Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1910 — My, What a Bump For Foss’ Opponent! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My, What a Bump For Foss’ Opponent!

Lest We Forget. Do we work in order to live, or do we live in order to work? The an-, swer to this question lies at the bottom of the whole protectionist controversy. If work is what men are put on the earth for and if it is not a mere means of getting food, clothing and shelter, then the protectionist is right and the Bethlehem steel workers who work seven days in the week and have no time to bless themselves are ideal types of civilized humanity. But if work is only a means to an end and if men are entitled to procure their wants at the least amount of work that it will cost, then the protection doctrine is radically false and fatal. What is our whole system of division of labor for? To do away with needless work. Why is not every man today his own tailor, shoemaker and blacksmith? To do away with need 7 less work. Why don’t we grow our own oranges in greenhouses in New York state instead of importing them from Florida? To do away with needless work. We reverse ail this the moment we adopt protection. We are rolling stones up hills, we are carrying water in leaky buckets, we are lifting ourselves into the air by clutching at our boot straps, every time we manufacture an article in America that we can import cheaper from abroad.

Boston Traveler.