The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-04-16


March ! to 81. 1889, No. .e6@7S gold.
March to Il. 1879, No. .7o@1 eurcy
Oats:
March to 81, 1850, No. l.......... .SO@S5 gold.
March to 81, 1850, No. l............So @3s gold.
March to H. 1870. No. l...........S S@3S cur'cy.
The farmers of Illinois are receiving now in
currency less than they received in gold before
the present tariff was imposed. The cost of the
transportation of their products to market is
greatly enhanced by the tariff. The enhanced
cost of railroads, locomotives, of cars of mainten
transportation, aud while the cost of operating
railroads in this country in 1868 equallCd $1.66
per mile run BY the trains, in England the cost
was 62 cents per mile. This enhanced cost of
transportation is in addition to the other burdens
imposed upon agriculture in this country. But
we are told that the farmer is to be benefited
by the home markets for his products which is to
be caused by the building up of homie manufac-
tories I ask when; how long at present rates
will it require for the benefits to become appre-
ciable? When hear this argument stated and
reiterated in face of the fact that the price of
grain is lower to-day in currency than it was in
gold before the time and at the time the present
tariff was imposed, am always reminded of the
poetic line
"Man neveris, but always to be best."
But let US look al the question carefully. If
the price of grain in this country is regulated by
the price of the surplus abroad, as is most evi.
dent, then the price will not be generally enhanc
ed until there is no surplus to send abroad, or,
in other words, until all the grain grown in the
country is consumed by the inhabitants of the
country. 1t is estimated by the Special Com.
missioner OF the Revenue that the State of ILL
nois alone if cultivated to the degree of the lands
in England and Belgium, would raise sufficient
food for all the present inhabitants of the United
States One thing is manifest; if sufficient
number of manufactures Of every kind are es.
tablished to consume the products of the agricul-
turist and leave no surplus, foreign market for
manufacturing articles must be found. If we
had as many skilled workmen employed in manu-
faeturing the farmers of the country could
supply with food and leave 40 surplus, we should
manufacture for the world. Of course it is true
that such manufacturing interest cannot be
built up without foreign market for its manu-
features tho home demand alone will never
cause so great an increase of manufactures
among us. And it is equally true and patent to
all observers that we cannot have such foreign
market while it costs from 80 to so per cent
more to manufacture in this country than it
costs to manufacture the same article abroad.
The tariff which enhances the prices of all
material and of every element of the cost of our
manufactures makes it i'm possible that we should
manufacture articles for foreign market except
in very particular instances and in very limited
quantities, where the cost Of manufacturing the
article is not the measure OF its value. The time
will never come when we will have manufacture.
ers enough to consume all the surplus food of
the country, and yet who will manufacture no
more goods than be profitably consumed in
the country. The scheme of providing a home
market for all the food that can be proftably
raised in this immense agricultural country the
greatest extent of fertile land in the world as vet
new and unmoved, is delusion and snare as
the price of grain to-day under the present tariff
demonstrates
To sustain the theory insisted upon that the
present arrangement of the tariff will furnish a
sufficient home market for the agricultural pro-
ducts of the country it ought to appear that un.
der its operation our exports of grain are now
decreasing and our exports of manufactured
articles are increasing. Unfortunately for the
theory the facts are precisely the reverse.
The amount of grain exported is increasing
and the value of exports of manufactured articles
is decreasing, the following statistics will
show:
ltdI. HHsh. E,JD,1ed. Iuth. Per b,lsH.
1869 .3i:g0Gig S6il36f3 81 sc
..lI9!.,4l2 2S6,llG %
Increase in year under the