Year: 1871

. partment, too!


Stranger. Yes. there is, and the in


ventors pay its expenses. They sc


nothing for nothing. Governmen


patronage of manufacturing and me
chanical industry do not cost the pee
pie cent.


| DO. It's right for the government
to introduce new seeds, and TO scnt
out information to the farmers.
costs bat a trife after all to the Who'll,
people, and it helps to build up th,
country.


Stranger. Did l say it wasn't?
say it is right, and approve of al
that has been done to encourage ag
riculture and open up these western
States, but it is dcfensible only on the
reasons of public policy that justify q
Tariff for the protection of manufac
turing industry. And speaking o.
Protection, am reminded that far
mers have not only received the gra
tuities / have mentioned, but agri
culture is also protected by the Gov
ermeut.


10. Well, there may be some farm.
ers along the Canada line who are
benefited by the duties on agricul
tural products, but they don't amount
to much.


stranger. They amount 10 that much
at least but / was not speaking OF
them. Have you any idea what the
Indian policy Of the government
costs, aud what the expense has been
and is of an occasional Indian war,
and the constan. maintenance OF
forts and forces on the frontier? I'll
tell you it IS pretty penny, and ev-
cry cent of it is for the protection of
farmers against savages who would
disturb their industry and destroy
their property or their lives.


10. They don't get the protection
as farmers but as citizens. The Gov
ernment owes it to them.


Stranger. They get It, at any rate,
and it is right that they should have
it, and there is as great need OF de-
tense OF Home industry against other
foes of the country, who have learned
how to make trade as ruinous + war.
The Tariff which does this is no more
for the SPECIAL advantage OF a class
than the tort which guards our from
tiers, and 1t is as much the duty OF
Government maintain the one as the
other.


10. Suppose I should deny that
manufactures were as important to
this country as agriculture, what
would you say to that? We could
not get along without the products
of tue soil, for that supports every
thing else, and not to care for it would
be to commit suicide.


Stranger. | should meet you in that
case with weight of authorities OF
American statesmen, from the time
of Washington downward, who have
all maintained the doctrine that man
ufactures are indispensable to the
salty and independence of a country
and that they are SO important to the
| farmer, that without them he does
not obtain proper reward for his
industry. In point of fact: the farm.
ers get nearly the whole benefit OF
the protection afforded by duties on
manufactured articles.


10. How does that appear.


Stranger. Suppose there was VEN
of iron over here on the creek-lt
would be the property of the farmers,
OF course, and I'll ask what it would
be worth to them?


10. Not much.


.Straager. Nothing at all, but get
some one to build furnace over
there and it will be valuable l am
paving several farmers twenty-five
cents Der ton for the ore they allow
me to dig aud take away at my own
cost. that's one profit to them. Then
my furnace has gwen them a market
that has increased their revenue from
the land at least fifty per cent, and
the value of their land has gone up
from ten to thirty dollars an acre.
That is another profit. They have
churches which they didn't have be-
fore, and they have much better
schools, and they are all out OF debt
and doing well. That's not the end
of the benefits of my works to farm
ers, for after we have consumed all
the local supply Of food we buy Wes-
tern flour, beet, pork and other pro-
ducts to a large amount. Twenty
per cent. or more of the wages OF the
workingmen 60 into the pockets OF
the W cstern farmers thousand miles
from the works. What do you think
Of that?


10. If it IS as yon say, / think you
should bring your works out here
where you can get all the food you
want, and thereby save carriage both
ways.


Stranger. And pray tell me what
hinders it, except the stupid agitation
in favor OF Free Trade, which scares
capital away from investment in man.
ufactures requiring great outlay, and
which canuot at once be operated at
profit. You have got good coal
over here on Deer Crcek-I know it
for have been looking at it, and it
is not tar to 60 for a good supply OF
ore, and ! had thought Of trying to
make iron right here among you, but
YOU seem to DO 80 much in favor OF
repealing the duty, that ia better
not make the Investment Id better
loan my money to some of you on
mortgage at twenty per cent. and sell
you up after awhile when you fail to
pay me. That's the kind Of business
nobody calls monopoly. All here
come, the train.


Here score of voices exclaimed
"Are you in earnest now r. Us there
really coal on Deer Creek ?" "Nevel
mind 10, Stranger; he never had
much sense, anyhow" "Where dc
you live when you're at homer