The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-02-28
LIN q Faraer.l

In the discussion Of the tariff question,
men are Influenced by the probabilities of
change that shall effect their pecuniary in
tArssts. Ii absolute free trade Ia better for
the farmer financially. and the showing can
be clearly made, then free trade doctrines
adopted by political party, will most GER
tainly foist them into favor, while on tho
contrary, if the policy of protection favors
the American farmer, he il very unwise to
work against his own interest by voting for
and with party which adopts the opposite
theory.
All surplus products, whether manufac-
tured, or grown from the soil, must seek
market, and the nearer the market the better.
The best market for farmers is the home
market; and his best customer, the manu-
facturer nearest his farm, who employs q
large number of laborers who must be fed.
The policy of the American government
for the last twenty years, has been the policy
of protection, and under it, manufactures
have increased on q yearly average of per
cent as to numbers, 3 and $40 per cent. as
to capital, and and $40 per cent. as to the
number of workmen employed. While, for
the ten previous years between 1850 and
1860. decade of free trade, the per cent. of
cain of number of manufactures was Ito
per cent, the increase of capital and $40
per cent. and the increase of laborers } and
40 per cent annually. These figures are
taken from the report of the tariff commits
sion and are, no doubt, trustworthy. They
show that the farmers best customers are
prospered under policy of protection, and
while they have prospered themselves, the
implements and goods of every description
which the farmers have had to purchase,
have been constantly growing cheaper in
price. The theory of our free trade friends
IL, that, should their doctrines prevail, all
articles purchased by the farmers would be
lower still, because other nations would send
in their goods, and the competition must
result in a further reduction of price.
agree with Peter Cooper, land most farm
ers will, think, do the same) when he says,
I'VE can buy nothing cheap of foreign coun-
tries, that must be bought at the expense of
leaving our own good raw material unused,
and our own labor unemployed" There are
TOO many idle factories and idle workmen
now, without further reduction of the
tariff, that shall increase the number of
oilers. 100000 men with nothing to do, who
have earned on an average $40 per week,
and paid it out for food and clothing, takes
n million dollars weekly out of trade, where
the products of the farm seek market.
This has been the direct result of the
reduction of the tariff of last year, only in
"A larger degree than this illustration sup
poses Should such a reduction be made
"a TO compel the permanent closing of mills
and workshops, it would add very largely to
the number of farmers who would thus feed
themselves, and still further reduce the
home market for the products of the farm.
The cry of "free markets for every body" is
a party shibboleth to which all farmers will
not readily agree. A free market with no
money in his pocket to buy cheap articles,
would be quite as aggravating, as any other
coveted goods beyond the reach of the farm
err Farmers have very good reason to be
skeptical about the good resulting from an
era of low prices. The Grand Rapids plas-
ter company sold plaster at one time at
$3.50 per ton, but only long enough to kill
out weak company, then plaster rose to
the old price of $4.0O. 1t is the interest of
foreign manufacturers, to try to mold a
public sentiment in this country in favor of
free trade and they have Bureau in Detroit
that has made attempts to subsidize the
agricultural press of the state In their inter
est. to influence farmers in favor of their
selfish doctrines.
The reduction of the tariff of last year
has not only indirectly worked against the
farmers interest, by paralyzing in some de-
gree the business of the country, but has
directly effected him, i'll the price received
for his wool, with no compromising good to
any body. The average reduction of 215
cents per pound, lowered the price fully )
cents, and farmers are that muck poorer,
only to satisfy the sentimental cry of q party.
Should the Morrison bill, now before con-
gress, pass, it would reduce the price still
another cents. and the average farmer who
keeps flock of 80 sheep that shear pounds
per head, would pay tax of $50 per year
on his WOOL and suffer shrinkage of 90
per head for his entire flock. This $50
would make "protectionist' of every farmer
in the state. The effect to this statement of
fact will be that the articles bought will be
that much cheaper, but the fact remains that
during the era of the greatest protection
goods have constantly decreased in price.
In proof of this, again quote from the re-
port of the tariff commission composed of
both republicans and democrats. They say:
mot o state in the Union, and in some of
these, not a country, but has some portion
of its wealth invested In wool.
The law fixing these duties (the act of 1860
was passed with the appreciation of the
entire BODY of producers. = + The
wisdom which guided its promotion has
found substantial vindication in the growth
OF sheep husbandry during the last fifteen
years. Az a result of augmented produc-
tion, tie price Of ,oOoLeps has been reduced 10
the consumer
In relation TO the present prices of wool, a
recent wool circular from Boston says: "But
for the agitation OF the tariff questions now
before congress, the price of wool would
certainly advance. The market for fat sheep
ia down 80 cents from last year, while meats
OF ell other kinds are higher, for the very
reason that the wool on their backs is threat
ened with another reduction in price. II
farmers were all getting rich under the poll
cy of protection, and people in other voca-
tions were getting poorer, there would be
come sense, and some plausible excuse for
the cry of reduction of the tariff, but the
census reports show that farmers are not
getting rich, and the only compensating
thought is that the bnsiness is safe. Tho
average income of the farmers of the United
States, from the productions of the farm, is
only 1851, and this includes crops sold, con-
sumed and on hand at the time of taking
the census. Out of this small amount, the
farmer must pay for labor, for implements,
for clothing and educating his family, and
must also take out from IL the value of what has
been consumed in his family. The farmers
of Van Buren, county only get $500 on an