The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-04-03
FLoRInA ANp zee rARLRF.

TO tte Ediior Of ne BaaRer
The Mckinley Tariff Bill $50 calledl levies the
following duties on farm products imported into
the United States, all OF which can be raised in
almost unlimited quantities in Florida: CAB
bages cents each; rice ? cents per 10;
onions 40 cents per bushel; tobacco 80 cents 70
500 per ID; green peas 40. cents per bushel
eggs 50 cents per dozen; po:atos % cents per
bushel; sugar cents per ID. bounty. All yege-
tables not specially provided for % per cent /;
oranges and lemons D cents per box grapes -
per cent.
Will you please explain howit IS possible Tor
Florida farmer, at the present rate Of wages to
compete with the Bermudas, West Indies and
Central America when labor is much less ana
freight to New y ork less than from oeala?
Is it not fact that the great staples OF sugar,
rice and tobacco cannot be produced IN the
South without protective tsaif?
Do You believe farm laborers wages are too
high for the best interest Of the stats2 q
Yours tray, T. n ".
The above letter vas received by US
some time ago, but was misplaced ana
we have just run across 1t.
Now, we frankly confess that uEqer
the Mckinley Tariff bill that Florida
does seem to be especially benefited,
but is not the idea of special dement's
repugnant to our institutions? Is not
Especial legislation" in violation OF our
constitution? If the people Of FLORIDA
are benefited by duties on vegetables,
are not the consumers Of vegetables IL
other states injured to the same extent
Trade is reciprocal and is not the act
of one man. TIE Bermuda the WEST
Indies and Central America would not
dump their products on the people OF
| the United States if there was not a de-
sire on the part Of the peopie o. the
United States for their products, and
why should our Congress do in time Of
| peace what enemies do IN time OF Wal
| Why prevent the mass Of consumers IN
our great cities, many Of whom are ex'
| tremely poor, from buying cheap vcge-
tables imported from the Bermudas, the
West Indies and Central America, SIM
| ply to enrich q handful OF growers IN
| Florida? And examine our tarlii laws
from beginning to end and we shall ma
/ that the whole scheme IS based on
| greed and selfshness.
1t is as natural for men and ratlons to
trade and exchange products with each
| other as it is for the blood to circulate.
1t is natural desire that comes OF life
that comes of progress, ana has
caused the advancement OF nations.
/ Cut off this exchange; set up arthaai
barriers against il; compel each nation
to live within itself, and carry the
| policy to the home; let each family
| raise its own food, manufacture lis own
| tools, make its own clothes and DuIld lis
| own house, and man would soon return
| to 2 state of baTbaTism. Every local
failure Of crops would bring famine ana
even in the most propltious seasons no
| family would have more than the
| merest necessaries OF life.
A man should not be protected IRON
| what he wants. II is from Wh2t ne
don't want that he should have F" pro-
lection" And yet the United States Is
protecting It's citizens from wat they
| want. and what they are determined to
have, DESPITE Of this . projections.
If IT is a fact that sugar, rice aud TO
bacco cannot be produced in the South
! without protective tariff" then 1t Is
fact that the South is not adapted fol
.Ae production of these things and their
production, or all attempts IN that drec
lion. should be abandoned. But VIZ
DENY the truth of this assertion. THESE
things have been produced and can b'
produced without protective tarlh.
We do not believe that farm iaooref
wages are too high for the best inter
es,s of the State. The history OF th'
world is that labor has never received
it's Just recompense and the ianil help
to make his burdens more onerous.