A FARMER ON PROTECTION.
TO THE EDITOR. Sib,- In reply to Mr KoK Mr BeUhooae oltea Mill, Smith, and Fawoatt, aa rather favoring Proteotion at t'mee. Henry George ia left out. The fi efc named wrlfera ar&ne from the stand that capital cmpioya labor. Georgo aaya labor employee capital ; although this h against common ideas, yet let any one think the matter out and they will fi-idit ia true. Take tho community m Its family aapaot, and it will be found we a'l work on the linos of Proteotion ; that is, we employ our children first, and If aiiy are put to learn traded or acquire knowledge whloh need time and money to obtain, they are supported by the parents or other members of the family, and this for Bake of prospective benefit to the Individual firaf, n?xt to tho family. 7s not this the principle c:f Protection— beoefi to the few m the present, to (he many m the future ; bob while m a family any sacrifice must be voluntary, is it right for h Government to tax one class for the benefit of aoother. Mr Bollhouae aaya, " each nation has Its one Cuatoma house," yet how long ia it ainoe a Customs house atood m every de-pu-tmant of Franca, and only on the uoion of Parliaments did Sootoh goodß enter England duty free Lately m your paper I noticed a farmers' petition, to restrict the production of oleomargarine beoauae opposed to the intbresta of butter raakera Was not ibis the wish of one set of produoera to be protected from another. We Canterbury farmers could do very well without Southland oats ; we oouldgrow one own.
Mr Bellhouse seems to infer that people like work, and I believe this is true, yet the faot remains that toil was sent as a curae. "In the sweat of thy brow shall thou eat thy bread," and when toil brings only sustenance, it is an unmitigated curse. Let us only look to the poor paid workers of any land. Idleness is a ourse, and we have bat to look at the lives led by many m the upper ranks to allow this ; yet this is only another reason for Freetrade m all commodities ; labor among the rest. Present artangments, by taking from the many to give to the few, take likewise the healthful necessity of exertion from some, and burden others with the corse of continual toil ; dividing soolety into the ranks of the robbers and the robbed.
Su long as one buahel of grain remains for export, so long will the Internal price be regulated by the external, then what amount of population will we need before consumption overtakes production ; yet we, the workers of the soil, are requested to buy In a dear and sell m a oheap market m order to stimulate that, which, if the country be m a heajthy state, will grow of ito own accord, and as the need of the country requires. Benefit who may by Proteotlou, the workers on land cannot do so ; but when revenue again becomes defioient, when all are again called upon to devise some means of raising supplies, it may be found we have a source of wealth, whloh, although as yet bat lightly touched, will give us ample means without hurting farmer or manufacturer Thanking you for space granted. — 1 remain yourr, etc., A Farmer.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1904, 28 July 1888, Page 2
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566A FARMER ON PROTECTION. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1904, 28 July 1888, Page 2
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