1882.] HOME MANUFACTURES. 199 



mechanics ~and arts of his business. Successful families like suc- 

 cessful states must maintain a diversity of industries. 



We have a good deal said and written, now-a-days, about the 

 tariff. The way to fool the people in the matter of law is to give 

 them a new code every little while, which they do not understand. 

 The worst laws become endulrable when we have adapted our- 

 selves to them. As the tariff now stands small industries, anj^one 

 may see, are growing up everywhere. The people know w'hat 

 they are doing. But supposing we alter the tariff and make it 

 what they call " discriminating " ? Who is to be discriminated 

 against ? Those, I take it, who cannot afford to pay a Washing- 

 ton lobby, the beginners of small industries at home, all over 

 this broad land. 



The sore point in regard to the destruction of our old style farm 

 manufacturers is that modern society gives too little credit for the 

 help it got from that humble training. The old woman of Tolland 

 county, who could produce woolen goods from the sheep's back, 

 linen from flax seed, and curiously dyed silk from the egg and 

 mulberry tree, is mightily injured in her feelings, when her grand- 

 children are robbed of their water-power under the flowage law. 



Flowage law ? And what, pray, has that to do with agriculture? 

 Much, every way. Possibly some in this farmers' meeting do not 

 know that we have a flowage law, or what a flowage law is. 

 Farmers' conventions are usually experience meetings, gatherings 

 to compare notes and report progress. Scarcely a year ago I knew 

 nothing about a flowage law, but since the last annual meeting I 

 have been studying its provisions and have experienced its force. 

 Shall I read it to you ? My copy of the statutes opens directly to 

 it. . Ignorance of that law may cost some valley farmer the pos- 

 session of his mill-site even while I am speaking, if any grasping 

 capitalist has been conspiring against him under its provisions. 



It is better, and will save time, for you to look at the text for your- 

 selves. Mark the crookedness which may take private property 

 for private use under the guise of public use. Even while judges 

 and states have been questioning the violation of common law. 

 Under current bull-dozing construction of public use, a sugar- 

 mill may constrain beet and sorghum lands for public use. Sites 

 for hotels and groceries may be seized and conOscated at the will 

 of a strong communistic party. 



Mark the crookedness of adding fifty per cent, to the sworn ap- 

 praisal of three honorable commissioners! What was that for 



