doesn't say SO. On the
contrary, in 1843 the depression was
greater than what followed the panic
of 1887, and from which the country
had recovered. Prices of farm pro-
ducts fell off one-half, and commerce
was cut in two in the middle. Then
for the first time in the nations his
tory the protected few began to get
rich at the expense Of the overtaxed
many. especially at the expense of the
farming interest. In 1916 the tariff of
1912 was reduced about one-half, and
what followed?"