The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-22
AN OBJECT LESSON,

A correspondent OF the Chicago
Herald gives a rather interesting ac.
count Of the experience Of La Sale
county farmer-a Mr.. Reed-wh0, in
stead Of selling in the local markets,
concluded to ship his surplus farm
products of 1886 directly to Liverpool,
and accompany them personally to
that market. He got to Liverpool
and sold his produce without trouble,
and after deducting his expenses
found he had netted but little more
than If he had sold in Ottawa. With
his money in his pocket, he concluded
to look around little, and coming to
price such things as he needed on his
farm and in his family, he found he
could buy them so much lower than
at home that he concluded to lay in
sufficient stock to last him year or
more. He laid out about $500 in this
way, had the goods carefully boxed,
prepaid the freight, and having them
slowed on the steamer in which he
himself took passage, started for
home. On arriving in New York he
set about making arrangements to
ship his goods by the RED Line" to
his home in La Sale county. But on
asking for his goods was astonished to
be told, in a most authoritative man
ner, that they must first 60 through
the custom house, where value
would be placed upon them, and the
tariff tax assessed, after paying which
he could have the goods. After much
delay and many rebuffs he was told
that the goods had been valued at
$500 and the tariff charges on them
was 40 per cent. or 5000. He paid the
amount, but being little curious
asked where the money went to. "In-
to the U. S. treasury" was the an
swer, but to console him the official
informed him that he would lose
nothing by his foreign purchase as the
goods would have cost him full 800
in Ottawa or Chicago. "But in that
case" asked Mr.. Reed, "where would
the 5000 go to-" "Where protection
intends it should go, into the pockets
Of the manufacturers. The tariff is in
the interest of home industries, and
the duty is the margin which the
home manufactures is permitted to
charge above the price his products
would sell for in the markets of the
world" But, my friend" said Mr..
Reed, farming Is as much a home in
dustry as any of the other industries,
and there are engaged in it more citi-
zens than in all the other industries
combined. Farmers are neceSSitated
to sell their product in competition
with the markets of the world, and
should have the benefit Of making
their purchases as | have done in
competition with the markets of the
world. Under this protection policy,
am to understand that over half the
citizens of the United States are taxed
more than 40 per cent. in the. interest
of the other portiOn?" His interlocu-
tor admitted that Mr.. Reed had
about hit the nail on the head.
Mr.. II. admits that heretofore he
had been Indifferent about the tariff
question, having sort of general idea
that the injury arising from it to the
farmers was so small as not to effect
him materially any way; being so in
different indeed that he generally
voted with his neighborS for protec-
ton. He admits, however, that he
has had an object lesson which has
materially changed his views on that
subject.
The Chicago Worlds Fair bill has