Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-10-28
INVENTION AND PROTECTION

Inconsistency OF the Republicans In Oppos
Ing Cheap Goods Labor Saving MacaIn
cry aud Pauper Labor-IrJtection 1
Fogylsm.
II we let in the cheap goods of for
eigners, say the protectionists, we throw
: our labor out of employment We are
not able to stand this flood OF cheaJ
goods-it will ruin us
But brethren, let US be consistent
We have all come to the conclusion tha
the man who invents a machine thai
will do the work OF ten slen is bene.
factor of the community. There is nc
doubt on that point now although when
the first reaping machines we're put into
our wheat fields some OF them were
burnt by the laborers, who thought they
were going to be ruined.
The sewing machine even was looked
upon by many, when 1t was first intro
duced, as the deadly enemy of all sew
! ing-women, dressmakers etc. What
shall these women do? 1t was asked.
They have but one way to make a liv-
Ing; and II you take that away they are
done for. II you Introduce this new
| OHt hDIulu Will no Lnt
work of ten. Nine women out of every
ten sewlng-women will inevitably be
thrown outof employment Letus have
no sewing machines.
Eut everybody knows that these
gloomy predict ons of old fogies were
not fulfilled. The reaping machine did
throw some laborcrs out OF employment;
/ ltut thn nrplprtinn nF ,.tIn
enormously extended and cheapened,
and this chcapenlng process has been
OF incalculablo benefit to all the people
OF the earth. So with the sewing ma
chine; 1t has created an enormous de-
mand not only for sewing. but for cloth
OF all kinds; for women uso Qreat deal
more material AMI require groat deal
more sewing in making u garment now
than before the invent on OF the sew
ing machine.
But whether some people lose en-
r'oymcnt or not the voice OF human
progress is that invention shall go on
and do its perfect work. Let 1t reduce
the necessity for human toll to the low
est possible point 1t is not pleasant to
f"cSii iNb ho hsNo llbllb Ol IL rs DOSbl-
BILE II the farmer can reap ten acres
OF grain in day with machine, let
him do so; why compel him TO groan
and sweat through ten days, or else hire
nine men to help him?
Thisis all as plain as A &c now. Hence
we encourage inventors In every possi-
bic way. We give them patents for
number of years toenrich them; and we
build monuments to them as benefact-
ors of the race They are the un-
crowned kings OF industry and we point
the young to them for examples
Now a curious question is, why do our
piottctionist law-ma ers keep up a Pat
ent Office at Washington? Why do they
encourage inventions by patents? DO
they not see that such course is in di-
rect antagonism with the principles OF
protoction?'
Protection is organized fogyism.
How 50?
In I'll wy the almiss' on OF cheap
fore gn goods has precisely the same
elect aS tho invention OF a new ma
ch ne That is to say, the public is
enabled TO satstJ its needs with less
expenditure Of labor-we get what we
wantmorc cheaply.
Let us take a case like this: The pco-
pie OF III s country need every year we
/ "lll suppo q. million 81 Voc. .en hats.
total cost S!OJO OBJ, OF vii ch labor
| gets >l,O OOl Now. some bright .el-
low IN hat factory inyrnts n machine
that does tho work Of four mcu and re-
cueeS the cost OF th.s hat To Al. Tn,
cost oil Tue whole lot is then 81. 900. coo.
IhrecfUnrths Of the hat.maters ar,
thrown out Of employment and must
find other work
That is hard, hin on these mon
doubtless lut what does human nr,,.
ress demand? That there should \.
as little toll as y, rs ble--thal "A dav,.,
labor saved to each OF i,00l lOOI mon IT,
buy ng the hats IL mere mprrtan
gain to tho community than thu ",.
Or 5000 men ohould continue In their
presoat employment That is the con.
clusioa that the public has reached on
this question Of labor-saviny machinery
and Its effect on labor.
But suppose, now. that this saving
comes In different way. Instead OF
an inventor we have foreign people
who offer to make these hats for vs. az