OUR EXPORTS OF POTATOES. 29 



very considerable gain in every respect over the period of partial 

 Free Trade. What benefit could be derived by farmers from going 

 back to the previous condition of affairs, under which their rewards 

 were smaller and their sales less? If, as is asserted by the oppo 

 nents of our Protective policy, the agricultural classes have been 

 shamefully victimized and plundered by the series of tariffs since 

 1 86 1, is it not exceedingly strange that these evils have been ac 

 complished through adding to the market value of farm produce, 

 by which larger pecuniary returns have been realized from tilling 

 the soil ? If Free Traders are correct in their assertion, then, ac 

 cording to the above figures, we have the wonderful paradox of 

 farmers literally robbed into prosperity. Paradoxical robbery of 

 that sort is much more apt to be accepted as a blessing than 

 as a curse. It is very difficult to impress people with the idea that 

 they are oppressed or despoiled bylaws under which they have full 

 pockets. 



Had the 6,562,505 bushels of potatoes exported during the thir 

 teen years of Protection obtained no higher average price than the 

 $0.76.053 received for the quantity exported during the thirteen 

 years of partial Free Trade, then the total amount realized would 

 have been only $4,990,981.93, or $1,195,427.07 less than the sum 

 actually secured. Now, how is this very large gain in value to be 

 reconciled with the charge that Protective Tariffs operate in such a 

 way as to plunder the farmer of his hard earnings? According to 

 the rules of common sense, a man regards as highly beneficial 

 and entirely satisfactory those legislative influences under which 

 his pecuniary accumulations are enlarged ; but, according to the 

 standard of judgment set up by the Free Traders, such influences 

 are to be considered as injurious, and to be stigmatized as a scheme 

 of spoliation. As correctly and cogently might it be said that 

 robust health is a symptom of fatal disease. 



Another factor which enters into the export problem needs to be 

 noticed. All exports from the Pacific Coast are stated in gold. 

 By deducting these from the total exports in each of the years in 

 the Protective period, we obtain an exhibit of exports at currency 

 values, as follows : 



