West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-05-16
Written fot Tar AReus
THE TARIFF AND
THE HOME MARKET"
BY con. ROBERT ". AoNRoE.

Istical aud misleading, than .'the
home market problem. And per.
haPs there is no other question en-
teriug into the tariff discussions of
this day, less understood. Or, it
might be nearer the truth To say
that there is no question upon
which the ingenuity and shrewd-
ness OF the protected interests"
have been so induStriously and
presistently brought to bear. There
are TWO classes that those who profit
by tariff bounties, must placate. If
possible, because they control "A
large number Of the voters of tho
country, and they are the 'labor-
ing men' as understood i'm tariff
nomenclature, and the agricultur.
lsts-the farmers and those more
Immediately connected with them.
The "laboring meu"-Beir labor.
ing nen--as | endeavored TO show
in "a former article, are solaced, or
aimed to be, by the pleasing assur-
ance that the duties are imposed
upon lmportatIons. especially for
their benefit; or in other words, to
protect them against the pauper
labor of Europe" 1t is, indeed. a
pretty difficult matter, even with
the flexible logic Of protectlonist,
TO make an intelligent farmer un-
derstand how he is directly bene-
fitted by d tariff. 1t has become
axiomatic, that the tariff affords
protection, 0Rly in cases where com
petition operates. That is, duties
on imports only protect those who
are engaged in manufacturing or
producing the like article in this
country. Then, 1t enables the homie
manufacturer to charge the same
price, for his products, Of the same
q"d/'ty, as the imported article
costs IN the country whence it was
brought, a0iM tie duty ad,tcd. This
is protection.
Now, as | remarked above, it is
pretty hard to make "a farmer Of in
tellIgence, or even good hard
horse sense" or any one else who
has modicum Of PERCEPTION, be-
lleye that he can be benefited or
protected III any vocation, that does
not come in competition with a
similar one abroad. The great
staples grown by the farmer are not
imported. We always calculate to
produce a large surplus, and always
do, under favorable circumstances.
Hence a duty on wheat aud corn.
and cotton and meats, amounts to
just nothing. to the farmers of this
country, and the truth is now fore.
ing itself upon the minds of all.
The failacy, therefore, of pro.
tecting the agricuIturlst, by duty
upon his products that are export.
ed mot importcd) to fnd forcign
market, has about spent its force
has fooled about all tile people that
IL will What then? Something
must be done TO control the votes
OF the "grangers - What "can
be worked - Why, the HoDse
Harket; that has mystery enough
in it, to last long time, perhaps.
That is broId, intricate, and
rather bewilderiug question, and
by skillful presentation, tho un-
sophisticated can DO made to be.
lieye that there is who're his protoc.
ton comes in-and that he Qets It
IN large measure, too. Tho idea is
scdulOusly sought TO be conveyed
gnd fixed iu tire minds Of the peo.
pie, that there is party iu this
country, that IS opposed to the
home market, aud desires TO des.
troy 1T. 1t is strange that any
ono should suffer himself to be
thus imposed upon, and hood
winkod; but yet there are thousands
Of people, it seems, who suffer
themselves to believe that il is true.
This argument is always supple.
mented aud "spiced" with an APP
peal TO t5e national prejudicos and
sellishne5g Of the people. 1t is said
to be the result Of "English nnu.
ence" and English gold;" and
many Othor expressions, calculated
to stir UP and intensity old animos.
tires, and national hate, and there
by avoid such an exposure OF The
facts, IS would appeal to the reason
and judgment Of the people, and
not To fhpir paasiona taoroI,