PROTECTION A DEADLY ENEMY. 99 



Domestic nails controlled the Canadian market before 

 the Canadian protective era, and the farmers under 

 comparatively natural conditions had nail-makers for cus- 

 tomers of their productions. Consequently, the farm- 

 ers of the Maritime Provinces are now paying — provided 

 they are consuming the quantity of nails they should — 

 $35,000 worth yearly above free-trade prices, to insure 

 the production of an article which does not in any 

 possible way return them $1,500 yearly net profit, and 

 which was once produced among them with but a trifling 

 artificial stimulant. 



Between 1880 and 1886 every farmer in the United 

 States, on all the nails he purchased, paid an average of 

 thirty-five cents per keg more than had he the privilege 

 of purchasing in the open markets of the world. During 

 this period every pound of horse-nails worn out upon the 

 feet of the horses of the farmers of the United States cost 

 these farmers four cents per pound above free-trade 

 prices. In fact, these articles were, at the time above- 

 mentioned, sent from Canada to New York for export. 



But it is the tariff against the import of European 

 goods which causes the greatest burden to be put upon 

 the farmers. Every article shipped between the United 

 States and Canada is made dear through the practical 

 prohibition of many European goods. The Canadian 

 tariff is 25 per cent, higher against the average import 

 from England than the average import from the United 

 States. The United States tariff is 50 per cent, higher 

 against England than against the average import from 

 Canada. 



Through United States customs laws about twenty 

 millions of dollars go to revenue from the people's 

 pockets in the enhanced price of imported manufactures 



