Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-03-02

prices for his eggs, butter. cheese,
potatoes, horses, etc., is directly ben.
Gifted. His Canadian neighbors and
the wide world are not permitted, on
account of tariff to fill or to giut the
New England markets. The manu-
facture of cloth, iron, wood, etc., is
directly benefited because the market
for his goods can not be preempted
by his foreign competitor; the labor
er in the mill, factory and machine
shop is directly benefited, because his
employers business is good, work is
plenty, wages high.
Lest 1t should be forgotten, we an
swer Farmers question. ''If the
prices of our products do not increase,
what good is it to the farmer" If
his productions do not increase in
price then there is no direct benefit
to the farmer. But they have in
creased largely since the Mckinley
law went into operation. Compare
market prices of March 1, 1890, with
prices to-day. Let this be the pres
ent answer to the query founded on
false pretenses. The high tariff re-
publican and the low tariff demo-
cratic farmer of Vermont will let his
political prejudices slumber awhile
longer, if he can sell his potatoes at
80 cents, his butter at 20 and his
eggs for shilling. Such condition
of affairs is tolerable.
But take the other side of the
question Call the tariff a tax, if you
wish. A protective tariff must bene-
fit either the producer or the consum-
er-somebody is helped, so that it
can not be an unmitigated evil. Tax
es themselves, though frequently in
convenient, are necessary, beneficial.
Farmer votes for highway, school,
town, village taxes; he volunteers,
we hope, to pay his share of contri-
buttons toward the support of church
es. Somehow he feels that good
highway to his farm is useful, good
school in his district is needed,
generous outlay for the management
of the concerns of village and town
is desirable. He wants a pleasant,
well-warmed church, where he can
perform his devotions. In short, he
considers taxes blessing. He wants
to be taxed, must be taxed, or his
community lapses back into heathen-
ism, and his farm goes on to Maj.
Valentines red-scarred maps, as
abandoned" The tariff in some
way taxes most people. 1t increases
ihe cost of a suit of English broad
cloth; it enhances the price of the
French or China silk dress pattern
it makes a glass of champagne or a
Havana cigar a costly thing; it usu-
ally increases the cost of every for
,eign article of luxury and non-neces-
sity. Meanwhile the honest, econom-
ical, industrious consumer is selling
his labor, his handicraft, his products
in markets that are not filled or Pile
thonic with the products or other
hands and other countries. The
consumer is willing to be taxed (if
that is the proper name of it) TO de-
fend his hearthstone from thief or
or robber, his labor market from the
pauper riffraff of Russia, Italy or Chi
ma. He is willing to be taxed on the
very few duti able articles he uses, if
he can keep his markets free from
the products of those countries where
climate and cheap labor enable pro-
ducers to supply at rates wholly un-
remunerative in this country. The
farmer, the laborer, the manufactur-
er, the poor the rich, are anxious to
be taxed while business thrives, con-
ditions are improved and the country
goes on her career of unexampled
prosperity. There is giving that
enriches, withholding that impov-
erishes. ''Farmer" is at liberty to
call the E'Tariff a Tax" or not, as he
chooses. We are one of those who
believe in keeping our own, our
homes, our markets, our liberties, Jour
blessings. If the world wishes to
come here and enjoy our privileges,
let that part of it which is good come
among us for citizenship and mutual
benefit; if it wishes to prey on our
privileges or our blessings, we object.