The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-01-09
An Opinion Moulder.

/
their money in this country.-New forl
b Herald.
The Herald is a "moulder o
!. public opinion" Being published
: in the metropolis Of the country
and wealthy. withal, it is credited
with the possession of intelligence
and is therefore influential. Blu
the above excerpt shows that it j.
either stupidity ignorant and blind
or basely dishonest in its treatment
of British investments in this coun
try. Admitting as we do that they
are at least partially influenced to
make these investments by oul
tariff legislation, the Herald's the
DRY is still wrong to the verge Of
treasonableness. About 80, rome
say 80, per cent of the capital in.
vested in the various enterprises in
this country, such as railroading
iron and coal mining, brewing, spin.
ming and weaving, and the like, is
by British and German Plutocrats
They do not invest this money to
benefit our laborers nor our coun.
try, but to evade our tariff for their
own benefit. If they cared for our
country, or If they even preferred it
to their own, they would transfer
their allegiance to it and become
citizens as we'll as investors, but
preferring their own they remain
British and German subjects, thus
proving clearly that their sole aim
is to monopolize our leading indus
tries and enrich themselves by the
evasion and circumvention of our
laws. How do they do this? In
various ways. Our railroads yield
on an average about Is per cent per
annum net profit on actual invest
ments. That, in so far as it is the
earning of European capital, is q
clearly uncompensated drain on our
country. 1t goes to enrich Europe
mainly England and Germany.
By the organization of trusts and
syndicates, the profits On manufac-
turing in this country, as they fully
foresee, can soon be brought up to
and maintained at an equally exor-
bitant figure, so long as their dupes
and tools can prevent the repeal of
our protective laws. It was for this
purpose that Mr. Blaine's reciproc-
ity lie was sprung on the country.
Our domestic and foreign manufac-
turers wanted a market for their
products that should beneti. them
alone, because if all classes were to
be benefited neither would have the
advantage of the rest, and they were
seeking an advantage. TO secure
this they must have an enormously
high tariff against the countries
that consume our farm products,
that they might secure the profits
of the farmer and free trade at the
same time with the countries that
buy, principally, our manufactured
products. Europe and Canada be-
ing manufacturing countries, were
accordingly prohibited access to
our. markets, while the Spanish |
and tropical island peo-
pies, who have only fruits, skins
and to sell, are given free access
access to them. Furthermore, and
n furtherance Of this scheme, the
'pauper laborers" of all countries,
except China, are free to come here
and enter into competition with our
aborers for wages at will. In con-
sequence of this free competition,
wages are constantly tending down
ward along with the price Of raw
both of which increase
he profits of the foreign manufac-
,urer, who gains all and whatever
s subtracted from the pay of his
aborers or the price of his raw ma
erials. For instead of paying
ariff for selling his goods in our
markets he manufactures them here
n our midst, sells them in our
markets, and the markets our reci-
'rocity idiotcy has opened to them
without the Intervention of our
arlft laws and without expense.
Moreover, our policy of protection
having destroyed our ocean COM
nerce, the foreign manufacturers,
whom our laws have invited to our
hores, load their products onto
heir own vessels at our wharves,
AIRY them to their South American
nd island markets, and return
heir ships to our wharves laden
nth free raw materials to be used
n their factories, thus securing the
arrier's profits as we'll as the man.
facturer's. 1t is simply another
orm of that absentee landlordism
7hich has converted Ireland, fertile
s her soil is, into lazar house Of
quallor and want.
Every dollar earned by these for
ign investors in this country as
rofit goes direct to Europe and is
drain upon our resources, which
) gradually but surely transferring
ur wealth to foreign countries.
very foreign investor is a corrod-
ng cancer eating out the means of
ur support and prosperity. But
7ere the investments of home CAPT
al the case would be different. The
,r0fits would then remain at home