The National tribune., 1890-04-10

commodities winch, IN consequence OF cheap
er labor, can be produced ut lower cost.
The Republican tariff bill aims to correct
the inequalities of the present tariff by in
creasing duties wherever needed to fully
protect the farmer and enable him to diver
sify agriculture and thus take advantage of
home market, made more profitable by the
extension of manufactures. No country
can ever become great and powerful with
out manufacturing indutries. The raising
Of agricultural products for consumption in
distant countries at the best is Improbable
and of little benefit to the country subject
to- such drain of its resources. The ideal
country is where all resources are developed,
and lend their aid to the people. Where
the fields give forth rich harvests to be con-
sumed at home. Where the infinite va
riety of mines yield their rich and use
full stores, and where each mountain stream
may be utilized to convert raw mate
rial of the field and mine into the articles
most needed by prosperous and happy pop
uation. The surest way for nation to be-
come rich and prosperous and improve the
condition of its people is TO thus develop all
its resources whatever they may be. Those
who approach the tariff question as our
revenue reformers do entirely ignore the
fact that the cost of an article to the indi-
ferent thing. Protection can only be prop
erly understood when viewed from Ma
tional standpoint and hence it is appro-
priately called the the National System. So
long rs we have land on which to build fac
tories, capital TO run them and idle hands to
tend the loom and the anvil, it is sin not
to produce at home.
The land, the capital the labor cost the
Nation nothing. They are all here before
we produce ton of steel rails, and they are
here when that ton of rails is loaded on the
cars. What has the operation cost the Ma
tionP Simply the mineral or vegetable sub
stance consumed in the production. We
are to-day importing annually S200000,000
worth of goods and of farm products which
should be made in this country, and would
be made here if the tariff was properly re-
vised and under-yaluation stopped. If this
were done we could employ every idle la
borer and add greatly to our annual in
crement Of wealth.
These are some of the facts which every
American farmer should ponder. Not that
he is in great danger of being influenced by
the shallow argument and illogical propo-
sition to increase the free list by adding
thereto important products of the farm like
wool Still it is time the farmer realized
that the free trader is cunning for him with
all sorts of seductive literature. That he
will bag much game | doubt; for unwary
indeed is the farmer who can be made to
believe that the way to stillen prices is to
increase importations of foreign commodi-
ties- manufactured and agricultural. And
yet, stripped of It's fnstian, this is the prom
Use. OF what benefit are cheap manufac-
tnred articles To he farmer &c the prices lie
products bring do not admit Of buying the
productions of his neighbor? In spite OF
the fact that the farmer is now suffering
from chcapness, the free trader is offering
more cheapne-s rs a remedy.
ROBERT T. PORTER