Evening journal., 1891-08-10
a CRIPPLED BEAST.

CRlPPLED bEAol L.
The protectionists argue concerning the
tariff like the wise men who advised the
farmer what sort Of saddle he should buy
for his horse.
The farmer wanted ar easy saddle
which would furnish him comfortable
seat, and which would neither hurt the
horses back nor impede his motion.
These men were very wise. Moreover,
they had various patent medicines, pre-
pared foods, and horse-training appar-
atuses Of their own which they wanted
to sell.
They took the horse away from the
farmer, put him in their own barn, tied
up one leg and then invited the farmer,
mis- sons and his neighbors, to see him
hobble about the barn on three legs
rSee," said the wise men, I'VE are
teaching the horse a new gait. When
he is thoroughly taught he will be the
fastest and biggest horse in the county
Then the wise men showed their
patent medicines prepared foods and
training apparatus, read the gorgeously
worded circulars, which they had written
about the alleged virtues Of ell of those
things and then told how rich they were
getting. how many hands they worked in
the great factories where those things
we're made, and what a great service
they were doing the whole country by
building up industries which did not
naturally belong here.
The farmer borrowed money to pay for
the board and training OF his horse some
more on the same plan, and his sons and
all the other farmers bought supplies
and apparatus to teach their horses those
wonderful new gaits. Then they all
went away happy because they were con
summats fools
A little consideration of this allegory
will show that the proteetionists are
playing the part Of shrewd horse jockeys
and patent medicine charlatans. They
have not entertained the question Of q
saddle for the horse at all They have
simply schemed to get possession Of the
horse and cripple him while they sent out
their circulars aud sold their own goods
The protectionists do not consider
the question of how little tax they
must impose on the people for the pur-
pose Of supporting the government
economically administered, they con
slider how many patent businesses they
have to run and what the people must
pay to make those industries profitable
They do not consider either the burden
Of the tax or the crippllng of the beast
that Is to bear the burden. They put
their prohibitions on all trades and then
call the people to witness the sight ofIthe
horse learning new, unnatural and
fancy gait on three legs, to be
used only by rich people, II
attained at all The men who
are making money by this scheme,
point 10 the horses youth, strength,
beauty and his ability to hobble about on
three legs, and laugh ha, ha, to tn,
foolish people who said that horse woult
60 better II the straps were taken off
DO you not see they say, that h'
goes now2 he will 20 faster presently.
Then they descant eloquently, and pa
triotlcslly, and piously (for such men are
always pious and patriotic), on the 6n'
points, the color, the coat, the reach
the shoulders and the general beauty
strength and endurance Of the horse, ant
say that all of those natural qualities
God-given-are due to those patent Grip
pling straps and buckles they have pu
on him.
I'VE are teaching him new gait,
they say I'VE are preventing hir
fr m trotting, Of course, because h
would trot out and get some wholesom,
cheap food when we want him to us
our American food
Then they point TO the crippled bea'
again, call attention to the magnifcer
promises they have made for him in tn
! future and in their circulars
IF he were set free now, they whin
in pious tones, I'VE could not sell any
our marvellous goods. Would you d
stroy our industries and turn all Of thei
American workingmen, pointing to a Il
= Of Huns, Italians, young girls al
, emaciated women, out Of em olo
! mentY'