The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-05-19
THEY FEEL BAD.

THEY FEEL BAD.
1t hurts the free traders to think
that though the Republican party was
defeated last November. it still takes
lively interest in public affairs, and
stands by the principles of protection.
So the Minneapolis Times complains
that the Republican League conyen-
tion declared its sympathy for protec-
tiOn as means to equaliZe the con-
ditiOns and harmonic relations be-
tween capital and labor, but that not
word was saiG about the farmer.
And then it harps upon the old free
trade song about the farmer having
to sell his wheat in the markets of
the world and that the price thereof
is fixed in the foreign market. This
is song that has been sung SO long it
is beginning to be worn threadbare.
Ii 1T pleases the free trader, the FREE
PRESS is willing to admit that the
price Of wheat is fixed by the markets
of the world, but it must be remem-
bered that the United States is one
of the most important factors of that
market. Our people are better
housed, better fed and better clothed
as whole, than any other people up
on the face of the globe, because they
are better paid for their labor, and
because of this, they have been better
able to devote attention to educa-
tional matters, and as result the
masses are the mostintelligent of any
people living.
Having more to do with they buy
more, and hence exert a greater infiu-
ence upon the so-called markets of
the world than any other people.
While the free trader is making such
an endeavOr to 'break out" into the
world as he puts it, the other manu-
featuring nations of the world are
equally anxious to break in and enjoy
our markets with US.
The Times complains that the farm
er does not get one cent more per
bushel for his wheat in the home
market than he does in the foreign
Market notwithstanding protection.
There has never been any claim made
that such would be the case but it
has been claimed and stands to rea-
son, that the pricein the foreign mar
ket is higher because of the large
amount consumed at home, and that
amount increases as our industrial
army grows, and the growth of our
industrial army has been very mater
tally promoted by the protective sys-
tenn.
When we note the continued harp
ing that has been going on regarding
the benefits which would accrue from
free trade, and the constant iteration
that all the evils which we have met in
our national life, are due ito the pro-
tectiye system it is not so strange
that many people were led to believe
that change might prove beneficial;
that possibly the time had arrived
when we could do away with our pro-
tectiye system. But already indica-
tions are presenting themselves that
such view is a mistaken one, and
that if the Chicago platform is car
ried out, it will be disastrous to the
country. But it may serve as a valu-
able lesson to the nation and impress
upon the people the true value of the
| system which has been such an aid in
developing the republic.
There has been nothing yet to cause
the Republican party to turn it's back
upon the policy it has maintained
during its.eXistence. 1t has not yet
been proved to be a mistaken one, land
it will not be until the proposed pol
icy of the free traders does more for
the nation and launches it upon d
more prosperous period than the one
it has enjoyed for the last third of a
century