Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-30
DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP.

To the Editor OF the Eagle
1t has been said that ''Americans"
forget yesterday" Many residents OF
Kansas from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
can bear me out in the statement that
twenty-six years ago those states were as
fully mortgaged as the further western
states are today. Corn was twelve and
a half cents per bushel and no purchas-
er s; the farmers looked desperate. and
as ours have looked of late; wheat down
to fifty cents per bushel at the railroad
station. What relieved the situation!
Reduction Of production, owing to an
absence Of the boys in the army. Then
followed higher prices; then came boun-
ties to fill the drafts, and many middle
aged man enlisted for bounty to wipe
ont at one swoop the mortgage on the
farm. Now, why are we IN distress
over mortgages?-it is over production
surplus of wheat hence too low prices,
unrenumerative to the farmer-when
they are pinched, all are pinched. Our
remedy is to enlarge our markets for ce-
reals and meat, not by export, for Eng
land don't buy of us if she can buy OF a
british, subject. In India or Australia
she goes for protection in her way all
the time. 1t is only the chance of a
short crop in Europe that calls for our
wheat, we cannot grow wheat Tor so
great an uncertainty, but If we increase
our home consumption, by purchasing
little but what we make ourselves-by
taxing it out at the custom house-we
assist to balance our production and con-
sumption by increasing the number OF
our consumers-wage workers. Now
suppose the people of Wichita
should resolve to use no soap, crackers,
shoes. flour. bacon and hams but what
was made in Wichita, would it not bene-
fit Wichita? Then what do Americans
want Of goods not manufactured lii
America. that we can manufacture? Not
to get it cheaper, for the education OF
the campaign has proved that what we
have learned to manufacture ourselves
we get cheaper than we did before of
Europe-and lumber which our friend
Ebev stuffed his first gun with--how
about it? He claimed it was enhanced in
price twenty per per cent by the tariff.
Now comes our consul at Ottawa. pre-
sumably Democrat, and says to the
state department that canadian lumber
is cut on the public domain and pays a
certain price to the government. The
Canadian budget exceeds the receipts.
IL YOU make lumber free it will only
benefit Canada. They tax it now all 1t
will bear, and would at once increase 1t
and take it in if the duty was lowered,
or words to that effect. One by one we
are dismantling the guns OF free trade.
| Let every man that ever cast a Repu0ll-
can vote cast now another. Don't give
I'D the ship" Old Abraham once
walked this deck-every timber is sacred.
What we can't do on her yet we can't dc
! off of her. In two weeks the mist wal
rise and, mark it. our flag will be
there-America for American goods.
/ Don't be diverted from the main attack
/ by third parties on the flanks-labor and
| temperance dominates the Republican
party-the majority of every Legislature
are farmers and the ma ority OF congres;
are of farmers born. Forty years age
/ the hue and CRY was; Down with mid
/ die men; then down with the foreigner
/ then hurrah for the Greenback or Pro
/ hibition: now down with monopohes anc
consolidated capital, etc We huddie
crowd together to back 1t up. Sold out
/ Don't be a clam that sees not,-when th'
| Republican partv ceases TO be an honoi
! TO the memory of heroic dead, II Is th'
/ fault Of the masses that compose 1t, o
/ which you and / are proportional
/ mart. OlD NAf I.