Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-05-09

familiar string OF platitudes ts show why
America should devote her undivided
energies to raising corn and wheat to be
sold In Liverpool at the same time buying
her manufactured goods exclusively OF
Great Britain, like a good, obedent
colony. Ire editorial in the Herald is not
interesting in itself Its free trade argu-
ments are not new and have been repeat
eddy exploded by argument and, best of
all, by the experience of the United States
under protective system. But it is inter
esting by reason of the fact that it brought
forth "a prompt reply in the next issue from
William V Jackson. Scottish working
man, when is a most striking exposition
of the British wage-earner's view of the
American tariff policy and its effect upon
the working classes. Mr.. jackson says:
1T does not follow from this that the
American farmer is asked to look forward
to the substitution of an exclusively home
market for his present state Of depend
enee, partially upon both home and for
eign. But he is told that whatever policy
fayors the building up of industrial com
munities along the line of agriculture,
and thereby gives him his principal
market at his own doors, must be, even
from his own point Of view. as well as
from more general standpoint. good
policy for him. 1t is neither argued nor
assumed, as You appear to DO, that the
benefit held out in prospect to the farmer,
If Il benefit to him, must be relative IN
Jury to the American consumer; bat it is
both argued and assumed that the waste
of artificial costs Of distribution in usury
and unnecessary labor would be saved, to
the benefit of the producer and consumer,
more closely connected with each other 10y
home exchanges and home markets. There
isInothing falacious in this theory as far
az it goes, although it is statement of
economics both offensive and fatal to the
tastes and the theories of the carrying in
terests. who have made, or are cndeavor-
ing to make, a bigger trade out Of distri-
button than out of production. The world
and common ealths, however, were not
made, and they do not exist for usurers
and middlcmeu
The writer appears to be as familiar with
facts as with theories and deductions for
further on he says:
but the theory of President Harrison
has been long enough experimental upon
to allow of now being tested by its results.
The American farmer Is pointed to the
prices he is actually receiving for his pro-
duce today, and may be expected yet to
get, compared with what he received some
30 years ago. when his main dependence
was on foreign markets, and he had to
pay huge transportation rates on great
part of what he sold. This, of course is
not in the text Of President Harrlson's let
ter but it may lie quoted in support Of his
argument. 1t appears by comparison
of prices (wholeyaie) of 100 articles, which
were in the aggregate 800 on May /,
1860, shat the aggregate price Of the same
article is now SSH, thus putting general
prices II per cent. Flower than under the
preceding period But in Analysing these
articles into two classes-one OF those the
farmers sells, and the other those he must
buy-it turns out that those hc'has TO sell,
which in go sold for 800, now sell for
500 70, being only one-hfth of per cent.
less, while those he has TO buy have declm-
ed in cost S23 81 in every hundred 1t is
a perfectly Legitimate conclusion to draw
from authenticated returns of this kind
that the policy of discriminating tariffs of
revenue and protective purposes which
favors and conduCes.to the building up for
industrial populations and home exchanges
is not only good policy for the common
wealth of the United States, but a good
policy for the American farmer
Then follows the "unkindest cut of all. y
The Herald claims in the editorial to which
reference is made that, cost of living con-
sidered, wages are as high in Great
Britain as in America. Mr. jackson points
to the present rapid decline of wages, the
imminent danger of further reductions,
the revelation of Darkest England " and
of the various commissions engaged in re-
vealing the slavery, pauperism and poverty
Of our boosted civilization Plus our social
ed free trade. The writer concludes
with the hope that the American farmer
will not forever enjoy free coup" in the
United Kingdom, but will some day be
compelled to pay taxes on what he sells in
that country
Coming from free trade country that
is pretty orthodox protection doctrine, ism Z
it? American farmers and workingmen
would do well to read, preserve and reread
the above opinions of workiugman who
has enjoyed the blessings of free trade all
his life and knows just how much hey
amount to.