The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-08-16
..Horny-Fisted Sons of Toll"

Free Trade Democracy and uniting Wild
the Republicans because OF Protection.
1t bewails the folly of such action, as II
would term it, in the following sentences:
"But. why this separation from the party
with which they formerly voted ? is ii
because they regard "A high protective
Tariff AS being subservient to the welfare
of the millions of horny handed SOUS OF
toll. who receive small wages for their la
DO. and pay eXh0rbitant and impoverlsh-
ing prices tor what they consume =
Will our contemporary tell the "horny |
listed sons of toil'' in what particular they |
pay exhorbitant and impoverishing prices |
for what they consume Is it in anything |
they wear OF eat Is it in cotton cloth,
calico, cloth, or the pet scare crow vi MI |
] Ranpoph Tucker and his son Harry ST |
George, the poor mans blanket and wool
hat. We venture the assertion that there
are a number Of Democratic and Re-
Publican voters in Highland county who
reneml er very well when cotton cloth.
calico. blankets, hats, etc.. cost double
what they do now, and when wool sold fol
10 cents poand. cattle for and y and
"a
under Democratic revenue only policy.
When the people think of the conditions
under which they lived up to 1861 and the
conditions which have prevailed since that
time, under the protective policy. they
will not agree with the Recorder, that they
are worse off now than they were then,
or that they are oppressed with burdens
which did not obtain then. There is but
one article of consumption that is dearel
which comes into daily use, than before
1861. and that is coffee, and coffee is and
has been for years on the free list. Butter,
eggs, fruits, potatoes, wool, cattle, sheep
and everything else II at the 'horny flstt O
sons of toil'' of Highland county raise,
bring better prices and have reader mar
ket now than thirty years ago.
Why should Highland county want free
trade. or the adoption of legislation SUI h
as the Mills Bill, which would lead in tie
direction of free trade? She has noun
tajns of mineral wealth, which only warts
access to market, to be source OF I'M
mense value to her people. With rail
road passing through her territory. which
will be the case at no distant day, there is
40 equal al ca of land that would produce
greater or more atlluent results Highland
is rich in natural resources, and what Is
wanting is capital and skill to develop and
facilities for reaching it. Such can be as
sured only under the protective policy
Free trade would arrest public enter
prises of all kinds. Railroads would cease
TO be multiplied at the rate they now are.
for the reason that material development
would be checked. which furnishes remu-
lucrative freight business. Corporations.
as a source of taxation. would diminish,and
the lands be called upon to pay larger trlb
ute for the support of government. In some
States, notably Pennsylvania. the whole
revenue for State purposes. is derived from
assessments upon personal and corporate
property. This will be, in time. the case
in Virginia and other States, where the
natural resources give promise OF indus
tries and such enterprises as can bear tax
alton. What the horny listed sons OF
toil'' of the whole country want is the
perpatuation of that system which en-
courages material development, gives en-
ployment and remuneration TO the men
who pay the taxes and fight the battles OF
the country, and who constitute the warp
and wool of its strength, lis growth and
it's grandeur. They do not want to build
I'D the workshops and factories, the fur
naces and the mines of other countries,
of hoir O
the result under the policy contemplate
and aimed at in the Mills bill and the
Democratic theory as to revenue collec-
tions They want home employment and
a home market-the enlargement OF the
industrial system and its Investigation,
so as to accommodate the natural condl
tions and resources of every portion of our
diversified country-so that our 6O,00O.00O
people can produce what they want and by
interchange of commodities. each commu
njty contribute to the wealth, comfort.
happiness and progress of the other. That
is what protection means. 1t means
America for Americans in the broadest
and most practical sense. and the upbnlld-
ing of our country by the united efforts
and labor of our own people, working IN
and through each other and for common
object. We have our own wool. our own
timber, our own iron and steel ores. out OF
which to make tin-plate. our own hemp.
our own vegetables, our own salt, why not
80 legislate as to use them. instead OF in
wiling such products to come in free OF
duty, to destroy the value of what we
have? Why not give preference to our
own people and our own land and what it
is capable of producing. rather than lock
abroad to encourage those who do not con-
tribute cent to the support of our gov
eminent or offer an arm to defend it in
time of need
When the "horny- listed sons of toll, OF
Highland and Virginia and the whole
country think over the subject in all its
bearings and it's comprehensive meaning,
they will not hesitate to say that they
prefer their own country and its develop
ment and power to that of any other, and
will, with singular unanimity, enter their
protest at the baliot-box against that pol
icy which would give the preference and
advantage TO foreign countries and the
people thereof to their own.
The Wing publishes the tobacco clause
of the Mills bill and calls attention to the
fact that the Republican members from
Virginia voted against the bill with t. is
clause inserted. The manner OF publica-
ton might leave the impression that the
tobacco clause was a distinct proposition
in itself. and thatthe Republican members
voted against it as such. They voted against
the Mills bill, because it is an assault upon
the entire industrial system Of the nation
and its adoption would produce panic
such as this country has never known. The