Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-10-29
Poor Investment.


waging a strong war, big gun, the well
known Colonel John Atkinson, of De-
troit, was brought here to speak,
He was accompanied by the high tariff
candidate for congress for this district,
Watts S. Humphrey. They arrived on a
special train furnished by the monopo-
lists, and the expenses were paid out Of
the donations forced from the laboring
man and farmer by the protective tariff
tax. The regular passenger train was
not good enough for the patrician blood
of the speakers. Such conveyance was
good enough for Democrats, but an or
binary express train was too common for
the great advocates Of protection and mo-
Colonel Atkinson began the battle by
relating the history Of the tariff from the
time Of Washington to the present, as he
saw it through his distorted protected
spectacles. His whole argument was
that when heavy tax was placed on the
people for the support OF the manufact-
uring industries, that man ufacturies pros
pered, and the capitalists whose money
was therein invested received great prof
its, and that was what he termed general
prosperity. But when the donations of
the people were decreased toward the
protected industries, then business Ian
guished, there was trade stagnation, peo-
pie rushed their money in an insane man.
ner to Europe, and the whole country was
in terribly depressed condition. Then
when the people were again forced to
make large donations of their wages to
the manufacturing industries, everything
began to boom again. Everybody was hap
Ply, money poured back from Europe, and
the proud American eagle joyfully sang
the national anthem.
According to the Colonel, the entire
prosperity of America rested on protec-
ton, and il that prop was removed the
country would go to ruin. Manufactures
would cease operations. People would
not be able to find employment. Ruin
would stare every man i'm the face. Dis
astrous panics would sweep over the land,
filling the homes of the people with sor-
row, hunger, restitution and misery, and
the great American people would become
a nation Of paupers. There was only one
way, according to the Colonel, in order to
make America prosperous, and that was
protection, whereby the farmers and la
borers were forced by law to donate
large portion Of their wages for the sole
benefit of the capitalist. What terrible
condition for the greatest country i'm the
world to be in! It's only solid foundation,
according to the protectionists, was tax
placed on the poor people for the benefit
OF the rich.
After the Colonel had fully stated his
views on the subject, he spoiled his entire
argument by using the lumber business
here as an illustration as to how the de-
crease OF the tax would destroy the en-
tire business. He asked his audience how
they would like to have all the lumber
mills shut down and the business of man.
ufacturing lumber transferred to Canada.
He then pictured in graphic colors what
a terrible thing it would be to Alpena to
have such a calamitous thing take place
All this destruction of Alpenas business
was to take place IL the Democratic idea
OF reducing the tariff taxes on the peo-
pie was carried out.
Colonel Atkinson made bad break In
his argument when he used the lumber
business here as an illustration to show
what he believed would result from tariff
taxation reduction. AS fact, this re-
duction of the tariff on lumber has been
made and by the Republicans too. The
Mckinley tariff bill reduces the tax on
lumber imported from Canada, one hun
dred per cent. In so doing they followed
the Democratic idea Of reducing the tax
es. This reduction is just what the peo-
pie desire in the reformation OF the tariff.
They know in order to maintain the Al
pena lumber industries, that before many
years pass they will have to raft logs
from Canada to prevent tho mills here
from shutting down for want of logs to
manufacture. Colonel Atkinson may
therefore change his gloomy ideas in re-
gard to the destruction Of Alpena's lum-
Der interests by reduction OF the tariff
taxes on lumber. He should throw away
his distorted eye glasses and get pair
that will permit him to see clearly. He
should also have read his own party tar
if bill, and then he would not have made
such great and ignorant blunder Of
telling the people that the very act
done by his own party was going to
ruin one section of the country. II pro-
lection is such wonderful thing, as the
Colonel argued it was, and was so abso-
lutely necessary for the welfare Of the
country, then why is not protection on
lumber good thing for Alpena and
Michigan? Why did the Republicans
lower the lumber tariff? IL 1t Is a good
thing to put heavy tax on clothing,
glassware, leather goods, blankets, earth
ern-ware, and other articles Of necessity,
why is it not equally as beneficial to put
a heavy tax on lumber?
The Colonel's visit here was poor in
vestment for the monopolists, and was
not worth special train. Remarks on
the political situation were also made by
Mr.. Humphrey.
PERSONAL.