The Hartford Herald

Whom Does it Protect?

[Elizabethtown News.]

During the Presidential campaign the silliest argument used by the Republican high tariffites with our farmers was the 'home market' cry. A peculiar phase of this argument was noticed in several sections of this country where the "Independent man" (one who never votes for a Democrat when there is a chance of electing a Republican) abounds. A great hue and cry was raised against the Mills bill because potatoes were on the free list. This was not true in fact, but the argument was used with the farmers that this protection was to be done away with. Since the triumph of the Republican party and the high tariff doctrine, the price of this one article of farm produce—potatoes— notwithstanding all the protection against "imported potatoes," has fallen lower than ever before known. In Wisconsin five cents a bushel was the market price. Now, on the other hand, can any of our farmers point out to us a single article which they use in producing their crops which has fallen in price? Is his binder-twine cheaper? How about sugar? Does it not become clearer day by day whom protection protects and what kind of a home market we are enjoying? The kind of market to suit the farmer could be easily had were it not for the tariff, which prohibits the exchange of commodities and compels foreign merchants to pay for American products with gold, which they have not, instead of with foreign goods, which they have.