The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-03-26
arDen-Nousebolo.
Our Financial System and the
Farmers.

Farmers.
From the Chicago Courier.
IL has generally been considered, and perhaps
by none more than the farmers themselves, that
the agricultural portion of community is some
what exempted from taxation and in view of
the fact that the agriculturaists of the country,
with their families, constitute fifty per cent of
our whole population, that at least one half Of
the people could not consistently complain of the
burden OF taxation. But recent investigation
shows that An inflated, irredeemable currency
and unequal taxation seriously affect the farmer
that he is compelled to receive the same price
for his grain as the producers OF other countries
while the cost of production is much more and
the burden of taxation greater; in short, that
the American farmer receives less net profit or
purchasing power, for a bushel OF wheat than
the farmer of almost any other country. This
fact has been very stri kingly set forth in the
recent report of the Special Commissioner of In.
ternal Revenue.
The American agriculturalist cannot com.
mand the price of his own products. The state.
ment is made by those we'll qualified by infor
nation and experience to speak a. authorities
that the State Of Illinois, if cultivated to the de-
gree of the average Of lands in Great Britain
and Belgium, can annually produce good sup-
ply ample for the subsistence of all the popula.
ton now living upon the territory OF the United
States. While such culture has not vet been at.
tanned In this country it is evident that an ordi.
nary good crop cannot be held at home. The
surplus must seek a foreign market, and must
receive the price which it is worth for exporta.
ton, which OF necessity Is the price in the home
market, since the same crop may not have two
prices. The farmers Of Illinois must At all times
sell their wheat, whatever the cost of its produc.
ton or the amount of tax upon it, for what il i,
worth in Mark Lane, London, the central mar.
ket In the world. To that sane market the
wheat OF the Buda-Perth region, the grana.y of
Europe, finds Its way with but one change in
the means OF transportation. The value of this
surplus Is much less than it would be if our cur
rency was on specie basis, and tax alton was
reduced and nationally adjusted. The cost of
transporting, e!evating, storing, and managing
II Is estimated at ten per cent. greater. The for
eikh exporter Will not give an exact equivalent
OF Its value IN currency, less commissions trans.
portation and profits, because he must insure
himself, to the extent of at least one to four per
cent against possible depreciation of exchange.
ANA Whatever the costs may be they are borne
by producers, and not charged to the foreign
Consumer, who can generally buy wheat from
the BaItic or Hungary which is not liable to
these charges. And this loss is put upon the
whole product OF the country and no. merely up
on the amount exported The measure Of the
value OF our wheat is then the equivalent in cur.
rency Of the market price in London, less the
transportation commission, and brokers' profit
and insurance. So that in seasons Of a good
crop In Europe the price is greatly in favor of
the foreign producer whose labor costs him very
little and whose loss on exchange is comparative.
ly nothing. Nor does the farmer ia this coun-
try derive very liberal home market from do
mestlc manufactures which supposed to be
more prosperous by reason of the Increase Of tax.
alton 1or while nearly fifty per cent OF the en-.
tire population are engaged in agriculture pro.
duo!hg an annual product of the value of three
thousand three hundred millions of dollars, the
amount consumed by those directly and indi.
rectly engaged in domestic manufacture. does
not exceed four and one-,enth per cent. of the
whole product.
Our farmer Is in no letter position in regard
to the articles he may wish TO purchase. For
whatever article he may desire to exchange his
products, through the medium OF money he will
hud that governinen; taxstion compels him to
take all article lie does not wish to buy. or else
70 take les than be might have obtaiaed in the
absence OF such taxation. A very interesting
ejaculation OF the present losses of the farmers
on all the article, they may purchase bas been
made by the Commissioner, who traces the sum
OF money realized from the sale OF I, hundred
bushels Of wheat through its course in procuring
that which the farmer needs. Ii he wishes 10
carpet his house. one hundred bushels of wheat,
which IN 1907 would have purchased 1881, yds
OF ingram two-ply Lowell carpetiny, will now
buy only 1913 ll.l3 yards. In 1859 the same
amount OF wheat would bring the farmer G,S42
pounds OF English bar iron, he can now get only
4,1ji pounds for it. If he wants axes he could
then get for that quantity of wheat 81 IL dozen,
while he can now obtain only l. Z. dozen. II he
buys out.nails he receives 1900 pounds, instead
of 4,S33 as in 1859. If he want, blankets he
gots go pairs for his wheat, instead of Al.
pairs as in 1853. Of boots he gets 81, Dozen
when he formerly got Ga dozen. II he wants
stoves he must give his 100 bushels for IA and
oIe-hith, instead of for "a and one.si1th in 1859
Or mackerel for the winter he can only lay in
store J barrels in place Of - and one.ffth bar.
rels in 1859, aud $50 pounds of goldfish against
3625 pounds at that time. Nevertheless he
needs AS much now TO use about his buildings,
as many axes to clear his farm and cut the tim.
Der, as much carpet to cover his floors as many
blankets and shoes for the children, and. doubt.
less, more, and as many stoves, mackerel and
goldfish in the more favored year Of 1859.
Should he choose to inquire whether the i'm.
mense increase OF cost i'll the articles for which
he exchanges his wheat is accom- panied by cor.
responding increase i'll the revenues Of the coun-
try, the Commissioner will tell him, illustrating
the system by the revenues blankets, that he
must console himself with the reflection that the
receipts of the duties on blankets in 1867 were
$201 JOS and in 1868 $25,2SS.
The American agriculturalist, instead Of being
exempt from the burdens of taxa ion, raises his
produce under system of cui. ,cy which rem
ders values uncertain, increases tie price of Ia.
Dor and all the elements Of produc' on, enhances
the value of everything he has to lay, his tools,
clothing and shelter, and exposes nia constant.
ly to be the prey of that specializing class which
Is shrewd enough TO make profit Of uncertainty