in the McKinley bill. But during the seven months beginning with Dec. 1, 1890, and ending with June, 1891, it is seen that the total importation of merchandise amounted to $493,437,678, as against $471,025,966 in the same months of the year preceding, and the revenues from these imports in the period embraced in 1890-91 amounted to $113,126,076.14 as against $156,033,381.69 in the period of 1889-90. At the same time our exports of domestic produce have greatly increased, amounting to $510,021,807 during the seven months specified in 1890-91, as against $482,155,402 during the same months of the year before.

The following is from the Iron Age: Much has recently been written about the unsatisfactory condition of the Western farmers. The low price which they receive for their products is assigned as the cause of the discontent prevailing among them. Apropos of this subject, a most interesting inquiry has been instituted by the Messenger, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, prompted by a letter from a correspondent, who asks a series of questions about the condition of farming interests and the extent to which they are suffering from combinations and trusts.

Fort Dodge, it may be remembered, is situated in the heart of a vast agricultural section, and possesses no special advantages as a cheap distributing point for manufactured goods. The editor went into the matter practically. He applied to a merchant in each line of trade at Fort Dodge, and secured a comparative statement of his retail prices now and in 1880, selecting 1880 in order to show most conclusively that nearly every article consumed by the farmers has been very heavily reduced in price in the ten years covered by the comparison, while at the same time his own products have not suffered a corresponding diminution in value. We reproduce from the article in question the following extract:

Buggies and carriages all reduced about one-half. Harrows generally reduced one-half. Corn-shellers reduced one-half. The above are the principal implements in common use. The reduction in their cost to the farmer since 1880 runs from 33 to 60 per cent.

HARDWARE.

The stock of a hardware store can almost be classified as farm implements, and we will examine hardware next. At the top of the list we place barb wire, as its consumption is wholly by the farmers. Our farmer friends will hardly be able to realize that ten years ago they were paying ten cents a pound for barb wire. But we know they were, for we have examined the charges upon the books of one of the best firms in Fort Dodge. All of the prices were procured by examining the books of this firm for 1880.

Laces and embroideries, 334 per cent reduction. Silks and velvets, 25 to 33 per cent reduction. Carpets, 25 to 33 per cent reduction. General reduction on stock in dry goods store, 23 to 33 per cent.

CLOTHING.

On clothing comparative figures cannot be given, because qualities vary. There has been, however, since 1880 a general reduction in ready-made clothing, ranging from 30 to 50 per cent; and there has been a decided improvement in the stability of ready-made clothing.

BOOTS AND SHOES.

Great progress had been made in the manufacture of footwear by machinery prior to 1880, but we are not dealing with that time now. The average reduction in the retail price of footwear since 1880 is 33 per cent. So all of the benefits of improved methods in the production of shoes have not by any means been absorbed by the manufacturer.

WATCHES, CLOCKS AND JEWELRY.

The silver watches which retailed in 1880 at $20 now retail at $12. The set of knives and forks sold in 1880 at $6 now retail at $3. Everything in the store has suffered from 33 to 50 per cent reduction.

FURNITURE.

The retail prices of furniture have suffered a reduction ranging since 1880 from 25 to 50 per cent. A half dozen wooden chairs, such as now sell for $3, sold then for $4.50 to $5. Bedsteads, sold now at $1.75 and $2.50, sold then at $4 and $6. The cut is heavy on all articles, but most on the machine made articles. It should be borne in mind in this connection that the raw material of which furniture is made has not decreased in price, nor have the wages of laborers in the factories been reduced.

Doors, window sash and blinds, 30 per cent reduction.

(Extract from a speech of Hon. William McKinley in the house of representives, May 7, 1890.)

No free trader can show that any article protected by the tariff laws of the United States, which has started a new industry, is now dearer than when the high duty was put on that article. The manufacture of any article in the United States increases the production and cheapens the article.

CHAPTER XV.

COBDEN CLUB-FREE TRADE--TARIFF REFORM-LAND TAX-AMERICAN FARMERS-THE IRISH VOTE-IRISH REPUBLICANS

で

HE newspapers and public speakers of the free trade and tariff reform party, who have been telling the farmers that if the tariff of 1890 (McKinley bill) is not repealed that England will not buy the farm produce of the American farmers, should read Lord Salisbury's speech on free trade. The following is from Lord Salisbury's speech May 18, 1892:

We

"We complain most of the United States, and it so happens that the United States mainly furnishes us with articles which are essential to the good of the people, and with raw material which is essential to our manufactures. cannot exclude either without serious injury to ourselves. I am not prepared, in order to punish other countries, to inflict dangerous wounds on ourselves. We must confine ourselves to those matters wherein we will not suffer much whether importation continues or diminishes. While we cannot raise the price of food and raw material, there is an enormous mass of imports, such as wine, spirits, silks, gloves and laces, from countries besides the United States, which are mere luxuries, and of which a diminished consumption could be risked in order to secure access to the markets of our neighbors. I am bound to say that I think the free traders have gone too far."

If Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson were now living they would surely say that the free traders and tariff reformers of the United States have gone too far in their opposition to the American tin plate industry of the United States, as well as their selfish, unwise and unpatriotic hostility to Mr. Blaine's reciprocity treaties. Lord Salisbury is the present first lord of the treasury and prime minister of England; that is to say, the present head of the British government. He is certainly the best authority in England on the question of food. He knows well that England must have food or famine, "bread or blood." American politicians certainly do not know more on the food question than the English themselves. The hungry man knows when he wants bread.

The Southern people made a deplorable mistake in following the leadership of the free traders, after the War of the Rebellion, for the main plank in the constitution of the Southern Confederate government was slavery and free trade. To maintain their principles the South fought the War of the Rebellion. On the surrender of the "Lost Cause," the South should have surrendered the cause of the war itself-slavery and free trade. They should allow the colored citizens to cast their ballots at elections and have them counted, even if they have to give them a division of the offices. They should now encourage both manufacturing and immigration. But the Bourbon Democracy came to the front,-Watterson, Carlisle, Morrison and Mills-who forced what they then called the "Kentucky Idea," or Cobden Club free trade, on the Democratic party both North and South. Not one Democrat in a thousand in the South, in 1884, knew that the Democratic rallying cry of Cleveland and Reform!" meant Cleveland and the free trade principles of the Cobden Club of London, England. The great mass of the Democrats believed that "Cleveland and Reform!" meant only to turn out the Republicans and put in the Democrats. Henry George is a disciple of the free trade Cobden Club, established in London, April, 1848, by Cobden. The following are the princi

pins of the Cobden Club: "Remering mration from articles of død, tom anases, business pisces, etc., and patting it upon the rame of land will leve trade and commerce; and by depriving the land bolder of the power de i present possesses and exercises". This is the Nundation stone of Hongy Gerge's single tax scheme and the tand heresy of Watterson, Curvasin, Mon son, Milk, Cleveland and other Godden Clad tõve trade tarif redraws The abortment of tard duties would compel the Federal government to resort. No a land tax, the same as in England, and take the taxes of personal proyaree in a was and cines and load it upon the backs of the farmers Farmers A men, what do you think now of the Cobden Club party in the laited States? The Cobden Club Association recommends reading Henry George `s latest wurd, the "Condition of Labour," etc. This is their indorsement of Henry Georg Tide Cobden Club Almanac for 1892 and the Monthly Financial Reformer for

1892

The Cobden Club Financial Reform Association in 1892 advocate “perfect theedom of trade," "a system of direct taxation," "completion of the work of Cob den—until the last chain laid upon human industry and skill be broken, and the last duty abolished." Henry George has the courage to advocate the single tax on land, but Watterson, Carlisle, Morrison, Mills and Cleveland are working in the dark until they get full control of the Federal government, then they will proclaim absolute free trade. The land tax will follow as a matter of course. They advocate what they call "tariff reform”—simply gradual free trade, and the ruin of American manufactures. The members of the Cobden Club are bolder on their side of the Atlantic; they are not, like their free trade brethren in the United States, afraid to publicly and boldly advocate their principles of free trade and land tax on the farmers. They say, "In the election we distributed over 2,000,000 leaflets." The leaflets of the Cobden Club have been used in the United States very freely. These leaflets are used in writing editorials by the leading free trade and "tariff reform" newspapers in the large cities, and rehashed by the country "tariff reform" papers, in order to influence voters to ruin-by unfriendly legislation-the manufacturers of the United States, especially the manufacturers of tin plate, as also to break down reciprocity. The Cobden Club has at its disposal plenty of money, which will appear from the following list of contributors:

As the British pound sterling is nearly equal in round numbers to five dollars of United States money, the reader will form some idea of the amount of British gold contributed to control the elections in the United States. It is one of the most audacious attempts to break down the manufacturers of the United States ever devised by the wit of man. We only give a few of the leading contributors. Oh! shades of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson! American citizens, beware of the baneful influence of foreigu gold to control our general elections.