Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1891 — "Serves Mexico's Interests.” [ARTICLE]

"Serves Mexico's Interests.”

Is not this too bad? A dispatch from the City of Mexico announces that since we have abolished the duty on sugar Mexico lias begun to export sugar to this country. “During the present year,” the dispatch goes on, “there will be a large increase in area devoted to agriculture, and especially by sugar planters, who sro everywhere prosperous. The trade of the country is increasing daily.” ■Whenever anybody in this country talks about reducing duties, the McKinleyites instantly pop up on all sides and shout that he “serves foreign interests, ” that he is working against the interests of his native land, and charges are made that he has in his pockets Cobden Club gold. These McKinleyites hunt up all the news they can find and print It in their papers showing how McKinley's high duties on foreign-made goods have closed up factories in Europe and thrown thousands of workmen out of employment. Thereupon they smile very broadly, rub their hands in glee, and exclaim, “Europe's loss is our gain.” But where we remove a duty, as wo have just done with the sugar tax, and the removal of it brings renewed prosperity to other nations, must it not inevitably follow, upon the protectionists’ argument, that we have done a very bad day’s work for our own country? If “Europe’s loss is our gain,” it must be true that Mexico’s gain is our loss. But are our people suffering a loss? On the contrary, they are buying their sugar two cent? per pound cheaper than before the removal of the duty. Who concerns himself that Mexico is helped? Let Mexico enjoy to the full every advantage that our vast free-sugar market gives it; nr. man except a protectionist, not even the veriest ignoramus in the world, could suppose that we have given Mexico that advantage at our own expense. Trade, like charity, blesses him that gives and him that takes. Trade must be beneficial to both buyer and seller, or trade ceases—a principle constantly and persistently ignored by the whole school of McKinleyites. Therefore we can say to the Mexicans, “Dump your paupermade sugar unon our markets as rapidly and in as great quantities as possiblo; the more the better. The cheaper sugar is the better for our people, and we don't begrudge your * paupers ’ the pennies which they earn in producing it.”