The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-09-12

Men first take up the best land, then the next
best, and the difference of productiYeness fixes
the price Of rent of the bost land. This theory
still delights the writer on what is called poliu-
cal economy but tho careful observer IN this
country, and critical observers like the Duke OF
Argyle in the oil world, know that he best land
Is not taken first, and "A trip 10 Colombo Will
lrove 1t beyond peradventure Nautilus
theory OF 20 ula ion seems mathematical
prophecy that tn whole world will soon become
like IadmOre in the Wilderness The political
economist still loves the theory, " hilo he
confesses that ~other causes" are at work which
seem likely 70 postpone Leyond all human con
Germ that day of desc alton conclusively
proven 70 lie at our very doors.
But If the theorizing of individuals goes so
often wrong, there il something which mucn
oftener goes right nd that is the instinct OF the
human race. The President OF the United
States may say that the paople pay not only the
duties on all imported goods put the like in
hancement OF price oil domestic goods.
thereby proclaiming that protection costs US
thousand millions u year; bat rich and pros
porous people with n country covered with rail-
roads as with network. II country thriving with
farms and orchards, flowing with milk and
honey, resonant with looms and stoam-h ham
mers and lighted with furnace fires know in
fnitely better and will show their knowledge
when the supreme hour comes TO decide be-
tween the short sightedness of one man and the
policy of n whole nation. Mr.. Mills, surrounded
by his shouting compeers on his side of the
House, may pr lclnim in the exubernnce OF his
newly acquired knowled,e that lin order
TO get s62, OO1, 900 Of revenue from manu-
facturers OF iron aud steel and wooden ana
cotton goods, the people hnve TO pay $500 0O0,0JO
TO $500 900, oOO but the very people who are said
TO pay these vast sums, and who have never
read Edward Atkinson or Ricardo, or even Adam
Smith. will show IN due tir1e that they have
eyes that ere keener eyes than Mr., Mills and n
good sense which shows that a people swimming
like ours buoyant on the top wave OF prosperity
do not do it with any such milestone sung to
their necks AZ, all has been said or can be
said, the crucial test OF theory of prosperity is
the result you find in actual life, and the great
negative OF free trade rs the prosperity of the
United States Of Ameii a. Prosperity and pro-
lection have gone hand in hand. l have, how
ever heard number of Southern gentienlo n.
proud of their Latin, declare that that was the
old fallacy of Post hoe, propter hoe an express
sion which seemed to convey to them world
of consolation, but which only means that il the
wagon is behind the horse, that does not
prove that ho pulls IL. That is entirely trSe,
my Southern friend but if the horse not
only att ached 20 the wagon but was kicking IL
with both heels. l should hardly expect to see
them coming along together on an uphill road,
such we had during and after the That
prosperity and protection exist together does
not prove that protection causes prosperity
but If the Presidents theory and Mr. Mills
theory that protection costs prosperity n thou
sand mi lion dollars n year DO true it would
seem that, instead OF going hand in hand, they
would hardly bs within speaking distance of
each other. The problem is. how can country
become rich without parallel in history, which
is cursed by n system costing n thousand mill
ions year2 Tho answer is that IL cannot. But
the country is becoming rich visibly TO the naked
eye; therefore the Thousand million theory
must be false.
The friends OF tho President. looking ut the
Oregon elections and seeing also other like signs
in the heavens, have now become alarmed and
Mr.. Mills himself alter having delivered -four
years ago n pointed declaration in favor of free
trade calling 10 by it's y name, and just after
having been examined personally by Henry
George ana pr nounced Il trade from the base
up, has been constrained TO go to New IorS
and declare that mo Democrat wishes froe
trade" The newspapers OF his party also are
now full of disclaimers. They take refuge ia
the doctrine of percentages, and declare that IL
| is cruel To charge them with free trade when
! This doctrine OF percentage is mere juggle
| with figures, as 1 will show. IL has had great
vogue, for both parties have used 1t. IL was
presented early in the debate and the Democrat
/ ic figures taken by their opponents, be
cause the then Democratic doctrina, announced
by all their speeches, that protection force
/ the people TO pay Thousand millions TO manu-
facturers in order 90 give the Treasury n hun.
dred millions OF revenue, and was. therefore. q
sytem of robbery" To which the quick and
| uncomfortable answer came IL this be rob
berry" why do you still sanction what you shy IL
| 40 per cent. of robbery" This percentage
! therefore, seems 20 have the sanction OF boil
| parties, whereas 10 is only the assertion of one
/ Now, however, since the Presidents friends ar,
/ trying to claim that their retention of 40 pc
/ cont. shows them TO be the real original friends
Of projection it Is time TO call attention to thu
fallac', and 20 show how this percentage doc
Or ne is managed. It a. time 20 show what thel
call merely por cent. reduction really a.
Some articles we use much Of OF others We us
very little In this now doctrine Of percentages
quantity plays no part. Ion-tc acid at l9I pc
can't, Of which we usa ounces. counts rs mucl
J ~ metals a. ~ per cent. 81 which we use thou