The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-02-08
of other classes.

and the ores are put on the free list
the people producing these things
will say: IF we are to have none
of the benefits Of protection al
though we believe in it on general
principles we are opposed to beng
thus imposed on by this unfrlendly
determinations
The object of protection is to
place the American labOrer on a
higher plane, to give him greater
opportunities in this contry than he
enjoys in any other. But it should
treat all alike. The product of the
farm, the forest and the mine is
entitled to as much consideration
as that of the mill, the shop or the
factory.
BY placing a duty on all foreign
products that come in competition
with the products Of our own peo-
pie we maintain the price of labor
IN all occupations alike and this is
what makes the American market
so desirable. Labor has been well
paid, distributing money generally
among the masses who spend 1T
freely supplying their wants. The
laborer living next door to the far
mer and earning two dollars Der
day, would certainly be a better
customer than one Lying IN London
or Paris and earning only one dol
lar per day. Therefore, if the far
mers of the country have not had
ready sale and good prices for his
products it has been because there
have not been enough other people
doing something else.
Shortly after the passage of the
Mckinley bill prominent farmer
from Morefield, West Virginia,
came into the Office of the writer.
and though comparative stranger
began declaring in language more
vigorous than polite against the
outrageous Mckinley bill.
After he had relieved himself to
some extent he was asked what he
would propose as a remedy.
"Well," SAID he, "there are the
people in Wales making tin plate.
| would have them continue to
make our tin plate so that we could
sell them their supplies of bread
and meat That will do very
well for an example," ventured to
suggest. "Those people in Wales
who make the tin plate are
poorly paid. They consume prob
ably on an average 20 cents day
of what the farmer produces. Now
the people who supply them buy
wherever they can buy the cheapest.
If they can buy wheat and beef
cheaper IN America than in Aus
tralia, India or Russia, they come
here, but if not they go where they
can buy cheapest. Now which
would be the best for Won as a far
mer, to have the producers of tin
plate living IN this country earning
American wages and consuming
twice as much, and YOU supplying
all, or to have them in Wales poorly
pa d with little to spend, and tax
ing your chance Of furnishing, say
onethird Of what they require?" He
had never seen the question in that
light before, and had to admit that
there we're two sides to 1t.
When the Mckinley bill was in
preparation the farmers demanded
protection Of their products and it
was given. A duty of 20 cents per
bushel or potatoes, 81 per ton on
hay. 5 cents per dozen on eggs, 25
cents per bushel on barley, ETC.,
was awarded them and it was mil
lions of dollars in the pockets Of the
farmers of this country. For few
days before that law went into eff
feet there was a terrible scramble to
rush everything possible across the
Canadian border under the old law.
happened to be in New York at
the time and every means of trans
portatlon was pressed into the SER
vice, and day and night the rush
continued up to the last minute of
the duration of the old law.
Americans are not under obliga-
tions to furnish q market for what
other countries may produce or for
what other people may wish to dis
pose of.
1t is the duty of governments to
promote the interests of its own
people and to let other countries
look out for themselves.
If the people had realized before
the election as they do now the full
meaning of the Democratic policy
we would have had a patriot in the
presidential chair in place of the
representation Of foreign interests
which is bringing so much distress
among the people, and so much
discredit on America an American
ism. W.
a in