National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-14
Pooling with Farmers.

exists in tho nature of things, and it exists
with a tariff and without all the same.
But nature must be looked at as q whole.
1t is full of differences and conflicts, but the
outcome Is beauty and benefcence. Before
there was any tariff the farmer enjoyed tho
luxury of paying low wages; but no was at
the same timo SO restricted In his market
that he had little to sell and was compelled to
sell that little at low price. The farmers
found they could not get rich by trading with
each other-one farmer raising corn and
buying pork and another raising pork and
buying corn-as moments reflection
will show. Nothing would BIO gained
by the exchange; each would have a
surplus of both corn and pork. There must
be some other occupation to come in with
mouths to eat the corn and pork and with
means to pay for them-in word, the farmer
must have market.
The first markets for our farmers came in
the shape of cities, the product of commerce.
There grew up Salem, Boston, New York,
anu duu thO Popu-
lation of these places supported by trade
lived on the corn, pork, and beef raised on
the farms, and so became the good customers
of the farmers. Commerce was then seen to
DO the handmade of agriculture, and to en-
courage commerce was supposed to be the
same thing as to promote agriculture. But
commerce has limitations, and there was a
fallacy inherent in the old theory concerning
it which still turks in the muddled brains of
some presidential candidates. We will illus
trate it.
Washington and Baltimore are forty miles
apart. There is trade between the two places,
and it takes thousand wagons to move the
goods from one to the other. The builders
of the wagons, the teamsters, the harness
makers, tho horse shoers, the repairers of
wagons and harnesses, and the hotel keepers
along the route, all become consumers offarm
produce and customers of the farmers. The
transportation makes market. Should
there como CONFUSION OF the earth and take
Baltimore up and place it bodily and safely
eighty miles away the number of wagon
makers and all other hands employed in
transportation would have to be doubled, and,
instead Of ten thousand customers to be fed
the change would create twenty thousand.
This would make what is called business,
and furnish figures of formidable character
for wiseacres to fool with. Instead of being
an extension Of commerce and an aid to agri-
culture, it would prove serious disability to
both and an extra tax and burden on both.
Were Baltimore brought within twenty miles
of Washington there would be diminution
of wagon building and less men would DO
wanted in transportation. All can 500 this.
Now the substitution of steam and iron
vessels for sailing and wooden vessels has
brought Europe within ten days of us instead
of thirty, and done away with so much OF
transportation, and thrown the ship carpen-
tiers and sailors out of work. 1t has done to
transportation what tho removal of Balti-
moro TO Bladensburg would do for us, and
there is no help for it in any modification OF
the tariff 1t was early seen that commerce
alone would not provide the farmer suti-
cieut market, and that manufac lures must
bo introduced, fostered, and pr rejected, II
was thought discriminating tariff would
introduce, foster. and protect manufactures.
1t was tried and did Villages, towns, and
| 81. Ia oip ha ac Ia,
dustry was heard all about in places
whore formerly the silence of death reigned
supreme; and the farmer secured steady
reliable, and profitable market in his own
country at his own door, and avoided the ex
pense of transportation to other lands across
the seas. lie has gained something sub.
stantial and can afford to pay something fol
it. He is enabled to sell things now at good
profit, which before the tariff had no market
and could have none. All fresh vegetables
small fruits milk, eggs, poultry, fancy butter
wool, whisky, and many other articles whose
sales swell tho farmers gains were formerly o
no account except within q dozen miles OF
four or five leading cities, The advantage o
a home market that cannot be cut off any day
at tho bidding Of a rival farmer in France anC
Germany by sanitary objections to the health
fulness of American pork is now strikinglJ
obvious, and tho late nterdictions by foreign
powers levolod at our produce should forever
silence our farmers on the question of pro
lection to home industry were there no othe
reason.
But the American farmer has an interes
in the prosperity of tho whole community
His profits hinge in the long run on the
ability of the manufacturing operatives t.
consume and their ability in turn hinges oil
employment for all their faculties to the bes
advantages. This employment will neve'
more DO furnished as of yoro by building
brigs and sailing ships any more than it will
be by driving stage coaches and wagons owe
country turnpikes and muddy roads. Tn