The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-04-30
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Hard Times.


sale Of their products is envirened
by restrictions, or transportation is
too high, or they fail to adjust the
price paid for labor to the price OF
their crops, or they do not practice
economy themselves. 1t may be
enc, or all of these, in fact. Who
can correct this state of things but
the farmer himself? Let him not
charge all this to others. If he fails
to use the power that he has he must
expect to meet with hard times. If
his want of thrift arises from m ina
proper cultivation of the soil. let
him give more diligent attention to
his business, and either do the work
properly himself or have it done
properly IF the price Of his pro-
ducts is controlled by organized cap
!talists, or if railroad monopolies
eat up the profits in the transporta-
ton, let him meet in counsel with
his fellow sufferers and take some
steps to remedy this state of things.
In other words, the farmers should
do IS, every other class is doing; Or
ganize- for self-protection. Let them
agree to disagree on all other mat
tiers. but let their united voice 90 up
to oaT halls of legislation, and de-
mand something to be done to give
relief. If the tariff is so high as to
interfere with the successful prose-
cution of their business, let them
compel a reduction on such articles
as they use-such as farming imple-
ments, salt, iron, dry goods, ETC.
American manufactures do not need
any greater protection than Ameri-
can agriculture. Farm products may
be imported from other countries
free of duty, but not so with most
manufactured articles. Is there any
justice in compelling a farmer to pay
100 per cent. on his trace chains, As
per cent. on his spades, rakes and
hoes, while the manufacturer can get
his supplies free of all duty? The
farmer is compelled to pay an indi-
rect tax on the implements Of hus-
bandry, while the manufacturer is
allowed bonus by the tariff on all
he makes. Let us endeavor to illus
trate, because we want to make this
plain to the most ordinary compre-
hension. Suppose q farmer wishes
to purchase hoe; but for the tariff
he could get it at so cents. The
tariff on such articles is As per cent,
30 he is compelled to pay about y
cents, or in that proportion, for the
hoe, and so for many other farming
implements. The farmer is forced
to come in competition with the pau
per labor of Europe. Asia and Afri-
"a, in the raising of his products,
while the manufacturer, by the tariff.
is guarded against this competition.
Here let it be understood that we
are no special advocates Of free
trade. Our sole desire in this mat
ter il to see that the farmer does not
pay heavy tax before he can ply
his vocation. Let his implements be
free; let the railroad iron which
makes his means OF transportation
be free, and the necessities of life
also.
Now what are the effects Of all
his upon the farming interests? We
see that while manufacturers are
growing richer every year the farmer
is growing poorer. The one has the
protection of the government which
taxes the farmer for the benefit Of
the manufacturer. The plain duty
of the farmer is this: Let him stop
complaining of hard times, and go
to work and organize. Then let
them ask for no especial privileges,
and suffer none to be granted to
others. They should be willing to
pay fair prices for the shipment of
their produce, or build the means of |
transportation themselves. They |
should take care that the greatest
industries Of the land should have
an equal chance with secondary ones.
When agriculture languishes in any
country, and capitalists and monep-
Olists control it. the day Of disrup-
tions and revolutions is near at hand
since all conservatism springs as
naturally from the soil as do the
crops themselves, and wherever the
love OF agricultural pursuits is sup
planted by love for the glare and
of the city. the govern
ment slumbers as it were upon the
thin and vibrating surface of a vel
cano.
The citizens Of this country owe
many duties TO it. but unquestiOna-
ply their greatest duty is TO foster
and stimulate love for agricultural
pursuits ameng the youth of the
and. Let the farmers arise then,
gather their clans. and make agri.
culture popular by making it profit
able. This, in our Judgment. is the
snrest and most effective remedy for