Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-10-23
DAD AND HIS BOYS"

Communicated.
: Once upon a time, an old farmer hay
: ing ten sons, called them together an
discOursed as follows:
Boys, your dad is ripe in years if no
1 in knowledge; but what l do know
S will cheerfully communicate to you
: We are on the eve of another politica
campaign, and the tariff, as usual, is tn,
all-abSorbing and fruitful theme of con
troversy-and just think of it, if all the
square -toed lies and sophisms spun by
5 the willy politician concerning it, haC
, tangibility and substance, and each OF
them was an inch long, we would have
a string of mendacity amply sufficient
to belt the earth; and what a grand thing
that belt would be to embellish the great
Chicago Exposition with, illustrative OF
the inventive genius and progressive
spirit of young America.
Boys, when the apostles of Democracy
tell you that tariff is a tax, don't lie by
denying it; good cause don't require
such auxiliary propping, and when they
tell You that tariff taxation is robbery,
just remind them that all taxation is
robbery on the same principle. The
government must have resources, and
a dollar raised by tariff taxation, Just
saves that amount being raised by some
other mode of taxation. Then in the
name of common sense what is the
practical difference between paying the
dollar to the tradesman in the way of
enhanced values, and paying the dollar
direct to the governments obnoxious
and offensive taXgatherer? Tell them
that that eminent body of patriots, dis
tinguished the world over for wise states
manship, who framed our Constitution,
ordained in it, that Congress "shall have
power to levy tariff taxes adequate to
defraying the government expense, and
for the additional reason of encouraging
domestic manufacturing" The object
of that clause, therefore, was twO-fold,
as specifically expressed in the COnstitu-
tion itself. These good men had real
lied and bitterly felt the great necessity
and advantages of commercial emanci-
patton from the nations of Europe, as a
safeguard and bulwark of national
progress and prosperity. And tell them
further that Andrew Jackson, the hero
of New Orleans, the typical embodiment
of ancient Democracy, was high pro-
tective discriminating tariff man, under
whose administration the then existing
tariff realized more revenue than pre-
scribed by the Constitution, and being
such an ardent friend and champion of
American progress and development, he
did not recommend modification of the
tariff, but advocated and approved a
distribution of the surplus among the
States. This will cause them to squirm
and deny, but it is a stubborn fact, at
tested by history. The naked truth is,
Democracy is mutable thing cham
eleon-like, it is one thing day and an
other tomorrow. 1t is also stereo-
typed habit with that party through its
conventional platforms, to appeal to the |
haliowed traditions of that party to |
b0om and inspire the spirit of party zeal
and fidelity; Jackson's public life and
record ought to furnish large chapter |
in its time-honored and proud traditions
Boys, after maturely investigating |
and scanning the American system in
all its social and economic features the |
conviction is forced upon my mind that
an equilibrium between agricultural |
production and the consumptive de- |
mand, is the great desideratum supply
and demand is the great natural law
that regulates commercial values: Short
age of supply enhances values, and su-
perabundance depresses, as so plainly
proven daily. To establish that equi-
ihri1rp ic ha
with the farmer. Agricultural prosper
ity diffuses itself and quickens all legit-
innate callings, trades and pursuits;
hence it is the fountain source of nation
al prosperity. The supreme want of the
farmer is steady, reliable and remu-
nerative market as near home as posi-
bic, cutting off transportation costs and
piled up commissions of middle-men.
Now the dominant question is how to
create that market. Good hard common
sense says, by developing the natural re-
sources of the country, and the conse-
quent diffusion of labor through foster
ing legislation. In private families the
good of one member is the good of all.
Nations are but families on large
scale. Minor evils, or seeming evils, are
inseparable from all good laws; the su
preme good of the nation should domi-
nate the minds of all men.
But the free trader says, abrogate all
tariffs and give us the worlds market.
This sounds plausible, but is it essentially
true? say no. Foreign trade is not as
claimed by its advocates, mere barter
upon the basis of our bushel of wheat
for yard of cloth-its basis is gold, the
worlds recognized standard of values;
and foreign nations only buy of us what
they need, and that, too, at less price
than other markets afford; and if they
should not happen to need our surplus
products, the free traders market is like
the Irishman's flea-its gone. Further
more, there are many farm products that
will not bear shipment to distant mar
kets on account of bulk and perishabili-
ty. They further say the comfy of ma
tions compels free trade. This is like a
man attending to other peoples business
to the neglect of his own; true charity
always begins at home. Common bust
ness sense and the love of gain impel
men to buy in the cheapest market and
sell in the dearest. The truth is, if the
farmers surplus Is not needed at home,
a large per cent. of it must rot on his
hands, Notwithstanding all the mouth
ings of the free trader to the contrary,
whose tactics is to eliminate one indus
try at time and augment their forces
by degrees, and finally accomplish their
hidden purpose-for instance, by put
ting wool on the free list, to make all
wool growers free traders. affirm that
wool needs and is entitled to protection
as much as iron, and defy successful
contradiction, and affirm that all import
ant industries supplying the absolute
wants of the people are equally entitled
to adequate protection whether of the
mill, the loom, the mine or the farm.
Boys, did you ever think of the dire
evils that absolute free trade would in
hict upon the country? One of two