St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-18
UNPROTECTED LABOR.

The Mankato Free Press ventures
eome considerations upon a recent ed
itorial article in the G l o b e showing
the farmers how, under the policy Of
protection, they had been taxed on all
that they consume, while the nations
with whom we trade were forced to
look elsewhere for what they need, by
our exclusive and misunderstanding tar
iff policy. We have scanned the hazy
column in the Free Press to find some
reply to the argument, without success.
All that it has to offer Is the asser-
ton that nations do not care whether
the people to whom they sell products
buy of them again or not. This as
sertion is a denial Of the fact that
all trade is barter, though sometimes
indirect now where formerly 1t was di-
rect. If the Free Press chooses to
take this ground, it can do so; just
as it can deny, if it p1eases, that the
earth revolves about the sun. 1t
would be just as much waste of time
to argue with it on its error in one
case as in the other. It admits in
conclusion that the farmers Of this
country must study how to produce
at the lowest possible cost. All the
consolation it has to offer them is
that they "are the better able to do
this, and to follow the best methods
of intelligent and diversified farming,
because the economic policy which has
been followed has developed the coun-
try in an industrial line, as we'll as
agricultural"
Under any economic policy what
ever that might have been adopted In
this country, all lines Of industry would
have been developed by this time,
probably to about their present stage
of completeness. The growth of man
ufacture within the boundaries Of the
United States is an interesting study,
and an unanswerable proof Of this
Manufacturing industries were con-
fined at first to the Eastern seaboard,
and particularly to those communities
which contained large deposits Of iron
and coal. Without the operation of
any tariff act, as between state and
state, manufactures have followed the
increase Of population and the culti-
yation Of the soil step by step west
ward, endeavoring to locate themselves
closer to the supply of raw material,
and exhibiting q development that is
the healthiest possible, because it is
natural. What has happened in the
development Of the United States as
a community Of states would have
happened In the country as one mem
Der of the group of nations, tariff or
no tariff. We have simply forced that
development unnaturally, caused it to
run in different channels, and, by so
doing, have built up millionaires and
trusts at the cost of the common
working people.
We have no doubt that the industrial
situation Of this country, as far as
the existence here Of diversified in
dustries and ample factories to supply
nearly all our wants is concerned,
would have been identical with its
situation today if protective
tariff had never been heard Of.
Whether this be true or not and
whether the economic views of the
Globe or those of the Free Press
are to obtain, one thing, at least, Is
clear, undeniable and admitted by
both of them. This is that the farmer
is the only unprotected workingman
In. this country Of ours. We have said
it. The Free Press admits it. Nobody
can question it. Why should this be
so? If we were to admit that protec-
ton protects the laborer, which is not
true at all, because it simply protects
the employer and assumes that he will
pass the advantage along to his en-
ploye, why should the laborer in the
factory, the mill, the mine and the
workshop be protected when the labor
er on the soil is not? Are not the
agricultural boress~ef~Asais~xast do