Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-05-15
COMNuNrCATIoN,


article in your daily issue OF May the
sth animsdverting on the resolutions of
Columbia Grange, signed Farmer
We propose through your columns to
answer Farmer upon our own indi-
vidusl responsibility as a Granger
since his remarks more particularly
refer to us as the Sec'y of said Grange, |
and as . member Of the Tenth and |
Eleventh General Assembly. We shall |
endeavor TO make our remarks so plain
and unambiguons, that Farmer can.
not by any means misconstrue or per-
vert them. This much by way of apol.
ogy for our plain talk to Farmer. He
seems to be very fearful that the Gran.
ger movement is a "secret sworn
political organization, that proposes
to control the politics Of tho country,
by secret Oath-bound societies." Now
in answer to this We would Just say,
that the order is not political organi.
zation-that its principles are all pub
lic-that its secrecy consists only in
its signs, grips and passwords. As
we understand it, the patrons of Hus
bandry propose to commence where
our agricultural societies leave off,.
That is to say at the end of production
of farm products.
The patrons now take up these pro-
ducts and try to discover, the best aud
most available means to procure the
best and most remuneratiyc market.
with the least possible cost of trans
portation to that market. And like
wise to buy their articles of consump-
ton at the cheapest rate, and at the
least cost of procurement. They seek
these advantages through combination
in purchase and salc-dispcnsing as
much as possible with middle men
Now their interests require, that they
I should look to the obstacles, if any,
| that may contravcne in this line of
barter or trade between producer and
consumer. Whether legislation il
friendly or unfricndly to this object,
or whether Legislation has been neg
lected or not, necessary TO affect it,
These landable objects necessarily
forcessns into the political arena not as
a kpolitical organization, but as indi-
viduals seeking the means to favor
measures that will advance the agri-
cultural interests, which are the Pat
ron's interests.
We then favor these measures az a
class having identity OF interests. We
will if we are blessed with intelligence
enough (and we think there are but
few who are not) act in Unison in the
promotion of these interests. The
great laws OF trade, supply and demand,
| with competition, would regulate
every branch of industry alone.
But such IL not the case. -
Combinations in every branch
Of Industry, have, to a greater or less
extent, been able to procure. class leg
islation for their especial interests, cx.
eept the agricultural interest. And
that interest for want OF combination,
aud consequently unity of action, has
so far, been almost entirely neglected
The great farmer movement now pro-
poses 10 raise that interest to level
with all other interests. 1t has, in the
short time Of its existence given to II.
linOis law 10 regulate tariffs, and prc.
vent extortion and unjust discrimina.
tons. And if through imperfcctions
In the law, it shall only prevent par.
TALLY the evils complained Of, il will
nevertheless be OF great benefit, and
through the application of the law, en-.
able the people to amend and perfect
it.
Farmer quotes, from one of our reso.
iutions as follows: "We will support
without distinction of party, men who
are identified, and in sympathy will
our interests And then assumes tina,
the interests of the order, are separate
and distinct from that Of The farmer.
outside the order or Grange. Now
this really seems too thin. Does he no
know that the Interests Offarniers out
side the Grange are promoted by cheaI
transportation AMI friendly lcgi,,otio,
to foster aud encourage them This
- too plain 10 waste time upon SO WI
leave it. The next fault found ia tina,
we are in favor Of free trade. This i,
certainly quite discovery to say iii,
least Of 1t. And why are we in iavo
OF free trade! Because we arc not il
favor of a protective tariff. Does Ear
mcr' not know the difference betwee,
a P''0tcctire tariff, and esenuc tariff
1t seems, however, that lie does not
We will therefore endeavor to Civ.
him light
4 A revenue tariff is one laid for thu
single purpose Of raising income with
out endeavoring to discriminate. Il
| favor class. A 1rOtectirc tariff il
one laid with the double purpose o
raising revenue and discriminating, s,
as TO favor certain interests, and o
course more or less at the expense O
other interests. And indeed it ma,
be SO laid for The sake OF irotectio,
that it excludes the foreign article al
| together. In that case the govern
ment gets no revenue, but the consun
err is flceced to pay it; not to the gov
ernment, but to the favored class. IL
be protective it must necessarily, t.
: some degree, give the market TO tn
home manufacturer, and at higher
prices. else 1t would not be protective
Now let us see how the farmers in
tcrests ale affected by this tariff: TIL,
, farmer sends his pork, beef and grain
TO an Eastern market that market il
regulated by the price of these pro
ducts in foreign markets: our eastern
purchasers paying us just SO much les
as 1t costs to send these products +,
that foreign market, if that should tax,
nine.tenths of their value to send then
there, in which is included the cost 0
transportation, insurance, and profit
on capital, called the "cxport price.
When we purchase the foreign manu-
featured article in return a. consum
ers, we pay the original price at tn
place Of production, with the trans
portatiol,, insurance, profits on capita
and the tariff, all combined. This il
called The "import price" So you mus
see that the protection is against us boil
ways; our own homo protected clas
, raising their articles of manufacture Il
this import price Of the foreign article
are enabled to take from the cOnsum
cr III this way much larger amoun
than ever goes into the Golfers Of tn,
government; and that is two hundred
and sixteen millions TO two hundred
and twenty millions per annum-s
snug little sum, is it not Mr.. Farmer
The wool growers, a few years since
combined, and induced Congress tc
give them little protection. The
manufacturers were dissatisfied will
this, and procured its repeal--thcir in.