The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-02-16
Terse Tariff Taik.
Cleveland Press.


Congressman "Glad to see you,
Farmer Fiber. What's the news up
at Hardscrabble?"
Farmer Fiber: Struck rich iron
mine on my farm"
Congressman You don't say so?
By Jeve, it's good thing for you. and
good thing for the country. Every
such discovery of natural wealth is an
undisguised blessing"
Farmer Fiber: But I can't get
this ore out at prefit unless my neigh
bors turn in and help me and of course
they won't do that without pay. Now
1 thought you might pass law to
make 'em help me mine that iron
without wages"
Congressman Why, Mr.. Fiber,
you know such a law is absurd it
wouldn't hold for a minute; besides,
your neighbors would raise a rebellion
if we tried it."
Farmer Fiber: But suppose in
stead of doing it that way, you should
get duty of IS cents ton put on for.
eign ore. Then. I could mine my ore
and sell it at such figure that it wo'd
be the ssme as though my neighbols
were compelled to work for me for
nothing"
Congressman "Oh, / can get q
law of that kind easy enough. That's
the policy of the government. That
the way we protect and develop home
Industries"
Farmer Fiber: "But this rs cents
mere law don't make the money. II
only gives me power to charge more
| for each ton of my ore by 75 cents. In
other words. make all the people in
the country work my mine, instead o.
few of them"
Congressman That's it, Mr.. Fl
Der, that's 1t. You ought to be in con
gress yourself, you see the beauties o
the protective tariff 50 clearly"
Farmer Fiber: '' Thanks. But wha
is the difference in the principle
whether u few or the many dig m,
ore?
Congressman: "Ali the differane,
in the world, Fiber. In the case o
the duty that mines it, everyone ha
to contribute, and don't know it. Yoi
pocket the profit aud have Nc com
plaint made about it. Ia fact. you vii
be looked upon by most people as
public benefactor"
Farmer Fiber. 'iWeli, the fact i,
Mr.. Congressman, I've been jokiu
about the iron mine on my farm. |
} isn' an iron mine that have, bur
wheat aud corn and pork miae; an
this year l've got a surplus that ma
ia CubS wants to give me 81 600 for Il
Spanish iron ore. and Raltimor
foundry-man wants that ore to use il
his business"
; Congressman: "Weil, why don
you send your surplus wheat, corn al
pork to Cuba, bring back the ore an
sell it to the Baltimore man ?'
Farmer Fiber: " "Because L hav
got to pay that 75 cents duty on abou
+ 500 tons of ore. That is 1875 [ hav
got to turn over 10 the gcveFnu3ent fc
the benefit of people who do have iro
| mines. Now. do you know, Mr. Coz
} gressmaa, that think that laws thu
help iron mines at the expense I
wheat, corn and pork miaes, ale NJ
I fair?n
.pgressman: "I'm afraid, Fi6e
thai I shall have to take back what
have said shout } our ii mess for col
l gresham. You manifest 9 dispositio
to favor the pauper labor Of Europe.
Farmer Fiber: % don't think
would make good congressman, m.
self. don't seem to have the requ
4 site absence of conscience for the p
, litical economy that you advocate. A
for the pauper labor of Europe, If thing
keep on with US American farme
: much longer, there'il be more paup
labor on this side of the Atlantic tbs
on the other"