St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-11

interests of the farmer, and if by any
| possibility the farmer was in the least
benefited by the tariff, it was not in
tended by the men who made the law.
1t is the foreign market that is of the
most consequence to the American
farmer. The United States produces
annually 100,000,000 bushels of wheat
more than can be consumed at home. Ii
this great quantity of grain remains here
be sold abroad, and the market to which
it is taken is Liverpool. The farmer
takes his grain to New York without.
the help OF the government, and when
he reaches Liverpool he must sell under
| the most radical free trade competition
''Six years ago." he said, "when CAM
didate for congress, said tot
the farmers of the Tenth Ohio
district that of the system Of protection
then in force was continued, wheat
would sell at Is cents a bushel. I stand.
to-day as a vindicated prophet. The
reason is that the foreign market, which,
by our laws. 1t is not to be supposed
that the United States can legis--
late against the world and not
be legislated against in retaliation. :
So high wall as we build against the
world, just so high a one will the
world build against us. The mar
kets Of 150,00O,O0O people in Christ
endom are closed against American
farmers in retaliation for our protective
tariff. England came very near adopt
ing a retaliatory policy-that Of fair
trade-which was championed few
years ago by Lords Salisbury and
Churchill. But one statesman, the
GRAND OLD MAN,
WIN lie a1uovC frua fn fhn nrincinlaa Of
liberty, made a speech in the British
house of commons which overthrow the
fair traders. In his speech against the
scheme Gladstone said; ''Trade is
a road between two countries
the broader and less unobstructed
it is, the better for both. If one coun-
try is foolish enough to put in an OBJ
stacle twenty feet high, that's no reason
why the other country should double
the difficulties of the trade by putting
in another obstacle equally high. I
have read in holy writ that if a
man strikes you Oh one cheek you
you on the other also, but have never
read that if man should strike you on
one cheek you should turn around and
strike yourself ON the other also.
The query now is: 'When shall the
American farmer find profitable
market for his product" He will keep
on piling it up here until everything is
full. There is only one end to this sort
of thing. The American farmers will
be beggars in the midst Of
their own plenty. unless they
say to the world, "Come here
and buy" The consumption here can
not be increased. They must look to
the world for relief.
This country, the speaker said, turns
trade away, while England invites it.
and Minneapolis, should the authorities
of the latter city have the power to levy
duty upon all the products of Mime
sofa brought there to market.
"Note the effect of what little
free trade the United States has, said
Mr. Hurd. ''We have reciprocal treaty
with the Sandwich islands, which have
total population of some 10000 semi
civilized persons whose few wants are
easily satisfied. Before the treaty went
into effect, our trade with
the Sandwich islands amounted to
about 100000 annually. After seven
years of the treaty, under which, ac-
cording to protection theories, our
it has grown to $l4,000,0O0 per annuln,
IS per cent of which is carried in Ameti
can vessels. lin seven years the trade
of the United States with the
Sandwich Islands will increase to the
T extent stated. What. would be the
effect if the United States should adopt
similar treaties with Mexico, Spain and
Canada? In less than three years we.
would sell to those countries goods
to the amount of S500,000,000 an
nually instead of comparatively nothing
as now. 1t is time for American manu-
facturerS to turn their eyes from profit,
less competition at home to the limitleSs
field of the world"
Mr.. Hurd next exploded the
PROTECTIONIST FALLACY. 9
| that the tariff Increases the wages of.
| the American mechanic, showing that
the superior skill of the American
affords him ample protection
against the competition of foreign
ers. The protection. if any were
needed by the American workman,
should be upon labor, not its product.
| The speaker gave several instances
where American labor is paid less than
corresponding labor in England and
Germany, and yet by superior skill is
able to earn more in a day.
He referred to the destruction of
the American carrying trade, land closed
his interesting address by referring to
the maritime wealth of Tyre and Seldom,
and of Venice and England under
free trade, all of which would
be eclipsed by the United States
were the tariff abolished. Good
| argument for free trade is that each
| country shall produce what it can best
and exchange with its neighbors. And
now is the time to break down the bar
riers and invite the world to m utuality