, 1873-04-17
FARMrRg ANn THE TAR1FF.

FARMERS AND THE TARIFF.
Tho st. Louis Globe Is Of opinion that the
farmers Of Illinois, who have resolved that the
existing tarin Ia highly injurious to thoir inter
eats, do not know what Ia for their own good.
As tho proprietors Of that papor have been on
both stdcs Of this question, their sincerity OF
conviction is beyond diapute. In 1870, whom
MoBsrs. Mckee d Houner Horo propriotorn Of
tl~ Do''oo'.at, that paTer argued noa1ous1J
any journal ut tho West in favor of tho very
reforms which wo now urge, and repeatedly
demonstrated that thoao reforms were absolutely
nocoaeary to tho wolfaro Of the farmers of tho
Wcst. Thoso same mon, being now proprlotora
of another paper, and seeking recognition for 1t
as tho organ Of tho Administration in Missouri,
hnvoadoptod contrary opinion, and expect poo
pie to be guided by their advice. / Coneoding
thoir sincority In both positions, We arc forced
to conclude either TINT thoy did not know what
thoy wero talking about In 1870, or that they do
not know what thoy are talking about in 1870.
Tho only argument which tho Globe now pro-
Rents is ono very foebly copied by that papor;
but reaorted to constantly by the advocates Of
tho aystem Of monopoly from the earliest dis
oussion Of this subject, namely, that tho high
tariff, by building up manufactures at tho Wcst,
will oroato homo market and secure a higher
hprico for tho products Of Western farmers. There
ia no topic upon which moro absurd nonsonse
has boon writton and uttered than upon this and
yot IN part by tho aid Of tho former propr1otors
of tho Democrat it hns been made 80 clcar to tho
comprehension of the Western farmers that
very fow Of them can now bo doludod BY this
shallow devico.
To tho producer, 1t makes no difference what
ever tchc,e bis corn or wheat finds consumer.
Tho only question Of importance to him Ia, at
what price ho can soil. II his corn, aold for ex-
portation to Europe will bring him ono cont
moro per bushel than 1t will it sold for conaump-
him to find tho consumer In Europe
Tho prico at which the farmer can sell, whether
for transportation to distant consumer, or for
consumption Mt Ills worry doors, is governed abso-
lutely by tho export price. This country pro-
ducos, and as long as it has abundance Of cheap
and rnoccupied land always will pro-
duco, moro OF tho lending agricultural
products thnn 1t Gun conEuno. That aurp1us
governs the prico Of tho whole crop. II corn for
expectation can DO aold in New York at S1.20 per
buahel, and not higher, and II tho cost Of got
ting it into the hands of the exporter at Now
York, with all charges Of transporters and mid
dlomon, il 81 per bushel, tho farmor cannot
aoll single busla1 for moro than 20 conts, no
matter whothor no Hol1a to homo purchaser or
to an agent for expectation. Tho globo may be
ignorant Of lhiH ugly fact, hut the farmers OF
Illinois md Iowa, having learned 1t by years Of
trying experience, know it only too we'll, and
treat with deserved contempt tho sophiatry Of
those who ignore it, and continue to prate about
tho advantages OF q home market.
Thoao facts being indisputablo, 1t follows TINT
tito farmor can be benefited only in ono OF these
ways: First, by increasing the export price Of
his products; second, by decreasing the cost Of
transporting thom to the point Of exporta-
tion; third, by decreasing liB cost Of pro-
duotion. Now tho orazieBt advocates Of the
high-tariF systom do not protond that it does
either. On tho contrary, 1t Is easy to prove, as
the propriotors Of tho Globe in former days TO-
peatedly did provo, that the high-tarifr syatcm
tcnds to diminish tho export prios; TINT It in
croasos tho cost Of transportation; aud that it
1noroaBea tho cost Of production. Thllsit iniureB
tho Woatorn farmor ut ovory point at which it
can possibly atfoct him at all.
Turning first to tho cost Of production, ovory
farmer knows that he il compelled to pay moro
for labor, more for implements md machines,
aud moro for materials necessary to the carrying
on OF his buainess, than ho did under the lowor
dutios which preceded tho tariff Of 1861. Tho
largeht item in tho cost Of production ia tho coat
OF labor. But tho tariff increases tho cost of
tho clothes, food, and sholtor Of tho aboror, aud
consequently forces him to demand higher
wageH. Although it ie known to oyory farmer
TINT he III compelled to pay higher wages for
eyory hand employed than he did III 1860 yet
tho cauae is not by all fully undcratood, nor do
all laborors thomsolyes realize that tlloy arc not
bonofted, because the inereaso In thoir wageH
las boen loss than tho iuoreaso In the cost OF liy-
!uE$ HAVtH01 tAo AhAAlGl CuIttfakNa 44l1 QHu
ground in whole or in part, tho ef-
fcot is tho same ho has to pay
moro for Ills own labor ; moro for his cloth, hiB
hats, his boots, hH lunbor glass, iron, and othor
articles IN tho building repair of his house or
barn moro for tho clothing Of Ills family, and
moro for tho food of himself and family aud
these burdens mako lis own labor moro costly.
Carofully-collectod statistics prove that tho in-
oroase in tho cost Of living sInco 1860 has boon
not lesH than GO per cent, and tho increase In
wages Of labor not less than 90 por cout aud to
this oxtent tho cost Of production, no far III 1t
depends upon tho cost of labor, III necessarily
Increased. Nor will any Intelligent farmcr over
look tho inoroaao III tho cost Of Implements or
naohinory, and Of repairs. From tho horac-
A!loo, tho harnoaa md log-ohain, to the wagon
{Y11,>I