Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1888 — inconsistency of Free Trade Attorneys. [ARTICLE]

inconsistency of Free Trade Attorneys.

The free trade attorneys have; several strings to their eolian liarp, j each set to a different tune, according to the presumed necessities of, 1 the situation. The voter’s ear will be tickled with his favorite strain, and'the music timed to his crudest step, always provided that his toes point toward the free trade camp. The farmer is told that he, of ail men, should stand for free trade; that Protection but adds to the price of what he buys, and that his trouble with the price of what he has to sell comes from the fact that his market is not far enough from home. The mechanic is 1 treated to the song of cheaper food and raiment when free trade comes. The laborer, after a few solemn; strains over the hardness of his, lot, is incited with martial notes to tumble down the wall of Protection to noma industries and enter; upon the blessings which free' trade Las in store for its advocates. But the manufacturer is likely f to detect some discord iu songs which promise higher wages for labor and lower prices for pro-, ducts. Another string is touched, and there conies to him the grand promise of the world’s markets. Me is told that goods which Amer-,

icans are unable to buy vill find ready purchasers beyond the seas, and that on the pinions of free trade, increased wealth “twill be borne back to him, if he will join in the. worship of ttsp image that the Oobdep Club has set up. Who so blind as not to see the inconsistency in all this? - ~ The farmer’s profit is now diminishedby expense of transportation to centres of consumption, and many are barred the production .of certain profitable qrops by remoteness from markets. His obvious-interest is to have markets nearer to the farm, and .when possible sell in his own country rather than in Europe..* He should remember that every man kept at work and earning wages* in some other occupation than farming lessens competition in growing farm products, while increasing demand aud prices for the same. The mechanic’s interests lies in having every dollar of wealth produced in this country kept' at home and spent in building better ji,ouses, more machinery, finer furniture —in short, adding to the facilities of production and the ability of our people ta purchase the products of mechanical industry. Let him reflect upon the disadvantage at which he would .be placed if compelled to depend for wages upon some calling in which he is not skilled. In his own trade he is an expert, at any other work he would be a novice.

The laborer, dependent upon others for his means of support, is the first to feel the pinch of dull times. When building factories, making railroads, improving streets &c., ceases, he is the first thrown out of work, and the least able of ail to endure forced idleness. As his department of labor is one re<l airing strength father than 'skill, it is the most of all exposed to competition.

And the manufacturer, how is lie to get the promised hold upon the markets of the world? These are already occupied by the manufacturers or other nations; otherwise they would not bo so presistent to get into the markets of this country. How are they to be displaced? Obviously.iu but one of two Ways: The American manufacturer, to secure markets now monopolized by Europeans, must either supply better goods at the prices no ,v paid, or he must supply equally good articles for less money. If lie makes the sacrifice, the cheapening process must fall either upon the material u§ed or the labor put upon the finished product. In face of the fact that 8250,000,000 were last year paid to foreigners for products which could as well have been manufactured in this country, the folly of further concessions in behalf of free foreign trade must be apparent to. all except those who will not see. p ■