Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-30
For Farmers to Read.

Farmers of Logan county, you find
that your lands are growing less profita-
BILE to you than formerly-that for your
investment in them, with your labor
added, you only get living, You are
not making any money, and there is no
encouragement for you in the outlook.
Your farms are rapidly depreciating in
value, and there is no demand for them
at any price. You have no money
saved, eithe', from better times, and
you are harrassed by debts and taxes.
How is it, now, that you are not max
ing ANYTHING, and have nothing ahead?
There Is money here (sent from the east
where all your profits go) to mortgage
gour farms, and to bid them off fat two
thirds of their appraised value, but not
q penny to buy them at an honest price!
One bushel of your wheat and one OF
corn will bring you no more than falr
price for bushel of wheat alone.
What is the matter? And what the
remedy? You hear the Republican cry
of "high protection" and "a home
MARKET Do you know that "high
protection is Jour worst enemy and
most persistent robber? High protec-
ton means, to you, high prices for what
you have to buy, no matter how little
you may be able to get for your own
products. 1t means, to all, that manu-
featuring interests are to be held as par
amount to this country, and must be
protected by Government against com
petition, while the interests of agficul-
ture are lc t to take care of themselves!
High protection means, finally, that high
prices for manufactured goods in every
line are the correct and proper test of
public prosperity. The Republican
party is asking for the votes Of farmers
and laborers on this very assumption
that high protected prices for what they
have to buy is what they need! 1t is
this identical policy, farmers and labor
ers of Logan county, that has brought
you to your present unsatisfactory con-
dition. The fact is self-evident.
This logan is an agricultural coun-
ty; the paramount interest here, as in
the country at large, is the agricultural
interest. The farmers of this county
are industrious and have made great
deal of money. Where is it now? What
has become Of it? Gone east, in tribute
to high protection. Gobbled by pro-
tected monopolists. Bellefontaine cor
poration and Logan county are both
largely in debt, and not a dollar of the
bonds of either is in the hands of any
citizen of the town or county. Does
that look like prosperity? The bonded
debt of the county is $256,50 The in
terest at 6 per cent. on this sum fo-
wears and years, and at length the prin-
cipal, you must pay in taxes from the
proceeds of your farms. Our corpora
ton debt, nearly 100000, with accru-
ing interest, you must pay also in the
profits levied upon you in your trade
with the town. And don't forget that
not dollar of this debt is held either
in Bellefontaine or Logan county
These facts furnish the proof positive
that, at the end of twenty-four years OF
Republican rule, we are not prosper.
Gus community; though it is plain that
we would be but for the policy of rob
berry by which we have been persist.
emily shorn. 1T is under this state OF
facts, farmers of Logan county, that
YOU are told by the Blaine crew that
1sprotection is the great and overshad-
owing issue of the campaign" Protec'
ton for what? Manufacturing interests
forsooth!
buU OuI diC o
market" How? By what means? Not
through the efficacy of high protection,
for we have been having that for all
there is in it. Then how? But the
proposition is preposterous. Does any.
body imagine that our agricultural and
manufacturing classes can both become
prosperous and rich-each off the other!
Is it to be supposed thatthe agricultural
products of this country are all to be
consumed in home market? Or if not
that the prices of them will not be reg
ulated by their export value?
High protection places agriculture
interests at disadvantage by subordi'
mating them to manufacturing interests.
The Republican party asks the agricul
tural and laboring classes to give theil
assent to this theory by voting the Re.
publican ticket. But until we shall
have public policy based upon the
true assumption that the interests Of
agriculture are paramount in this coun
try, that to these all other economic in
terests are minor and secondary, the
supreme desideratum of "the greatest
good of the greatest number" of oul
people will never be attained. Belle
fontdine Examiner.