90 FLAX CULTURE. 



standing a much larger product than ever 

 attained here, in America the protective 

 duties still exist. Is not the burden on 

 those who ask for the retention of the 

 duty, to show what there is to be pro- 

 tected, to come forward with facts and 

 figures showing the number and location 

 of the flax-growers, and the amount of 

 their annual product, and the extent of the 

 benefit that accrues to such growers from 

 the duty ? Is it not also incumbent on 

 them to show that the imposition of the 

 duties has increased flax-growing, or even 

 prevented it from decreasing ? In short, 

 is not the burden of proof on them to 

 show that the benefit resulting from the 

 duty on raw flax outweighs the manifest 

 injury to the manufacturer and consumer 

 of linen goods who pay the duty? No 

 intelligent person can give any but an 

 affirmative answer to these interrogatories. 

 The weight of evidence, of facts, of expe- 

 rience here and abroad, all lead to the 

 same conclusion, that a duty on scutched 

 and hackled flax is not protection ; there 

 is nothing in America to protect. 



