Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-07
The Farmers and the Tariff.

Louis, since our agriculturists are, as q
class, the most important and useful
members Of the body polite. When
they prosper the people everywhere
share in their prosperity, and when they
suffer loss every other class feels the bad
effects of their misfortunes Thus the
welfare of the whole people is closely
connected with that of the farmers,
and the development of agriculture, and
the material advancement of the agrlcul'
tuTal classes, is a matter in which every
citizen of the Republic is vitality and per
sonally interested. 1t may then readily
be understood what importance should
be attached to the deliberations of our
farmers from all parts of the country in
Congress assembled, and it is evident
that whatever suggestions such body
makes should be everywhere received
with most thoughtful consideration.
No subject came up before that body
of more importance than that of re-
vision of our present odious and unjust
tariff system, and we are glad to see that,
at last, the true bone and sinew of the
land-the producing classes-have de-
lermiued that interviews with the Tariff
Commission shall not be wholly confined
to the protected petted darlings of the
nation" but that they too shall be
heard
The views of American farmers on
this subject were concisely and clearly
expressed in the following resolution,
which was adopted at the second days
session of their Congress:
''ResOIUed, That the President of this
Congress appoint a committee of three
Of the best informed citizens, whose
duty it shall be forthwith to address the
| Tariff Commission, either in person or
by open letter, in behalf of the producing
classes, detailing as much as possible
the serious effects of protective tariff on
the agricultural interests of the country,
and that the letter of such committee be
published in such leading journals as
may be willing to do So"
The adoption of this resolution shows
conclusively that the farmers of the
country are fully alive to their interests,
and that their views have not been prop
erly presented, so far, before the Tariff
Commission. That notorious protec-
zionist committee'of nine-created by a
Republican Congress solely as plausi
BILE pretext for Sinking the important
duty of revising the tariff, and also as a
means for maintaining as long as posi-
bic the protective system in
the interest of few favored
individuals who are always ready
to contribute literally to Radical cam
paign funds-has heretofore confined 1t
self solely to interviews with manufac-
turers and other parties DESTROYS of levy
ing taxes on the public for the benefit of
their private Golfers. Up to this time it
has been the rule for the members of the
commission to give all such patient
hearing, but to badger, as an old Bal
ley lawyer would a witness, any rash
agriculturist or representative of the IN
protected masses who had the temerlty
to appear before them. Hence it is
that the farmers of the country,
who pay heavy tribute to the protected
classes in whatever they purchase in the
way of farming implements, clothing,
ETC., but who are brought in competition
with the world in their productions,
have been unable to plead for themselves
before the commission, and have been
virtually totally ignored by that body.
The Farmers Congress, however, by
their action, show that they are not will
ing to be snubbed. They propose to
show the commission, the 47th Congress,
the Republican party and the country
generally, through the press, that they
do not intend to quietly submit longer to
being hewers of wood and drawers of
water to privileged class; but that they
have rights which are entitled to respect
even by commission authorized by a
protectionist Congress and appointed by
protectionist President simply in the
interests of protection.
1t is encouraging to the advocates of
tariff reform thus to see the farmers of
the country moving decidedly in this
matter. The question of revision of
the tariff will probably be the leading
issue between the two political parties
during the next campaign. If the far
mers of the country consult their inter
ests and throw their united influence in
favor of the Democracy as the cham
pions of relief for the people against
the odious exactions of the few pro-
tected sons of fortune, there can be no
doubt as to how the question will be
finally decided.