322 BOAED OF AGEICULTURE. 



a one-sided system, and gradually, at least, amend it? 

 Ought we not to ask that some of the hardships and inequal- 

 ities and much double taxing, the protection so called which 

 does not protect, should be looked into and dealt with wisely 

 and in a statesmanlike manner and corrected ? 



Is not the present tariff too much adapted to hold up (not 

 to huild up, for they are already built) certain classes at the 

 expense of the farmer? Must there not be something wrong 

 when everybody else gets rich, while this, numerically the 

 largest class, grows poorer? Why must a revenue of four 

 hundred millions of dollars be collected, when only eighty, 

 or at most one hundred millions, are required to maintain our 

 national credit, pay our interest, and extinguish gradually 

 the public debt, and as much more for the economical 

 administration of the government? Why should not the 

 farmers demand, and the demand be yielded to, that 

 economy and simplicity shall be the rule of the government, 

 as it is in their own households, and a lighter weight of 

 duties and taxes be imposed upon them? 



Suppese our iron and machine makers, miners, manufac- 

 turers and railroad men should grow rich less rapidly than for 

 the last twenty years, would it be any evilf Would not a 

 return to simple, republican, purer and calmer ways, with 

 less feverish excitement, less of luxury and show, be a pub- 

 lic and national advantage? 



I may be told that Congress is now at work in this direction. 

 I hop© it may be so, but there are those who know better 

 than I, who say it is a sham and a delusion ; that they are 

 not honest and sincere, or in earnest ; that they are only do- 

 ing as those " that keep the word of promise to our ear, and 

 break it to our hope." If so, they are playing a very dan- 

 gerous game. 



It is commonly said, and with much truth, that we inherit 

 our opinions on religion, politics and finance. I confess that 

 I inherited, or imbibed early, a conviction that protection 

 was needful to our progress and prosperity as a nation. 

 Experience and observation have satisfied me that it was a 

 mistake, or if it was correct, that we have got beyond the 

 period when it was needed. AVith our vast heritage of free 

 lands and a virgin soil, I feel that it had been better for us 



