Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-08-21

-sss
adds that wealthy parties from
Superior will reopen the mines in
Crawford county"
| haven't a doubt of it.
Those wealthy parties from
Superior, it will be remembered
by some who read this are
the parties to whom our states
men said, eve don't need the tax
on copper for revenue, but we will
hold your victims for you while you
tax them" When a few parties
get control of the mountains Of al
most pure copper ore and Congress
gives them the power to tax their
feIlowmen, it were indeed strange il
they do not become wealthy par
ties" Mr.. Editor, ! can imagine
these men who own the land upon
which the Superior mines are locat-
ed, when there was no tax on copper
ore, instead Of going to work, go
ing to Washington. They visit our
statesman and perhaps something
like this would pass between them:
Coppermen; Mr.. Statesman, we have found
copper mine on our land"
Statesman: That Is good news. onr country
Is richer by one new natural resource than we
have supposed"
Coppermen: Yes, and we want to begin
mining copper.
Statesman; Very well. go on. We shall be
glad to hear that you are prospecting and getting
rich.
Coppermen: Yes. OF course. But we are
farming on the surface OF the land and we are
afraid we cannot make as much money at
mining as Mt farming"
Statesman! That IL another matter. Look
dustry for worse.
Coppermen: But we want to mine that cop.
per. 1t does not seem right TO leave II in the
ground when we are importing copper all the
time, but we cannot see as good profits IN 1t at
the present price for imported copper, AZ we are
mDklng out OF what we raise on the surface
We thought that perhaps you would put n tax
M, Inn sI an could
for ours Then we could see our way to give up
farming and 20 to mining.
statesman You do not think what you ask.
That would be authorizing you to tax your
neighbors, aud would be throwing upon THEN
the RISK of working your mine; which risk you
are afraid to take yourselves
Coppermen: whisper among themselyes)
We have not spoken 10 II Republican; he Is n
Democrat We must begin over again.
They meet another statesman.
Coppermen; Mr.. Statesman, the natural
resources OF this country must be developed.
American industry must be protected. The
American laborer must not be forced to com
pete with the pauper labor of Europe.
Statesman: Precisely. Now you are talking
business.
Coppermen; We have found copper mine,
richer than the world ever knew. Pure ore,
near the surface, on edge of Lake Superior; no
trouble, and little cost, to either mine II or
ship II,
Statesman, That's good. How much tax do
you want2
The next time an American cit
izen goes into the market to buy
native or imported copper, he finds
(f he exchanges wheat for it) that
it costs him thirty bushels instead
of twenty bushels to pay for a ton
of it. lie says:
What has happened to copper
Up steps our modest protection
list and says:
Why, haven't you heard2 The greatest cop.
per mines In the world have been discovered up
In Michigan; we have found n new "naturNl
resource" aud we are developing it,"
American citizen: Yes, but have one-third
less wheat than did have. Had the grasshop
pcrs eaten one third of my crop It would have
been no greater loss to me- My friend who ex.
changes cotton for copper, gives by the same
token, one third more of his crop; and he has
that much less with which to buy other goods,
Modest protectlonist Yes. But you are
protected" We have wonderful resources to de
velop and we do II iN this way; 1t is marvellous
IL ti.l,
gold N his pocket"
Respectfully, f. M. DYER,
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