River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-09-06


to the House, although it passed the
Senate early in the session.
Inconsistency of Free Trade Attorneys.
The free trade attorneys have sew.
eral strings to their eolian harp, each
set TO different tune. according to
the presumed necessities of the situa.
ton. The voters ear will be tickled
with his favorite strain, and the music
timed to his crudest step, always pro-
vided that his toes point toward the
free trade camp.
The farmer is told that he, of all
men, should stand for free trade; that
protection but adds to the price of
what he buys, and that his trouble
with the price of what he has to sell
comes from the fact that his market
is not far enough from home. The
mechanic is treated to the song of
cheaper food and raiment when free
trade comes. The lahorer, after few
solemn strains over the hardness of
his lot, is melted with martial notes
to tumble down the wall of protection
to his home industries and enter upon
the blessings which free trade has in
store for its advocates.
But the manufacturer is likely to
detect some discord in songs which
promise higher wages for labor and
lower prices fer products. Another
string is touched, and there comes to
him the grand promise of the world's
markets. He is told that goods which
Americans are unable to buy will find
ready purchasers beyond the seas, and
that ON the pinions of free trade in
creased wealth will be borne back to
him, if he will but join in the worship
of the image that the Golden Club has
set up.
Who so blind as not to see incon-
sistency in all this!
The farmers profit is now dimin-
ished by expense of transportation to
centres of consumption, and many are
barred the production of certain
profitable crops by remoteness from
markets. His obvious interest is to
have markets nearer to the farm, and
when possible sell in his own county
rather than in Europe. He should
remember that every man kept at
work and earning wages in some other
occupation than farming, lessons CON-
petition in growing farm products,
while increasing the demand and
prices for the same.
The mechanics interest lies in hav-
ing every dollar of wealth produced
in this country kept at home and
spent in building better houses, more
machinery, finer furniture--in short,
adding to the facilities of production
and the ability of our people to pur-
chase the products of mechanical in
dustry. Let him reflect upon the dis
advantage at which he would be placed
if compelled to depend for wages upon
some calling in which he is not skilled.
In his own trade he is an expert, at
any other work he would be a novice.
The laborer, dependent upon others
for his means of support, is the first to
feel the pinch of dull times. When
building factories, making railroads,
improving streets, etc, ceases, he is
the first thrown out of work, and the
least able of all to endure enforced
idleness. AS his department of labor
is one requiring strength rather than
skill, it is the most of all exposed to
competition.
And the manufacturer, how is he to
get the promised hold upon the mar
kets of the worldl These are already
occupied by the manufacturers of
other nations; otherwise they would
not be so persistent to get into the
markets of this country. How are
they to be displacedl Obviously in
but one of two ways: The American
manufacturer to secure markets now
monopolized by Europeans must either
supply better goods at the prices now
paid, or he must supply equally good
articles for less money. If he makes
the sacrifice, the cheapening process
must fall either upon the material
used or the labor put upon the finished
product.
In face of the fact that $3.50, 100000
were last year paid to foreigners for
products which could as well have
been manufactured in this country,
the folly of further concessions in be-
half of free foreign trade must be
apparent to all except those who will
not see.