The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-12-18
A PROSPEROUS SHOWING.

1.-THE trouble is, the free trade has
all the theories while the protection
ist has all the facts" From the time
that Mr.. Mckinley reported his ia
nous bill, almost to the present the
free trader has been theorizing upon
its effect. In the result we have a
good illustration $.of the Colonel's re-
mark. In theory things ought to be
so and so, but in fact they are quite
different. The theory Of the free
trader is, that the protective tariff is
stone wall erected around nation.
Shutting in as we'll as shutting out.
Dire disaster was predicted. Our for
eign commerce, it was said, would
soon disappear under its provisions,
for people would not trade with us
unless we trade with them, and prices
of everything would greatly increase.
This is the theory part. The facts
are considerably different and bright
er to look upon.
In the first place prices of merchan-
disc have not increased but rather de-
creased. Under the Mckinley law
the countay is more prosperous than
it has ever been before in its history.
Commenting upon this fact, President
Harrison in his message says: "Rare-
| ly, if ever before, in the history of the
country has there been time when
the proceeds of one days labor or the
product of one farmed acre would pur-
chase SO large an amount of those
things that enter into the Lying of
the masses of the people"
He also makes use of some statistics
showing that our foreign commerce
has not been injured by the new tariff
law. Our total imports and exports
combined for the twelve months, end
ing Sept. 80, 1891, reached $1,747, $685.
407, being the largest in the nations
history, and exceeding those of the
previous year by more than 100000,
600. Our import trade in merchan-
disc has increased more than eleven
million dollars, over the previous
twelve months, Notwithstanding the
large imports of 1890 in anticipation
of the new law. The greater part OF
this increase, con sisted, of course, OF
free imports. The percentage of free
I imports increased from 1927 per cent
Z under the old tariff to ,4816 under the
new, or if the estimate is made fol
the last six months only during which
time sugars have come in free, the
percentage rises to 55.37 which sur
passes anything in the history of the
country, and fully meets the predic.
tions made by the supporters of the
measure when it was up for conSidera.
tion.
But the theory that we can not sell
if we do not buy is one that is most
severely handled. For the twelve
months ending Sept. 30, 1891, our ex
port trade showed an increase of $62,
Ola, 021, which is three times the aver.
age annual increase of our exports
during any previous year. Nor was
the increase confined to agricultural
produce, for SIG, S38, 240 of the increase
consisted of manufactured products
which managed to get out over the
stone wall that theory said shut every
thing in.
Along the whole line the facts have
overthrown the theories, and the free
trader driven into his last corner.
says that "the seeming prosperity
under the Mckinley law, is due en-
tirely to the abundant harvest. But
he can not escape this way. A veal
ago he characterized the tariff act as
oppressive, and claimed that under
no circumstance could the country be
prosperous while it remained in force
The protectionist claimed that the
depression was caused by poor crops
and that given good crops and proper
protection the country would thrive
as never before, and the facts fulfil
his prediction.
Our tariff laws do not Cypress com
merce. There is nothing in the re
port of imports and exports to show
that il rests with heavy hand any
where. But there is much to show
that under it's wise provisions we are
becoming one of the most prosperous
nations upon the face of the globe.
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