The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-16
TARIFF AND RAILWAYS.
The Sensible and Convincing Argument of
Peter E. Studebaker.

Peter E. Studebaker.
''Jayhawker's'' Chicago Letter
The other night during the gathering Of rail
road managers here, party of them were seat
ed in the lobby of the Pacific Hotel, discussing
the general growth of the country. Seated with
them was Mr. P E. Studebaker of the wagon
firm of Studebaker Brothers. ! soon discovered
that the tariff was the general topic Of discus
sion, and it was to learn the various views that
listened to the talk.
Mr. Studebaker said: II remember distinctly
the good times before the war, so often talked
about We then had comparatively small pub
lie debt and had the revenues from the sales of
the public lands The tariff was low, but our
industries were lower still. We had tariff for
revenue exclusively and no Republican war
debt to pay, yet we paid &c per yard for calico
when it was at lbs lowest point Every
manufactured article made abroad cost
more than it does now under the pres
ent 'robber tariff and the only defense
our people had against the high prices was in
spinning and weaving the most of their own
goods Farm hands were paid at the highest $l3
per month. Corn sold as high as thirty eight
cents. Wheat once reached eighty. but the spurt
was only temporary for it fell back to sixty in
few weeks. Horses sold at from $50 to 500 and
Hogs sometimes reached So. 70 per hundred, but
the average price from 1910 to 1860 was about So
Butter sold at from six to ten cents per pound
and eggs ranged from three to eight cents per
dozen, and at points remote from rivers and
lines of transportation there was no market for
any farm products except the cereals and live
stock. In those days we sold wagons at retail
for $l10 which we now sell at 500 Plows which
then cost $12 are now sold for &c. Labor of every
kind commands from % to 60 per cent more
now than il did then while every mann fa ct,irad
or imported article which labor uses or con
sumes sells from 20 to GO per cent. cheaper than
it did before the war, and the only articles which
command higher prices are those produced on
the farm.
do you assert, then, that this great and per
manent advance in the prices of farm produc-
tions is due to the high tariff dutiesT asked one
of the party
Indirectly, yes In 1850 nearly all Of our
manufacturers were east of the Allegheny mount
aims, and all our surplus farm productions came
from the west of them Without railroads. it
took nine bushels of wheat to carry one from
Indiana to New York. now it takes one in four,
and instead of the consumer getting the bene-
fit of this reduction, you see it given to the pro-
ducer. And you know that the tariff has fos
tered and protected the manufactures and you
readily see that the consumers of the farm prod
ucts are the people who own and are EMPLOYED
in the factories of the dealers who handle their
products. A good per cent of the advance in
farm products is due to the location all over the
West and in the farming regions, of factories.
which consume much that the farmer raises
right at his door, and that consumption is large.
" of vegetables and other articles which will not
bear shipment to any distant Market
IF your theory is correct, how do you ac.
count for the large number Of bankrupt rail
roads in the countryf asked another
II am somewhat astonished to have that ques-'
tion asked by railroad manager, answered Mr.
Studebaker You gentlemen have met here to