A case for protectionism from a 19th‑century farmer’s perspective, with practical examples and clear stakes.
This nonfiction address argues that tariffs protect farmers by supporting a thriving domestic market. It explains how wage growth, rail expansion, and a booming manufacturing sector benefit both rural and urban communities, using concrete examples from silk, crockery, and steel rails to show how protection helped sustain jobs and home industry.
- See how a protective tariff links farmers to mills and workshops, creating a robust home market.
- Learn why critics of protection claim cheaper goods come from abroad, and how the author counters with price and quality as real drivers.
- Discover real‑world examples, including the New Jersey silk industry, to understand how industries grow under protection.
- Understand the potential consequences the author foresees if tariffs are repealed, and who would gain or lose.
Ideal for readers of agricultural history, economic policy, and American industrial development who want a window into late‑19th‑century debates over protection and free trade.