St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-23
TARIFF CORRESPONDENCE.
A Young Voters Opinion.

To the Editor of the Globe.
Lake Park, Mimi, Sept. 10.
Noticing few questions in the issue
of the 18th inst, together with the re-
quest that they be answered in ''can-
did, manner, l will do so, assuring the
editor meantime that they are the exa ct
views of one of Minnesota'S host of
young voters.
The first question is, "How did agri-
culture become depresSed?' and "Why
does manufacturing produce so many
millions?' In answer to the former /
will say, the low price of agricultural
products, together with the past two or
three extraordinary seasons in the
Northwest, are entirely to blame for
crop with fair price, and the hard
times will be past. AS to the latter, l
was not aware the manufactures of the
East were making more than they de-
served, i. e. fair interest on the capital
invested. Their advantage over the
farmer lies in this: Their business con-
tinues the same, OF nearly, good years
or bad, and their stock continues of a
more uniform value, while with the
farmer one failure in crops will neutral
iZe several previous good ones, and two
like the last two) will produce a de-
preston. Could the farmer produce
good crops every year, he would be the
most prosperous person in the world
very shortly.
Question Number two inquiries:
''Should the producer suffer poverty
while monopoly revels in the product
of his industry?'' and l will answer No!
He should not!
To the third, "Why do the few mon
opolists' become richer while the many
producers become poorer" | will say
money makes money, and given fair
start any man can-or ought to
increase his original capital by good
interest every year. 1t is his right and
his duty to do so. Monopolies are to be
deplored, and every article controlled
by them should be placed Oh the free
list. And as to the many producers
growing poorer, it is not so. Agri-
culture is temporarily depressed, it IS
true, and every one knows the reason
dry weather and low priceS-but the
farmers of the Northwest are getting a
Surer footing every year.
Question four inquiries whether some
thing is not radically wrong when the
hardest work of brain and muscle re-
ceives the poorest pay" The history
of mankind shows that the hardest mus
cular labor always received the poorest
pay. 1T does to-day and always will !;
brute strength will always be sub
servient to skill and brains. Did not
trained intellects command pre-
MUM there would be no incent-
i've to great mental attachments.
My neighbor pays the brawny
laborer who digs his well $3.50 per day.
His delicate typewriter with a trained
intellect receives several times that
amount. Brute strength is at a discount,
but brains are not. They command a
good big premium and are still rising.
Question number five inquiries, ''DOeS
it pay for the hard-worked farmer and
laborer to continue to t0ady to the tariff
baronS?' | believe the tariff protects
the farmer and laborer as much as it
does the manufacturer, and for one
would rather see the manufactures of
the East in position to pay good wages
to thousands OF American laborerS. than
to see them crushed out of existence and
the laborerS compelled to enter the
crowded ranks of 50-cent wheat pro-
ducerS. Either that or work for English
wages. which statistics show to be less
than half as great. In either case where
would our home market be? Yes. l be-
lieve in keeping up the tariff. Respect
fully, b. STILLwELL.