The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-01-14
THE "EDucATioNAL" CAMPAIGN
Effects of the Tariff Lessons Taught by
Republican Organs.

Republican Organs.
One of the protectionist organs is in
stew because OF the farmers. 1t has
heard of farmer-a Republican farmer
who voted the Democratic ticket at
the recent election because the Mckin-
ley bill made him pay tax OF i've
cents on every dozen of eggs he sold.
Thereupon the organ bewails the farm
er's lack of intelligence and calls for
continuance of the educational cam
paign.''
The case is indeed sad one; but what
did the organ expect? The Republican
farmers got their information, presum-
ably, from their party papers; and II
they did not get an intelligent idea OF
the Mckinley bill their party papers
have themselves to blame for it. All
through the campaign these papers
were telling the farmers about the Nc
Kinley bill and warning them not to
put any trust in the Democratic papers
because the latter were not publishing
the bill in full, but only pointing out
the main features and showing what
beneficent reduction had been made in
the duty on alizarine and dragons
blood. OF course the educational
campaign must be continued if it had
so little effect as it seems to have had.
But if the organs will allow us sug-
gestion. it should be continued, if at
all, on more intelligent basis than
rested beneath it in the late campaign.
Where the particular farmer referred to
got his idea as to the effect OF the tariff
on the home product of the hen we DO
, not know. But we do know that, alb
surd as it is, it is no more absurd than
a good deal of what the organs OF pro-
} lection were seriously telling the farm
, ers all the time the Mckinley bill was
. pending and afterward when it was be.
! fore the people on trial. The farmers
. were assured, for instance, that the I'M
position of duty in revenue bill on
, foreign article would not raise the
' price of the home product with which
!. the foreign article came in competition
i, They were assured, in addition, tina
o the foreigner always paid the duty
;. Eggs, perhaps, were not mentioned be
cause the theory advanced did not sui
a the egg situation exactly; but the logl'
q ! of the teaching was that the Canadla1
r farmer paid the duty on every egg eS
a ported to this country and that the con
J" sumer, in consequence, would not hav
Il to pay fraction of penny more for nj
!. eggs because of the duty.
:, Is it any wonder that the Republica
:. farmers, who were taught this by tn
"a organs of their own party, should &c
= some very remarkable ideas as to tn
:, effect of a tariff? The MOTTO
N of the farmer who believed tina
:, the duty of five cents doze
" on eggs came out of his pocket an
the pockets of the American farme
in general, was not bit mol
absurd than the organs OF his part
were in telling him that the foreignt
paid the duty. He might not ha,
reached the ridiculous conclusion fro
the ridiculous premise furnished him
his party papers; but the man wi
would believe what they told hi
:" about the effects of duty might be e
k pected to believe any thing. We 81
70. cerely trust that no roguish Democr
l." deluded this particular innocent OF tt
l." Republican fold even for the purpose
I'd of getting vote for the right; but if
= did he could. hardly be blamed. ~
organs of the Republican party and
lu- protection certainly can not blame hi
81 for it is their fault that the Republic
ne farmer was so gullible. If they h
lid conducted really educational ca
to paign their readers could not have be
=" fooled with any such story.
ng 1t may be that they would have vot
ed the Democratic ticket anyway, as ma
,es of them did, notwithstanding the teat
r. ings of their party papers. We ST
,ht think, however, that it would be wis
de. for the organs, if they undertake an {
vocational campaign again, to do it M
estly. They may lose votes for tn
party They probably will. But tn
the will not be denounced as they are "
ing denounced now for deluding a
Of misleading their readers.-Detroit Fl
COY | Press. 5a