San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-11-03

1874 II was an unusual event TO find at any
one time over 10000 hides in the public
stores of New YORK, awaiting sale. Now we
see by last weeks trade report that the ar
rivals in seven days were ll2,OO0 and that the
total stock on hand awaiting a purchaser
amounted to 100000. Can you wonder that
men have been cut off? If this be the result
of free trade in the skin of steer, what will
be the result of free trade in all that lies
within that skin; meat tallow, glue, etc.
The Mills bill places these, meat, tallow and
glue. upon the free list, and IL that bill be-
comes law the next step will be cattle on
foot, although for ali practical purposes the
present bill is destructive of this industry
also. You can judge as well as myself what
the result will be? The countries now slaugh-
tering cattle for their hides will flood our mar
ketS wi h dressed and canned meats as soon
as the cents per pound present duty is re-
moved. What viii be the result when refrig.
orator steamers from foreign ports unload
free meat at Galveston! or refrigerator cars
from Mexico come pouring their contents
over three trunk lines leading into our state
and compelling our cattle men by this Next
can competition TO abandon their land and go
out OF business? ask you, have not our cat
tie men suffered enough already, without this
additional burden. and must Texas labor
come into competition with peon labor across
the border? When that competition comes
how can Texas cattle lands hold their own
with comparatively worthless lands across the
Rio Grande: They certainly can not, and
the vast revenues at present derived by
this state from her annual land leases, will
become lost 10 her treasury and this addition
al burden also be entailed upon the Teople.
when our cattle and sheep men are thus
forced out OF business by unequal competi-
ton with free wool, free hides and free meats
of those countries in which landi and labor
rate far below our own, will some free
trader rel me what Will be the price per acre
of the magnificent ranches in south and west
Texas?
Another illustration of the destructive ten
dency of free trade. In 1856 and 1851, before
our present prot ctive policy went into effect,
wool so deprecated in vaue with all other
commodities that the banking institutions of
the whole country with one exception, sus-
pended payment and universal ruin stared
the nation In the face. Those who are famIl-
lar with that financial crisis will doubtless re-
member that the great depreciation in the
price OF wool, the superior article. was follow
ed rs IL always was and will be by a cores
pOnding reduction in cotton. the inferior ar
tIcic This latter staple was forced down to the
unprecedented price of and cents, accord
ing 20 quality. and every cotton planter in the
CuuE;r, suffered incaculal le loss. Shall his
tory repeat itself?
These Que. lions of free trade and prOtec-
ton, and their effect upon the prosperity of
our people are matters in which we are all
concerned They effect our present and our
future prosperity. and as we decide them, so
shall our resources multiply or diminish; so
shall be our prOgrc IS or our rctrogression.
As to the question of labor which ! must
leave without that sDCca' CluCidat'On which
tS importance demands, let Inc sum it up as
did an old democratic friend OF III ne, just re-
said to we: II could forever settle this ques-
tiOn Of free trade IN America by taking its adj
YOcatcs with me across the wUtcr and showing
them what have recently seen, viz: the im.
poverished condition of labor its degradation
and distress, the wOrkingman treated more like
a slave than human being. Having seen this
would have him return and compare the la
Dor conditions abroad with the infinitely SUI
periOr surroundings of our bone labor"
Said he: when | lose my senses and forget
what have seen abroad may become a Tree
trader. but so long as preserve these and my
pride of American citizenship, shall remain
a strong prOtectionst."
Fellow-ctizens, in conclusion ask you, as
those interested with me in all that makes the
prosperity of our great state and this district,
to give this subject your most serious consid-
GRAFTON. ! ask you to decide ii honestly, with
out regard II party, and without reference TO
persons and when you go to the polls on the
9th of November, do so as free men, and vote
in accordance with what you believe to he for
the best interests of the people of this district
and their industries.