Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-05-31
The Advocate on Free Trade.

Yes il is amusing to hear one speak
Of another violating the rules of politi-
cal economy when his own knowledge
of the branch is limited to the title
which he perhaps heard from some
passing school boy. Facts and figures
are hard to dispute. We will ask in
what way can the consumers of this
country reap such great benefits from
the extensive manufacturers of this
country when the same article, manu-
featured in the same factory, at the
same time and from the raw material
and labor of the same kind and price,
can be bought in Europe after paying
the transportation across the ocean, at
a less price? Perhaps it would be
better for the consumer to have the
goods manufactured in Europe il il
would return the favor now extended
to Europeans. How does this help the
laborer? At the end of the year, how
much money has he savedg not how
much has he earned during the year.
If he gets ten dollars day and pays.
eleven for his expenses, he is getting a
large salary but his expense is greater
than his salary, therefore he is not only
spending all his salary, but he is rum
ming behind. This is the kind of good
wages the laborer is receiving today.
The above is from the Advocate. We
are glad if We can amuse the editor of
the Advocate if we can do no more for
him. We notice the insinuation that
our knowledge "of the branch Of
political economy is limited to what
some school boy has told us. For
twenty years the subjects dealt of in
that science have been fascinating to us,
but whether. we have grasped them so
as to comprehend their, complex rela-
tions and influences we do not care to
pretend. Neither do we care to be
personal and call attention to the train
ing or lack of it that the editor of the
Advocate possesses. But when we
find the Advocate is in our opinion
violating accepted principles of politi.
cal economy we shall likely call atten
ten to it, even at the expense of being
called ignorant.
The Advocate asks how it helps the
American laborer to have so much
manufacturing done in this country
when the articles can be made in Eu-
rope and transported here and sold
cheaper than when made here? II also
claims that although a laborer gets
good wages under such system he
more than loses it in having to pay high
for what he has to buy.
Now if we retaliated in kind we
would suggest that the Advocate pro-
pound these questions to some school
boy and obtain the information it is
evidently in need of. We would reply
by quoting its own words in the article
quoted, Facts and figures are hard to
dispute" These questions it asks and
the suggestions it makes are founded
on its own free trade theories and not
upon facts and figures. When it says
that the laboring man today, although
receiving better wages than few years
ago, is worse off, it is making statements
in accordance with its pet theories
rather than in accordance with the
facts.
As to the question of how it helps
the laborer here when manufacturing
is done here rather than in Europe, we
have only to say it gives him employ
ment. During the administration of
Cleveland when the free trade policy
was attempted we all know labor was
very much less employed here than it
is now. Consequently farm produce
had u poorer market and was selling at
less than now. These things were
to the disadvantage of the farmer
and also of the laborer, for what
profited it TO the laborer il what he
wanted to buy was cheap if he had no
employment and nothing with which to
buy?
According to the reports of the de-
partment of Agriculture the value of
live stock in the United States depre-
ciated $500, 100000 Turing the years of
the Wilson, German tariff and Cleve-
lands administration. The values of
all properties were diminished. Thou
sands of laborers were idle. Several
million dollars worth more of our
manufacturing was done in Europe
during these few years than now. If
that is the plan and the conditions
the Advocate desires to return to it
will find itself inthe minority again.
Our people have had enough of free
trade for awhile.
Now if the Advocate will come of
il perch. quit theorizing on free trade
and talk facts and figures" perhaps
we may all be enlightened somewhat
on this "branch."