Cameron County Press

"The trouble down in Washington. Eli." said an old Dakota farmer on the train the other day, "is caused by their having too many one-horse eastern farmers in congress. Now we are so prosperous that we sold twelve hundred million dollars' worth of stuff to Europe last year, and only bought back six hundred million dollars worth. This gave us a surplus of six hundred million dollars, which came back to us in gold and bonds. That's all right. If we go on that way for ten years longer, we'll have six billions of their money-about a fourth of the money in the world! Now, why can't we let well enough alone? What's the use of flying off on free silver and free trade again?

"Then again they say we ain't managing our commerce right. They say we don't own the ships that carry this stuff to Europe. They say European ships get $200,000,000 for carrying this stuff across the ocean. Now. why don't congress bolster up our ships a little, as it did our tin factories, glass factories and silk factories? Why. suppose congress should give our ships ten or twenty million dollars to help them start in? Call it a subsidy. What of it? By and by, when the ships get started, we'll save $200,000,000 a year from going to European ship owners. We bait a trap to catch a rat, don't we, but we don't have to feed him cheese after he is caught.

"We've farmers won't squeal if congress will spend twenty millions to save two hundred millions. England and Germany back up their ships and give them a bonus on the money they make for their country. They steal the carrying trade and take $200,000,000 out of our pockets every year. I say fight them with their own ammunition, as we fight the Russian thistle. By and by when we sell Europe a billion and a half dollars' worth of cotton. corn. meat and manufactured goods-and get paid for carrying it to them-why then we'll have the whole earth: You hear me!"

ELI PERKINS.