Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-01
CHEAPNESS A CURSE.
so SAY THE ADVOCATES OF A HIGH
PROTECTIVE TARIFF.

| Although We Are Living Under the McKin-
ley Laws We Do Not See the High Wages
and Prosperity Promised-Nhat Has Up
set His Beneficent Plans?
In 1890 the Republicans were telling
us that ''cheap coats make cheap men,"
that "cheap and nasty go together" and
that "the cry for cheapness is un-Amer-
ican." From such statements it would
naturally be inferred that goods would
be cheaper under some other system than
protection.
The Republicans did not like the eff
feet OF this cry against cheapness upon
the election in 1890, and in 1892 they
were prepared to tell us that protection
lowers prices. The 'starif pictures" of
the New York Press and of The Amer
lean Economist were devoted to this idea
for many months. The senate report
on prices was fixed up so that it was
claimed that it showed this result, but it
didn't
Well, the result of the election in
1872 was no more satisfactory than in
1890, and the Republicans have con-
Guided that they ought as well throw off
their mask and tell the truth again.
Hence they are everywhere asserting
that the country is about to be ruined
by the low prices which free trade will
inaugurate. They say that it is because
the country is afraid of itself on this
point that we are now in the midst of q
panic. Of course by country they mean
manufacturers. Hear what the New
York Press of Aug. 2 says:
"To obtain cheapness for commodities
is the first and last purpose of the Brit
ish policy of free trade which has been
forced upon this country. To reach this
end British agriculture has been DELHI
erately sacrificed by the rulers of Eng
land.
THAT commodities might be cheap
ened in the United States many Amer
leans went to the polls in November last
and voted to overthrow that system of
protection to home industry under which
the workman earned vastly higher wages
with which to purchase the slightly
dearer coat. The result longed for by
Democratic voters and promised by Dem
ocratic journals and politicians has been
speedily secured. Before Mr.. Cleveland
had been month in Office the era of
cheapness had begun.
"a nation that was at the top notch of
prosperity one year ago has been plunged
into condition of severe depression.
Cheapness has come, but with it sohave
come the compulsory idleness Of thou
sands of men, the cessation of wage pay
ments to great masses of consumers, the
stagnation of trade and the substitution
of apprehension, CONSERVATION and dis
may for the buoyancy, cheerfulness and
energetic movement of one year ago.
1.-THE nation is having an object lesson
from which it may learn by bitter expe-
rience the nature of the benefits that are
offered by the cheapening of prices.
Those benefits come solely to few per-
sons who are not producers of wealth"
This statement should convince the
most skeptical that cheapness is curse,
and that our only salvation lies in re-
turn to protection and high prices To
make certain that we will miss none of !
the possible benefits of protection, and
that we will not be cursed by cheap or
anges, lemons, bananas and other trop-
ical fruits, let US put duties on these
articles SO high that all such products
will be grown on our own soil. If hot
houses are necessary to do this, SO much |
the better. Think of the business booms. {
the valuable home markets and the ex-
ira wages for American workingmen to |
come from the building of several thou |
sand acres of lighthouses, brickyards, |
lumber yards, glass factories, sash and |
door factories. Carpenters, masons, gla- |
ziers and painters would be more pros
porous by such law. This prosperity |
would spread and diffuse itself until it