Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-12-28
Public Questions Affecting the
Farming Interest.

Public Questions Affecting the
Farming Interest.
Vermont is almost exclusively an agricul-
tural state, yet she has commonly been held
by her public men to be a sort Of appendix
to the great manufacturing state which
adjoins her southern border, and the policy
of Massachusetts, has ever been substan-
TALLY the policy of Vermont. Our senior
senator, at least, has, ever since he entered
political life, represented far more the man.
ufacturing than the agricultural interests of
New England. The efforts which have
been made to convince the people of Yer
mont that these two interests are substan-
TALLY identical have, through the labors of
Horace Greeley and Mr.. Morrill,, very thor
oughly succeeded. Nevertheless, it may
be possible that in all points the interests
of manufacturers and farmers are not pre-
cisely the same. In the south, where far
mers have always exercised political power,
and have not allowed the leaders of other
interests to do all their thinking for them,
this view is held; and more than that, it
finds fearless representation through the
press, as the following extract from the
Memphis Appeal illustrates: "To the cot
ton planter, manufacturer and trader, the
most forcible evil of the monopoly system
is that which develops itself in the shape of
the duty on iron ties. Already he has to
meet charge of no less than thirty-fve
per cent on those articles, and why should
he have to pay that thirty-fve per cent ?
The planter has grown his cotton, it is up
there in the press waiting for the ties to be
put round it, and because he industriously
plowed, industriously planted, industriously
picked, industriously ginned, and has now
industriously pressed his cotton, can any
body tell how his industry is protected by
his being compelled to pay thirty-dve cents
for every dollars worth Of iron ties that he
uses to this sleek, fat, well-dressed, easy
going Pennsylvania monopolist 7"
The south is undoubtedly in favor of
moderate protection. Its young and rising
manufactures require it, and should have it.
But other interests demand to have some
say in the matter, and it seems too, that it
ought to be regarded as no sin for Yer
mont farmer to modestly examine into these
questions. 1t is thing not sufficiently
thought of that though, as regards foreign
nations, the policy OF the United States is
protective" yet within our own boundaries
this nation illustrates the policy of free
t,-oJ doc oa1a hot tha
has ever seen. Vermont butter makers are
protected against Canadian butter makers,
but against New York and Iowa butter
makers (much more dangerous rivals) we
have to enter the markets of the country
and the world and stand up under their
competition as best we may. 1t is so
with every other American product, as
against similar products made anywhere be-
tween the Atlantic aud Pacific, the Gulf of
Mexico and the Great Lakes. In the midst
of home competition our New England man
ufacturing interests have been so built up
by the aid of protective duties that they
are able to stand safe against all American
rivals. They find themselves perfectly able
to endure this free trade at home, while even
in the west aud south manufactures are
rapidly increasing, and holding their own
against eastern aud northern competition.
In this universal atmosphere of continental
free trade, all, even the farmers, seem to be
getting along pretty well. The inevitable
conclusion from such a state OF facts seems
to be that industry must prosper" and that
American thrift has a deeper foundation
than even the great American Policy" of
Clay and Greeley, Morrill, and Kelley. Let
us have all the really needed protection Gn-
Guiding protection for Vermont butter and
Vermont wool, Vermont apples and Yer
mont potatoes), but, in view of such great
successes in free competition over whole
continent (Which must continue so long as
we are one nation), let us not be persuaded
that the bottom will drop out of the uni
verse if the present tariff should be looked
into with view to revision. II may be that
in some respects, instead of protecting, that
law may oppress home industry" The
manufacture of ships, at least, is at about
its lowest ebb, and it is claimed that one
reason for this lies in the heavy duties laid
on materials entering into the construction
of ocean craft, which may be bought much
cheaper abroad. And as regards Interstate
commerce. it seems to us that legislation is
urgently required to prevent the railroads
from killing the industries of one section TO
build up the industries of another section
through unwise determinations in rates of
freight. If it is said that our congressman
do not know enough to NEEDLE with these
important industrial questions, then let the
people cease to allow these ignorant poll
ticians TO nominate and elect themselves,
and try TO see if better men cannot be had
under different method. Try the plan of
having the office seek the man, in place of
taking the man who seeks the office, and
, then perhaps we may trust our Legislators to
do the work for which we choose them,
without danger of running the country.
There is another problem in public bust
ness to which we have sometimes referred.
We have protested against the exclusion OF
} silver from its function as a money metal at
the dictation Of English and American
banking interests. We have held that both
: metals are needed to make sound and suf.
, ficient basis for the exchanges OF the world
r Many eminent citizens share these views
= which are represented in the present policy
. | Ol BONoiulncnt. LUZ NO haiuiJ cApoCltu
to see them accepted, as the following ex
: tract from the Anglo-American Times seems
to indicate, by those who have been hereto
fore regarded as their opponents. Says thai
journal; I" 1t is evident that the business
> Of the world is enlarging at a quicker pace
than its currencies; that the internationa
S nature of the intercourse is reducing IT TO
a gold basis that the addition to the volum,
a Of gold is wholly disproportionate to the
volume of business; hence, that year by
U year the magnitude of the fabric is less AIDE
l. quately sustained by the foundation, which
+ throws further opportunities into the hand
Of wreckers. The withdrawal of & l000,O0I
: from the bank of England at critical mo
. ment produces an extraordinary effect no
n lost sight Of by men who can control mil
3 lions. All this shows what can be done b,
q concentrating power in few hands-a ten
dency more marked in America than in Eu
rope from the greater facilities men have o
Y making bold strokes, and the audacity an,
d skill with which they have used their oppor
n tunities.