I08 AMERICAN FARMS. 



a force in the direction of barbarism, whereas freedom 

 from its thraldom of attendant evils would allow high 

 measures of progress and development. 



Protection causes our rich valley farms to be little 

 more powerful in yielding independence to the owners, 

 than barren hill-tops would yield with freedom. It makes 

 our mountain farms powerless to give to their owners 

 command of the mediums for progress of scarcely any 

 kind ; it is to shackle the farmers, from decade to decade, 

 to nothing but rounds of drudgery, in order that they 

 may be permitted merely to exist. 



To meet our argument, some of the supporters of pro- 

 tective legislation contend that mankind progresses in 

 civilization much faster where they have a great deal to 

 contend against. They will say that, where natural con- 

 ditions are too favorable, there the people will be 

 indolent, shiftless, and improvident ; that obstructions 

 remedy all this ; yet we find that, where the obstructions 

 have been great, there mankind remains the same, making 

 no perceptible progress through ages. 



The school which finds obstructions so beneficial for 

 the development of the mass is not the least disturbed 

 at the prospect of easy and abundant incomes for its 

 own members. They have no fear for the consequences 

 to their families on account of the thousands guaranteed 

 to them by government, for which they give nothing in 

 return. 



Protection has been very properly designated Sisy- 

 phism, from the fact that its effects are similar to those 

 endured by the robber Sisyphus of fabulous history, who 

 was punished by being required to roll a huge stone to 

 the top of a hill, which stone constantly returned, con- 

 signing him to perpetual labor. 



