The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-03-14
Si.oo A YEAR, IN ADVANCE.
Friday, March III, 1890
The Tariff and Free Trade Duel

useful effects by the majority of re lders being
preiudiced by heir preco ived party no.
TONS We can imagine the partislns OF eth
er side exulting over the good points made
by their favorile champion while they glide
over, with but cursory glance, the weak
parts of his argument. For instance Mr..
Blaine asks his opponent in Il triumphant
manner: How then can the Free Trader
explain the fact that long list of articles
manufactured in the United States finds
ready and large sale in Canada? The Ca
madam tariff is the same on English and
American goods.
1.-THE following articles of American
manufacture are sold i'll Canada more large
ly than like articles of English manufacture;
Brass goods, cordage, ginghams, bottles,
TASKS, India-rubber goods, printing ink,
ingram carpets" and fifty other articles are
enumerated covering wide range of man.
ufactured goods This being true it is
obvious that the manufacturers Of these
articles do not need a tariff to protect them
from competition with foreign goods. But
there is one important fact which Mr.. Blaine
does not mention, which is that those goods
cannot be purchased on this side of the
Niagara river for the same or a less price
than they are sold for in Canada. Our
farmers and other consumers pay more for
these goods than the manufacturers sell
them for in Canada or Mexico. Are con-
sumers benefited by laws that permit such
advantage to be takeu CT their necessities?
Mr.. Gladstone's people manufacture more
goods than they have market for at home
and he contends for free trade with all
nations in order that his people shall take
their goods INTO every market and sell or
trade without hinderance Mr.. Blaine con-
tends that our people had better manufac-
ture our own raw material and supply our
folks at home with manufactured goods,
which is reasonable and true. But there
will come tine when our manufacturers
make far more goods than can be disposed
of or consumed at home, then they will
clamor for free access to the markets of
other countries and to obtain them recip-
rocal advantages will have 10 be granted.
We see this ''tarif'' is matter of rea-
tive conditions, which conditions are ever
changing, hence it has proved invaluable to
politicians who use it as the gambler uses
cards or the thimbles and ball. There is {,
slight Of hand practice used in its discussion
which is made 10 appear honest and fair
from any point of view.
After theory has been exhausted we are
compelled to examine the fruit to ascertain
the value of the tree. After we haye had
one of the highest tariffs in The world for
upwards of quarter of a century we find our
country fast approaching the condition Of
European nations; people divided into
"classes" and "masses," with the line deep
ening every day between wealth and pow
ertv, luxury and want, dinner of herbs
for the million, stalled OK for the few.
The interest bearing debt of the United
States, when at its highest point in 1865
was S23Sl $50, 29S. 1t has been reduced to
$3.50, 543 ,073, but it will take more iron,
more corn, more cotton, more nails, more
wool to pay the remaining debt than would
haye been sufficient to pay it all in 1865, at
the currency prices then prevailing. In
other words, it would require now, of the
products of farm and plantation, of loom
and forge, as much 10 pay the remnant as il
would TO have paid the whole sum twenty
three years ago, when the spoliation began.
We do not charge that tariff laws caused
prevented it. We are bound to tell doctor
Protection that his medicine does not cnre,
and we must try something else. You will
remember that this was the only medicine
prescribed in the last Presidential campaign,
Some other must be found for the next.
What shall it be?
Again Mr.. Blaine "points with pride" 10
the wonderful increase of wealth which has
been produced in the western states within
The period of IS years, and because of the
development of this unparalleled increase OF
wealth, during this period of protection"
hence it must be the result of protection.
AS great statesman as Mr.. Blaine is we
are compelled to challenge his conclusions.
The great wealth which sprang to light so
suddenly in the western states was already
there. Strong hands and active brains only
develop it, and we feel sure our readers will
agree with us when we have pointed out
the fact.
The great power and credit of the United
States government through the medium of
its green back money, built the railroads
we say built the roads because its credit
made theil building possible-into and
through this rich wild country. The roads
enabled tens and hundreds of thousands of
men and women to move from the crowded
eastern states and from the countries of
Europe, to those undeveloped lands, who
carried with them millions of money in ad-
dition to their good stout hearts and good
strong arms; and with their energy and in
dustry speedily converted wilderness into
homes and farms and gardens, and cites and
towns. Whether the laws of Congress had
favored free trade or protection, could not
possibly have had the slightest influence on
the results. The people fastened to the
wild west. found the great wealth that