The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-01-30

tempting to prove this they have placed
themselves in a ridiculous position. Ii
high prices are direct result of the
tariff, as claimed by the Democrats of
the South, it can be attributed only to
one cause.-The cheapness of produc-
tlon In foreign lands is the only thing
that accounts for it's possibility But
they tell us that merchandise can be
manufactured as cheap in America as
In England, and that the tariff goes
into the pockets of the home manufac
turers. These assertions am not pre-
pared to dispute; but to me it is as
founding. Listen to what I say: If
the cost Of manufacturing in England
Is as expensive as it is in America, and
If by the tariff the American manufac-
turer receives an amount equivalent to
the tariff more for his output than the
manufactures in England, Why is it
that the Englishman persists in con
tlnuing his operations in England,
when by operating in America he could,
upon the same article, make the Eng
land price with the American tariff
added to it7
We know that the American syndi
Gates can, and perhaps have, monopo
lized much material from which many
OF our necessities are made, but the
great bulk of new material is yet un
hampered, and can be obtained at any
time by anyone wishing to invest a
capital in manufacturing
The adversity of this country is not
effected by tariff, nor can the de
preston Of the people be mitigated by
allowing England to dump, free OF
duty, her wares and merchandise in
the markets Of the United States.
Mr.. Editor / an not arguing the
Importance of "a high protective tariff !;
however, firmly believe that import
should be 80 adjusted that, by it. en-
cOuragement would be given to the
production of the same article in this
country. This was no doubt the inten-
ton Of the men who first conceived
the idea of tariff, but the programme
has been changed, and to day the main
stays of Southern and Western pro
dUction are left to the ruling offortuity,
let that be to or against the interest of
the producer, while every ything pro-
duced in the North has a barrier
thrown up around it for the express
advantage OF the producer. =
If sugar we're produ led in New York,
no man In this country would ever
drink cup of coffee sweetened with
sugar imported from the West Indies.
If oranges we're adapted to the cline
of Massachusetts,, that fruit of the
tropical region would find no reception
in the market of this Country. If rice
could be successfully grown in Penn
sylvania, that commodity would be
protected by tariff that would make
impossible it's importation, regardless
of the abilities of all other countries.
If it is fact that America can produce
the necessities of life as cheap as any
other country. / cannot see how the
interest of the people of this country
can be damaged by system of free
trade, but upon the other hand, should
it be that oppression in the older C 'un
tries provides that the people of that
country can produce cheaper than we,
it will follow as an inevitable conse
quence under free trade, that the cheap
ness of their produce would greatly
contract the price of ours. It is gan
orally conceded that Congress iS going
to legislate upon the tariff, but what
the result will be no one can tell, but
of one thing the people may be certain,
nothing will be done by the present ad-
ministration that will alleviate their
deplorable condition.
If the Wilson bill is enacted into law
it will be because the moneyed classes
have demanded it. The Same inhu-
ences that defeated the anti option bill
will secure the passage of a tariff bill
favorable to the interest of manutac-
turers. If the repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law and the de-
feat of the-anti-option bill doesn't dem
onstrate to the people beyond doubt
that it is the determined and fixed in
tention of Congress to obey the precepts
of plutocracy, when will their eyes be
open to view of their condition.
The tariff, Mr.. Editor, is a question
that but few people understand; 1 DO
not Understandable. My experience and
knowledge of resources are confined to
the narrow limits of Eastern North
Carolina; know nothing of the i'm
mense producing capacity that one
country has over another con-