Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-09-21

debt Of Obligation 70 Agriculture 10 be permitted 10
rob Il any longer through the high prices OF tariff
In another view the farmer q seriously injured By
the protective tariff II operntcs 10 increase the
rates OF transportation Of bis grain 70 the foreign
freight the farmer has 70 pay 70 have his produce
delivered in Europe the smaller the residue OF
profit left to him The American farmer, when
his grain resches Liverpool, must compete there
with every other farmer OF the world There IL no
protection for him or his product in that market-
The price Of his bushel OF wheat is hxed then by
that competition The cheaper therefore, his trans
ponation rates, the more profit he viii make upon
his busheI Of wheat Cheap freishts Iron the west
to Europe mean large profit 10 the farmer ana dear
freight small profits.
One Of the effects Of protective tarf Is to make
high rates. The expense OF building and operating
railroad N increased hfty per cent. through
tariff. The steel rails locomotives, cars, eaIxheelR
machinery, coal and all materials cost that much
more 10 the rairoad than they would without tariff
II IL inevitable that this increase IN cost mast be
made up by an increase In rates. This increase In
rates must be paid for BY the farmer, and therefore
his profts will be diminished.
When the grain reaches the seaboard II is carried
to Europe In vefsels which In most obliged
to return in ballast b, cause our high tari prevents
them from brinfiDg esrgoes to be sold here at
profit They must therefore, charge enough for
carrying the grain over to cover the expenses Of
both voyages. The American farmer IL compelled
TO pay nearly double, freight for conveying his pro-
just how much of loss this high priceof transporta
tion has cost the farmer. Rates are often deter
mined by competition and combinations between the
railroads, so that Influence Of any particular ele-
ment In making rate cannot be easily ascertained.
But am satisfied with revenue tariff Twenty-Five
per cent of the rates charged to the farmer for the
last twenty years would have been saved. do not
think l misstate when ! say that the farmer has
lost seven cents on every busbel OF wheat sold
abroad since 1861, and proportionately on other
grain. change Of the tariff to the revenue basis
will give to every farmer that much of an increase
Of profit on every bushel OF grai exported to for
eign countries. The farmer Is also injured by the
protective tariff through ite influence In diminish
ing his foreign market. Their prosperity depends
upon having large markets abroad for the large
and increasing amounts of their produce They
raise more grain cotton and other products than
America can consume, and they must look to for
eign countries to purchtse their surplus By
high tariff on what Foreigners produce you often
disable them from purchasing our agricultural pro-
ducts. They have not always gold and silver, and
II You will not let them buy with what they have,
they will not buv at all. Again, our high tariff
against foreign nations naturally stimulates them to
spirit of retaliation In which they establish high
tariff against US. AS a result, Germany, Spain,
Mexico, Canada South America and most Of the
countries ON the continent of Europe have levied
high duties upon our agricultural products which
rob our farmers Of large part of their market
abroad. Indeed the most important part of our
foreign market, Is that which Enqland's free trade
gives us, 1t is in Liverpool and other parts of
Great Britain that the largest portion Of our export
ed crops is sold Even that has been threatened. A
party has been formed in that country which calls
itself fair trade party. whose object IL TO levy
against foreign nations, and especially America, the
same tariffs which they levy against England. The
proposition on which they arc most unitedis to
place duty Of p cents on every American bushel
ofwheat. If that should be done all the profit made
in shipping wheat to England would be consumed
and 1t would practically end our foreign expectation
| Of crain. My friends consider what would be the
condition of the farmer II other nations should en-
act tariff laws against us as severe and restrictive
ours against them. Expectation of our surplus OF
| agriculture would then be impossible. In 1880 that
surplus amounted to over 100000 millions of bush
els. This wear IL will probably amount to as much !.
II that could not be sold abroad, 1t would remain
here to depress the price Of wheat at hoine and the
farmer would hardly get enough for what he raises
to pay for the harvesting. He could not sell what
he would produce at profit, and he would be pau-
| per in the midst Of his own plenty. The fsrmer
owes his good price TO free trade and the moment
foreign nations abandon 1t, that moment his grain
will hardly be worth the gathering. Every hour Of
the continuance Of the present tariff system threat
ems our foreign market. To preserve that in Eng
land and to open markets in other countries of the
word la the painest duty Of the American farmer,
II he will be governed by an enlightened selfnterest
4 10 accomplish this he must unite and labor with
those who would revise the present tariff in the in
4 terest Of the revenue.
TO induce the farmer to approve the present tariff
1t is said that protection builds up domestic inter
ests, stimulates manufacturing, creates centers Of
| population, which provide him with home market
for his products. This, If true IS of little conse
quence to him, long the home market does not
then his prices must depend upon his ahility TO ds
nose of that II is blaiil that there will with orno
~ crons he an enormous surplus which cannot he
consumed at home, The inhabitants Of the great
wheat counting Ave bushels to each nersop for tIa
vsar. "a snnnly themselves. Thev were reouired 10
draw on other Of fhe cointrv for onIv mn mn
of bushels Aiter this onantity had been fnynished
there still remained surnlus of poo. .0oO 0f0 If
bnsbels IL viii seldom in INV wear he 1ess than
4 that unless that can he sold abroad the bome
l flf fort,
| iahor, The trufh il the value of the home market
ana the price Of the Grain sold at home il ieterm