The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-04-05
TARIFF TINKERING.
OLD PARTY STATESMEN MAKE
IT A SCAPE-GOAT.
Tariff Has Been Their Stock In Trade for
Twenty Years-The Senate and Sugar
Speculation-Old Party Leaders Have No
Conscience.


Only Throwing Sand
Our statesmen are again wrestling
with the tariff. This has been their
stock in trade for twenty years. High
tariff, low tariff, tariff for revenue,
protective tariff, and free trade; and
all the time the poor consumers have
footed the bills. What matters it, my
brother, whether you pay the tariff on
one article or another? Don't you see
that the burden in all tariff legislation
is laid upon the shoulders of the poor?
Coarse blankets, such as you use, are
taxed $50 per cent, while the soft me-
rino silken blankets of the rich are
taxed about 90 per cent. The same
holds good throughout the list, either
under the Mckinley or Wilson tariff.
The Wilson bill is mere Cleveland
dodge. In the language OF Penn
sylvania Democrat, Mr.. Sibley. 1T is
n hybrid "a cross between protection
and rank free trade-and like most
hybrids, possesses all the vices of both
parents, and none of the virtues of
either"
The United States has never had
free trade, a 20 per cent. tariff being
about the lowest, and the effects of
free trade are unknown in this cOun-
try. But We have had a high project
i've tariff for twenty-five years, and to-
day the condition of our laborers gives
the lie to all claims of protection in
their behalf. For q number of years
the lying demagogues could rant and
rave about protection to American Ia
Dor giving them better wages. Why
not tell us that now, when in the most
highly protected Industries in the
country wages are barely up to the
living point, and are still being re-
luceu. Now listen q minute, reader,
and you shall have the secret. Twen-
ty years ago the boundless West was
open to settlement. When a cargo of
foreign laborers was brought to an
eastern factory to compete for job,
you declared your independence of the
boss, and came West. In this way
competition was kept down. and wages
kept up. But now the West is all
settled, and those in the mills must
remain, and SO wages have gone down,
down, and down, because the influx of
foreign labor has kept up, and the mill
owners have the workmen by the
throat. All this twaddle about the
fear of free trade is perniciously false.
1t is only to throw sand in your eyes.
Let us give you a little anecdote that
will illustrate just how much you have
been protected.
One day burlv negro boy started
fishing. As he strobe along he discov-
cred a small negro boy in back yard
chopping wood. He accosted the lit
tie woodchopper thus:
Hello. Jabe; don't you want to 60
fishing?"
yes, but reckin can't CO."
why can't gou go?"
Il got to chop wood"
who you chopin wood for?"
"Choppin' wood for NANNY"
Does your nanny pay you for il? ?"
"What do you do with the money 2"
NANNY keeps it for me"
what's your nanny gwine to do
with it 2"
shes agoin to buy me another axe
when this one wears out"
This, fellow working man, illustrates
the only kind of protection you have
had by the tariff. Don't you remem-
Der when there was plenty of money
among the people up to 1873, and
prices of farm products were high, and
plenty of work and good wages for
every body, that the tariff was high
and yet everybody was happy. When
Wall Street is throttled and our finan-
ces are wrested from the robbers and
restored to the people. then times will
again be good. The tariff fraud is an
evil, but it is not to be compared to
the evil of money contraction by the
blood gamblers. No difference what
kind of tariff laws We have unless the
Government shall assume control OF
the issue and distribution of onr
money, the freedom of the laborer is
gOne.-Leadcr.
The Senate aud Speculation.