Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1869-01-22
q 10 jasfFor the Ohio Statesman.l 1see
Agriculture and ProtectfOn.

One of the members of the late Agri-
cultursl Convention expressed the sem
tirnent that q it was the duty of the Gov
eFnment to protect the manufacturer, and
the producer would take care, of him
SELF i can see no difference in this
doctrine, than if it were worded in this
way':s ct isthe duty of the Government
to protect the manufacturer, and let the
producer take care of himself"
n / would like to know what right one
class of citizens Of this Government have
over all others, to especially claim its
projection. The favors of a just Gov
ernment should be like the dews of
Heaven, given to all alike. What have
fiie manufacturers, as class, rendered to
the Government, or to the people, more
than other citizens, that they should
claim this exclusive right to its protec-
ton?
Have not the producers given the Gov
srnment at least an equal support shed
their blood, and even laid down their
lives for its preservation =
Certainly, the manufacturer viii not
claim any special favors on laccoun. of
farnishing shoddy to clothe the SOL
diers Of the Government in the time Of
its greatest need !, especially as they had
contracted to furnish good and substan-
tial fabrics, and filed their. contracts
With their worthless shoddy. Thisscry
of special protection is an old one; many
years ago its friends told the dear people
or producers, ,sGive us protection for a
few years till we get fairly started, and
then We will not only take care of our
selves cbutxill furnish you cheaper goods
than can be furnished from elsewhere"
The cry is still the same, and always
will be, till they are, placed npon an
equality with other men. q t S. -a0i
Some tell us, build up these manufac-
tories. and they will make home mar
ket for all our agricultural products
This would be somewhat plausible if it
were TRUE. 81 The idea of making home
market for all our agricultural productsis
most failacious. 1t never can be done.
If it could be-, it certainly would have
been done during the war. We can never
hope to be able to draw more men from
the pursuits Of agriculture, than were in
both armies during the rebellion. There
were at least two millions of men on
both sides '' olsilel sls'
The late report of the Commissioner
of agriculture from Washington, says,
that nine-tenths of all our people are en-
gagged IN the pursuit Of agriculture.
This would give one million eight hum
dred thousand agriculturists in both ar
mics during the war. What a mighty
army to draw from one industrial pur-
suit Z Yet during all this time we were
constantly shipping our agricultural
products to Europe. If we could not
consume all our products then, when can
we hope to be able to DO so2 Ger
tainly not during the lives of the pres
ent generation. And / beg to be ex-
cused from being slave all my life,
that the next generation may have their
ears tickled with the same fallacious
promises that the friends of protection
have for the last forty years been bold
ing out to rs. =. =. - - = Z,
If we cannot build up home market
for all our agricultural products, it does
the producer no good 80 far as enhance:
ment of prices is concerned, to sell a
small part to these manufacturers. As
long as we have to ship to Europe, we
must submit to shipping rates. While
we have surplus, we must get rid Of
that surplus in. the markets Of the world
and at thsWorld 8 prices. Whoever heard
of a manufacturer chat had SO much gen.
erosity as to pay more than the market
price for even the. small pittance of ag-
ricultural products be consnmed2 Who
ever heard of the wooden manufacturer
who would give his neighbor more for
wool than be could buy the imported ar
ticle Of the same quality for 2
If, then, we haveSto 90 into the mar
ket of the world and submit to the worlds
prices for orr agricultural products,
which we have to sell, is it fair to force
usinto p fictitious market, made for the
benefit sof less than one-tenth of our
population, for what we have to buy z
Our, wants are greater than our fathers
were. Many things that were luxuries
to them have become necessities with us.
Such Is sugar, tea and coffee for our
tables. Every article the farmer has to
buy has had it's price enhanced from one
hundred ltouthree hundred per cent. by
the present tariff and other taxes Of the
Government, while what he has to sell Is
forced to seek the worlds market and
submit to the worlds prices. For proof
of this, see the article of wool, that they
have made sham Of protesting. The
fact is the wool growers were completes
iv hoodwinked. .lanigl fIA,