Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-17


TINIE-woRN FREE TRADE ARGU-
MENTS.
On Wednesday evening a small and
very tired audience assembled in Mich
aels' hall to listen to the Democrats s
greatest protege, Hon. John j .Enright
'of Detroit, to use his own words. Al
though Mr.. Enright has the name of
being an orator, it is sad to say that it
was a difficult matter to imagine as
much after pressing a hard seat for an
hour and a half. Hardly any argu-
ment he presented is worthy of consid-
Grafton. The conclusion would inevi-
tably be. considering the number of
Republican statesmen he quoted, that
he was firm supporter of Republicans,
especially James q Blaine. But the
Mckinley bill, which is the work of
Republicans. for political reasons, he
considered the impersonation of rob-
berry. The gentleman went on to spec
ify certain features of the bill that were
odiouS TO him. He said that southern
sugar growers were given bounty of
cents per pound on sugar. Now, the
truth about this clause is this. All are
agreed that the markets have been ov-
erstocked with wheat. Now 1t will be
for the benefit of the farmer ultimate
ly if some other industry can be estab-
lished in this country to utilize psrt of
the farmers energy. In Germany, sug-
ar-beet raisers are given a bonus of
cents per pound by the government.
Owing to this the industry could never
establish itself in this country, because
we are at the mercy of the foreign pro-
ducer who is paid twice for his product.
But there is hardly a state that could
not raise the sugar-beet. if il could be
once made profitable 1t is therefore
for the ultimate good of the farmer;
and proper answer TO the question,
what shall the farmer raise? If, as En-
right says, we have Il surplus of wheat,
we must relieve the market. 1t will
not make less supply of wheat III In
dia or Russia to have open markets and
buy all manufactured articles in Eng
land. Then it will not he of any bene-
fit since those wheats would close the
market to us they do now. In Mr.. En-
rights mention of the Contract Labor
bill his explanations were entirely false.
He seemed to believe he could impose
at will upon the Yale people and no
one would know enough to see it. The
substance of the bill is that no man
can emigrate to this country under con-
tract. If foreigners come here they
come to better themselves in better
land, which is ever a tribute to the
Republican party. To talk as if for
eigners might be prohibited from land
ing here is only q campaign dodge. The
Democrats are secretly glad they come
because it means so many Democratic
votes.
The whole argument about Ameri-
can machinery selling cheaper in Eu-
rope than America is fallacY. The
same article can not be bought as cheap
there as here. What is bought in Eu-
rope at cheaper figure is always sur
plus stock of antique pattern. Their
price does not establish the market any
more than the price of a bankrupt
stock will give you the true market fig
ure.
In regard to the salt industry it was
said that Congressman Whiting said
that he could compete with foreign salt
and so was in favor of placing it on the
free-list Now, Mr.. Whiting never said
this, nor voted for free salt until af-
ter he knew that the measure was sure
to pass; and then he did it for cam
paigning purposes.
In the discussion on tin but part of
the story was told as usual. Only tim
plate was placed under tariff. We
have iron of our own. The Republican
says let us import free crude tin and
make our own tin-plate here rather
than enrich English capitalists. Be
sides we have the Dakota mines to de-
velop.
No other arguments worthy of con-
sideration were advanced. The re-
mainder Of the speech was taken up
with the narration of disgraceful cam
paign gossip at the expense of JamesS.
Ayers generally. 1t is needless to say
that Mr.. Enright fell decidedly In the
estimation of fairminded citizens; and
Mr.. Ayers was none the worse off.
Mr.. Dutlie was then introduced, to
add the final blow at the already eX-
hausted audience. Mr.. Duflie smelt
the battle afar and arose with fire in
his eye and dilated nostrils, waving a.
loft roll of documents and ready to
thrust them ruthlessly into the heart of
the first oppOser. He received few
echoes of applause on some old Free
Trade arguments, such as that "a gov
ernment has no right to legisate mon
ey out of one mans pocket into anoth-
er's". Now, the idea is, in all protect
i've legislation to legislate into every
mans pocket. And at the rate Mr..
Duflie went on saying that only one
million were benefited by this, and two
million by that, we counted about
50 millions altogether that were bene-
fitted.
We were surprised, to say the least,at
Mr.. Duties mention of the demonetiz-
ing of silver; and that it valued at but