The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-07-26

Statements That Do Not R~concile Then
selves To Zach Other.

selves tn Bach other.
The New York Press is adding 10 the
Searsne>s II existence during the hot
weather by publishing each week sew
eral wards Of dreary protection rubbish
written by GEORGE Gunton.
In a recent issue of the Press Mr..
Gunton attacks the English" free
trade policy. and in the our OF the
usual misrepresentation In regard 20
the effect of free trade in that coun-
try. SAYS: 1T free trade did not visc
q England the cheaper bread that was
promised. English wheat for many
years after the repeal Of the corn law
was Just as high a. il was before, y
to-day the Englishman's loaf costs
more than the loaf of any other la
borer in the world" And in the same
article he s:ys: 1T free trade) sub
stituted a foreign for a home food sup
ply. which drove the land out of cult
vat;on."
The first question which an intelli-
gent reader Of the Press would ask is.
IL Mr.. Gunton's first statements are
( true. and wheat remained a. high many
wears after the orr laws a. il "A be-
fore. how did free trade in grain in
lure the English farmer? And, If the
English laborer'> LOAF costs more than
that of any other la borer in the world.
why does not the English farmer con
tinue TO grow wheat and get the
highest price for it2
The answer 10 these questions IS
very simple. Mr.. Gunton's statements
are not true. 1t is probable that he
thought they were true. for a man
who can saw. as he did over his sigma
ture, that wages are higher in New
York and Philadelphia because rents
are higher in the former city. can be-
lieve almost anything. But every
sensible man and woman knows that
after the repeal of the English corn
laws the price OF wheat declined, while
the consumption of wheat greatly in
creased. The English laborer's loaf.
quality for quality. is as cheap a N
any other country in the world. and
cheaper than in France. Germany.
Austria. Italy, Spain and many other
! countries. This is n fact beyond dis
pute. and il IS only an instance of the
audacity of protectionists that they
should attempt to deny il.
The chief reason for the decline in
wheat production in England has been
the competition OF cheaper wheat from
America. Russia. India and the Argen'
tine Republic. At the same time the
exorbitant rents formerly asked BY
English landlords is partly responsible
for the condition Of many of the farm
ing districts of England. No farmer
could afford n pay the rents demand
ed. so the land was allowed 10 lie un-
used. and the clay soils became
"soured.' requiring a large expcnd'
iture for drainage and fertilizers be
fore crops could be profitably grown
Had the land been leased at low rents
and kept in cultivation. il would now
be in much better condition and would
not be lying idle. The only way pro.
lection could help matters would be
by increasing the price of wheat. but
hat increase would not 20 to tn,
farmer. but into the pockets of this
land-owning aristocracy. Americana
who are complaining against alier
svndicates which hold vast tracts o
land in this country will not be likely
TO join Mr.. Gunton in wasting sym
pathy on English landlords.