Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-24

A False Charge Answered by Common
The Democratic advocates of Free Trade
are trying continually to stir up the
prejudice and opposition of the farmers
to Protection by asserting that it is taxing
them for the benefit of the manufacturers
and the manufacturing workingmen. 1t
requires but brief examination of this
statement to perceive its absurdity. The
business and laboring men of this country,
all who are engaged in the shop, the mill.
the field. the forest, and the mine have a
common interest in each others
prosperity and in the prosperity
of the country. The farmers cannot say
to the manufacturer. the mechanic, the
artisan, we have no need of thee. The
owner of the factory, the driver Of ma
chinery, the railroad manager, the mer-
chant whose business depends on the
patronage of his ELECTROMAGNETIC
of these can say to the farmers and the men
of industry We have no need of you. The
success of the owners of, and workers in,
mills and mines is the stimulus ana
prosperity of the farmers, not only of
their immediate neighborhood, but in the
| country at large. Stop the wheels and
the busy hands of a great factory and you
dry up the fertilizing spring which has
been giving life and healthful growth to
all that surround it. 1t is plain to the
| comprehension of all, that a diversified
industry, variety of occupations, tends
to the welfare of all. If all were farmers,
their occupation would be over-done, and
agricultural products glut the markets,
and prices go down to the lowest figure.
If all were carpenters, painters, masons,
and workers in factories, these
kinds of industry would be
overdone, their compensation would be
small. and the cost of their food beyond
their means of purchasing it. 1t is there
fore as clear as that two and two make
four, that the Protective system which
has extended and built up the manufac
turing industries of this country in sucf
enormous proportions, giving employ
ment to millions who otherwise NIGH
have been engaged in agriculture, has
prevented there being SO many farmers al
to break down their occupation and give
stagnation and death to their industry
Still more, the putting of so many hun
| laI ;,to fn N
tories and all the varied forms of skilled
labor have created HOME MARKETS fol
the farmers, so that they are not obliged
to sacrifice large portion of the value o.
their products for freight and the profits
of brokers and middlemen. Not only
does the Protective tariff, by the laying
of duties on the foreign importations o.
agricultural products, shield American
farmers from foreign competition to the
amount of the duties, but of more import
ance to them as class are the HOME MAR
KETs it creates, the great towns and cities
it builds in their vicinity, and the grea
influence it exerts in preventing the over
crowding the farmers occupation.
Therefore, when the Free Trade thee
rist, or the Democratic demagogue, raises
the cry that manufacturers are ''robbel
barons," that Protection is corruption
the benefit of others, the honest either
has this simple and conclusive answer
The American Protective system is fol
the common good of all branches of in
dustry, for all wage workers, for all kinds
of legitimate business, that the American
people have reciprocal and mutual inter
ests, are an association of freemen, WHIT
having new continent and vast unde
veloped resources of all kinds in thei
possession, cannot yet afford to take III
Older nations of the ,oorld into equal part
nership. He is an enemy to society. he i
not a true American, he is demagogu'
unworthy of the championship of free
men, who seek to array one class of citi
zens against another who proclaims tina
Protection robs one portion of the com
munity for the benefit of the other por
ton. Besides, it will not be forgotten, i
is fresh in the memory of all, that no
only Cleveland's last December message
but the Mills bill as well, strikes drectl,
at the farmers by admitting foreign WOO
free, while rice and sugar products o
southern plantations are protected b,
very high rates of duty. This extreme
partial concession to sectional interest
was made to gain Bourbon votes enough
to carry the Mills abomnation through
the House. Thus the Free Trade schem
ers think to use sectional and limited Pro
lection to destroy and uproot general Pro
lection in the United States. American
freemen see through this device of tn
enemy and will surely defeat it by thei
votes.