The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-01-24

system must De one, not only Oh TAX
alton but of protection. The i'm
portant question then, seems to be,
how can these benefits and burdens
be most equally and justly distrib-
uted? The great evil in our present
tariff, is in its unjust discrimination.
A "High Protective Tariff" which
builds up monopolies by imposing
undue burdens upon the people at
large, is high-handed oppression; SO
low tariff which cripples home in
dustries and oppressive labor, is
equally disastrous, not only to indi-
vidual, but national prosperity. The
great objects to be accomplished by
our tariff laws, should be, to furnish
revenue, and at the same time give
reasonable and impartial encourage
ment, as far as practicable, to every
legitimate industry, and develop every
resource of our country; and thus in
the language of our Declaration of
Purposes, establish "Proper equai-
| ty, equity, and fairness; protection
for the aoedk;; restraint upon the
strong; IN short, justly Distributed
burdens and justly distributed posc-
en-"
The NATIONS wealth is in the soil,
and general prosperity depends upon
its productiveness. If the great arm
of agriculture is weakened or paraly-
zed, all trade, commerce, and manu-
features must suffer and decline.
Hence Legislation which cripples any
important branch Of agriculture, and
takes from the cultivator of the soil
the means of keeping up its fertili-
ty, is not only an act OF injustice to
the farmers, but detrimental to the
interests of the whole people and the
nations welfare.
Sheep-husbandry is one of the most
important agricultural interests of
this country, and absolutely neces-
sary in many sections to enable farm
ers to keep up the fertility of the
soil. Flocks of sheep are the best
and most available means accessible
to the great mass of farmers of this
country, for renovating and increas-
ing the productiveness Of their farms.
They destroy noxious weeds, CLEAN
the fields, pack the soil, and return
much of value to it. This industry
has been encouraged and built up,
mainly by the Tariff acts of Congress,
for the reason that wool cannot be
produced in this country with our
we'll paid labor, and expensive win
tering Of sheep, as cheaply as it can
in the warmer countries of South
America, Africa, and Australia, where
cheap labor and perennial pastures
abound. The wool production has
been nearly doubled, since the en-
enlargement it received by the tariff
act of 1867; although the interest was
great demoralized by the act of 1872
which reduced the market price of
our wool below the cost of produc-
ton, but gradually recovered to
nearly its former prosperity, after the
restoration of the duty by Congress
in 1874. And yet the price of wool
in this country has ruled too low, to
pay the producer anything above a
moderate profit on the cost of pro-
duction for the last ten years.
There seems to have been no good
reason for the reduction Of the duty
by the last Congress. 1t reduced the
price received by our farmers for this
years clip on an average, five cents
upon every pound produced in this
country, amounting in the aggregate
to a tax of over 100000 arbitra-
rily assessed upon this agricultural
product alone. The farmers are that
amount poorer, and that sum Of mon
ey has been taken from the legiti-
mate channels of business. In con-
sequence OF this, all business and
labor have suffered, and whether any
corresponding benefit has resulted to
any class of our people, except the
importers, spectators and manufac-
turers, is extremely doubtful AS a
revenue measure, there could have
been no necessity for it, In report
made by General Garfield, when a
member of Congress in 1880, he
said "As a revenue measure, the
tariff of 1867 on wool and woolens
has been very effective, having pro,
duced $3G0,000.0OO of revenue ir
the last thirteen years, an average o.
S2S, 200, 900 per annuln." Whatever
difference of opinion may exist among
the members Of this body on the
question of ''revenue" and "protec.
tion," it does not seem possible thai
there there can be any division upon
this question; and | am confident that
no act can be done, that will be re-
ceived with more satisfaction bv our
members, or inspire more confidence
in our Order and among farmers ant
business men generally, than for thi:
National Grange to unite its inhu-
ence with that Of the National Wool.
Growers Convention which recently
assembled in ChicaUo and raepact.