The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-05-10
THE FARMERS COLUMN.
Edited By the Pioneer's Agric,llt,~al
-. Correspondent.

..r.- correspondent. /
In late issue we had an extract from a
series Of articles on tariff reform BY Mr.
Nash iu the N. W. Farmer and Breeder hay
ing given an illustration showing that tariff
taxation bears hardest on the poor, and not
felt by the rich: he now ably shows the fal-
lacy Of the 50 called "Protection:"
II is to keep up the price Of the msnufact-
ured necessaries Of life and for no other re-
ason whatever that the tariff exists. Every
one will remember how, few years since,
we had to pay g cents box f,r these high
ly favored Oshkosh matches, and that sud-
denly he could get the same match for II
cents. What was the matter? Free trade in
matches was the matter, and all the cause
that could explain so great downfall in
prices. The question at once occurs why have
the poor been taxed for SO many years in
this shameless way, compelling them to pay
seven times as much for matches as they
were worth. That qustion will continue to
recur. Nobody can answer it with decent
answer. The only possible reason TO be al
legged is this. The tax was kept up in or
der that the match trust might wax wealthier.
And mark yoQnFe have had cheap matches
ever since, and mark again they are Ameri-
can matches also. Yet these same match
manufacturers averred in ignorance or in
knavery, that their burlness would be ruin
ed by free trade IN matches-just what most
of the men and::,orporations who get the tariff
bonuses aver today about everything else.
But mark again, there are many times more
matches made in America under free trade
in matches than under the protective tax
that enabled the makers to wringa CHASTITY
profit, out Of every consumer. And mark
again, that means that there are more work
men employed in making matches. So far
from any of them losing their job-as the
proteotlonists are always threatening will
happen to all working men if free trade
oomes-they doubtless kept their work and
many beside them are drawing wages for
making American matches Ard mark a.
gain, the manufacturers have quit tearing
their hair in ignorance or else have quit los.
ing; they keen on making matches, and
probably making four times as many as then,
certainly making many more, and evidently
getting fair profit. Yet al these facts are
knook-down facts to all the protectionist ar
gumsnts commonly advanced by the protec-
tion theorists. The qr estion recurs again,
If the makers Of matches under free trade
get fair profit selling matches at II cents
box 10y the quarters WORTHY what sort Of
profit we're they getting when, for some
twenty years.. under protection, they were
allow ed 10 extort g cents for each box?
We haye pursued this illustration at
length, in the first place. because illustra-
tions are more readily accepted than argu-
ments for the same proof: and in the second
place. because il will suffice for many other
articles besides the one nominated. No one
asserts that free trade would reduce the cost
Of all artiol,s in the same ratio. but simp-
II the cost Of all articles to all consumers,
some in greater, some in less proportions.
And the articles would continue to be Of
A1erican manufacture, as today. And
American mills Woulb bmake far more goods
than now. for they would have vastly i'm
creased demand tosupply for their greatly
Oh espened goods. And American working
men would have more to do than to-day.
They would get IS good Or better wages, and
these would be work and wages, STEADY d
the year round work at that, for greatly
increased number Of workmen than can be
now smplovd. And all this would add 10
and build up that Home Market, we hear
90 much Of from the theorists and wisescres
of protective taxation, and never cost our
farmer In the country one cent.
The taIif tar inya des the house 81 every
working man. and every farmer. Il in
creases the cost Of living in Ill departments.
II increases the cost Of being sick, Of dying
even: yea. Il even adds to the cost Of his fun
eral materially. The tariff tax will never
''let up" on you until you are under the sod.
and are no longer - consumer. Or buyer.
The tariff tax invades every farm. and great-
u iuoreases tho cost q farming operations
~ inoI easing costs of buildings, tools,
machinery, hardware and al that. r. B.
NAsH. Js. y. Y F.rner Breeder.
And tho Mckinley bill il deliberate at
tempt 70 hoodwink formers 81 putting !
duty on the products, of the farm which viii
- of no bensft % the farmer, and have ths
safontsry IL propose for ths benefit u