The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-11-25
OUR "DLSCOMFYTUREan


The following has been received from
an old subscriber:
To the Editor Of the Banner. DEAR
SIR.-I enclose for rerisiOn clipping
from the BANNER of the 4th, inst. This
figuring was dead sure" to re-Clect Mr..
Harrison, but as Mr.. Cleveland appears
to be elected by an overwhelming ma
iority, | assume that you would like to
recall this schedule for correction. Next
to the New York Independent there is no
paper in the defeated ranks whose dis
comtiture l enjoy more than yours.
Vermont is my native state, and Ben
ningtOn my native town. l am proud of
the place Of ny birth, but the one black
spot in her history has been her capture
by the money power of the land under the
organization of Republicanism, and her
doggedly voting for a system of protec-
ton that taxes nInety-tive men to make
five men rich. The recent election,
however, will, fancy, convince even a
Vermont Republican that the days of
the taxation of the millions for the en-
richment of a very few thousands is ap.
preaching an end. From now on, even
a consumer has some rights that eren a
prOtectionist will be obliged to respect
Any industries i'll Vermont, or else
where, that cannot be made profitable
unless assisted by unjust taxation the
sooner wiped out the better.
Respectfully yours,
II. j. MARTIN,
A Republican from 1862 to 'S4.
We assure our friend that the discom-
future he surmises our situation has not
become vet visible to Democratic ewes
~, aI ,F A a
until 1896 and see," is a sufficient
''revision" of our ante-election figures
for the present. As to the idea that
Protection makes % men poor to make
rich, we had always supposed that a
policy that gave constant employment to
wage -earners, mechanics, was also good
for the farmers who had thus created a
home market at higher rate, because
of transportation charges saved, than
ever abroad. And we think so still.
1t might be enough for the argument to
show that Protection benefits the labor
er and the farmer. They SO much make
up our population that whatever bene-
fits them must be benefit to the ma
tion. But Protectionists have no need
to confine the argument to them. We
can show an equal benefit to every class
who labor with their brains instead of
their hands. But to do this we must
lay aside the Free Trade notion of soci-
ETY., as composed of a swarm of strug-
Cling atoms, each of whose interests is
hostile to those of every other. That is
a picture of Tuin-not of the United
States.
The history of the Republican party
for the past thirty-two years is sufficient
reply to the idea of our friend that con
sumers are down-trodden. When the
Republicans took charge of the National
government third of century ago the
country had been brought to the verge
of ruin by the practical application OF
the Democratic dogmas of Free Trade.
cheap labor and cheap money. The
federal government had no credit abroad
and no strength at home. The treasury
was bankrupt, the finances disorganized
the flag dishOnored and the conutry.
abounding in all the resources of wealth,
was impoverished and dependent upon
European capitalists for its manufac-
tured products. The Republican party
found itself confronted with the neces.
sity of reconstructing the financial and
industrial interests of the nation. All
the world knows how successfully the
work was accomplished. A material ad.
vancement that is without precedent in
human annals, nationality SO compact
that nothing can shatter it, financial
credit that the proudest monarchy of
the Old World cannot surpass, pres.
tige abroad that commands the profound
respect of foreign governments, industri.
al independence, superb navy, a sound
currency, new system of commercial
alliance with the richest nations of Lat
in America-these are some of the re-
suits of Republican rule. Never before
have the masses of the people been SC
prosperous, never have wages been Sc
high or the necessities of life so low in
price as they are to-day.
And yet as Mr.. Horr in the Tribune
says: Unrest and discomfort have
power because this Nation has been sc
long prosperous under a Republican
policy that multitudes have grown up in
the belief that its natural advantages
and resources, its system of government
and the native enterprise and intel.