The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-08
Be Not Deceived.

The Republicans, knowing tnat the farmers
majority of the voters of this coun-
try, are earnestly endeavoring to make them
believe that high-tariT protects them. In
this hope lies their only chance for victory.
This task of deception ought TO prove dllcult
one. The farmers ought to know that as tney
are the consumers of nearly every article on
which q tariff is laid, that it is they who have to
pay it; and it comes out OF the farmers pocket
and goes into that of the manufacturer. There
fore, the higher the tariff, the more the farmer
has to pay, and the harder he will have TO work
to supply himself with the articles he needs. A
low tariff, properly adjusted, is the great need
of the farmers of this country .-SpectGtor.
This is a fair specimen of free trade
argument. Without one single fact to
support them, the baldest assertions are
made and the farmers are asked to swal-
low them. They are asked to disregard all
the indisputable facts of the nations his
tory, forget their own experiences and
without investigation follow blindly in the
wake of those who conclusiyely demon-
state their own blindness.
We have only space to-day to enquire in
to one of the statements of the above par
agraph.
Every intelligent Republican and every
other man who cares to inform himself,
knows that the majority of the voters are
not farmers. BY the census of 1880 the
whole population Of the United States is
placed at over fifty millions. OF these but
1915, 1888 are engaged in agricultural pur-
suits and over half a million of this num-
Der are between the ages of 10 and Is years
of age. This seven millions includes not
only farmers and planters but agricultural
laborers of all descriptions apiarists,
dairy men and women, farm and planta-
ton overseers, florists. gardeners, nursery
men, vine growers, stock raisers, turpen-
tine farmers and laborers, and everyone
who by the utmost stretch can claim con-
nection with the cultivation of the soil.
And yet including all Of these, it will
be seen that the proportion of all persons
classed as agriculturists is less than one
seventh of the whole population. Even
the most pronounced free-trader will
scarcely contend that a single class repre-
senting one-seventh Of the entire popula-
tion furnishes more than one-half of the
voters. If such were the case, then there
might be good ground for complaint
against the undue influences of classes in
determining legislation.
1t is well for the farmers that they do not
represent the larger part of the nations
voting strength. If they did, then each
farmer would find a home market for less
than it requires for the consumption of his
own family. The demand for his surplus
would be limited to the necessities of his
next door neighbor. Instead of this, the
census of 1880 shows that he is called upon
to supply six and four-sevenths times as
much as that neighbor would need.
1t is the withdrawing of labor from az
riculture to manufactures, to mining and
to the thousand diversified industries which
a protective tariff fosters, that creates
the increased, demand upon the farmer
lessons competition. stimulates produc-
ton, begets Improvement and by making
a home market and saving the cost OF
transportation, adds to the value of the
land. Wherever the proportion of farmers
to the whole population is greatest, there
the value of the land-which is guaged by
the net profits made upon it's products-is
least. Compare Pennsylvania and Vir
ginia for instance. The Old Dominion was
in advance of the Keystone State in settle
ment. Tie soil of Virginia was as fertile
and her opportunities the better, in every
way. of the two. The one has been essen
italy an agricultural State-though thank
God the change is fast approaching whilst
the larger part of the others population
has engaged in manufacturing. Accord
| ing to the last census 51.41 per cent OF
Virginia's people were tillers of the sol
and the average value Of her farm lands
was $40. Pennsylvania had only &c.
per cent. of her workers employed in agri
culture and the average value of her farm
lands was $49.30. In other words, the
farmers of Pennsylvania made over foul
times as much as the farmers of Virginia
Nor is this an exceptional case. Kentucky
whose farming lands embrace the richest
OCCulOIlO VI ullC w PCl COlos VI iiCi
population gathering in her crops and the
average value of her farm land was
only 1892, whilst the lands Of Ohio, q
manufacturing State just across the river
with farming population Of 40 per cent
averaged $45.97. There are other examples
that might be cited, which plainly demon
state that the interests of the farmers are
so intimately interviewer with those of
1 the manufacturers that a blow aimed al
\ the one must seriously affect the other.
More particularly is this the case with
tISouthern farmers and especially those OIL
Virginia Their very salvation depends
upon the establishment of manufacturing
industries in their midst and the diversi
| fication of crops. Every year it is getting
| to be a question more and more serious
whether it really pays to cultivate Virgin
ia farms in the staples Of wheat and corn
The great grain centres of the West are
| pouring their golden treasures at our very
doors at almost a less price than we car
afford to raise them. There an acre Of
| land is titled with less than one-fourth OF
the labor required here. There are nc
rocks and stumps to contend with /; nc
steep hill sides to be washed out no worn
out land to be cleared and pampered AND
nursed. The average yield per acre is
over double that of Virginia, and to crown
all the hundreds of thousands of dollars
which our farmers annually pay out fol
| fertilizers, is just so much additional
profit in the pockets Of their Western COM
petitors. Against such odds as these it
will soon be impossible to contend. What
is the remedy? What hope is there for
those who till the soil of the South I
There is but one answer. The building
up of manufactures among them the
utilization OF the wondrous natural re-
sources that surround them; the influx of
population the creation of home mar
ket and consequent Investigation of
crops. One acre of land that will yield
1926 worth Of corn, will yield ten times
that amount if properly cultivated in veg
etables. A hillside that will scarcely
clear enough to pay for the fertilizer used in
seeding twill return handsome revenueif
planted in an orchard and vineyard and