River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-02-04

200 square miles cultivation, or more
than 1900. 900 acres, capable of produc-
/ ing 10000, 200 bushels per year, thus
increasing rapidly her growth and exports
of wheat
/ 1t is with this pauper labor We will
have TO compete in our exports Of grain;
and at the rate they are increasing their
annual products we viii not only be
compelled to give up the foreign market,
except in times offailure, but they will be
knocking very soon Al the doors Of our
ports with their cereal products. Then
YOU will find that the farmer will plead as
/ he has never pleaded before for protec-
/ ton, and instead Of 70 cents per bushel
/ on wheat he will want perhaps three
/ times that amount. Il Is said that wheat
can be produced at profit in India for 20
cents \ bushel.
PROTECTION IN WISCONSIN,.
The need that the farmer has % pro-
lection is shown right here in Wiscon-
sin to-day. In several oIthe oldest aud
most populous counties of the state the
farmers have found that grain raising
does not yield them satisfactory profits,
and SO they have gone largely into the
growing of tobacco The importation of
foreign leaf tobacco raised where laboris
/ cheaper than here, has so reduced prices
that the tobacco industry in our state is
/ greatly suffering and It's early destruction
seriously threatened. And so our tobac-
/ co raisers are demanding an increase Of
I the tariff are asking for what many of
them have heretofore opposed ''protec-
/ lection to American industry" Conven-
tons have been held, resolutions PASSED.
I petitions circulated, asking the present
congress 10 increase the duty on tobacco,
and delegates have been employ cd to 60
| TO Wa hington TO urge the enactment OF
needed tariff legislation to protect the
F.. Wisconsin farmer. II the effort succeeds,
and it certainly deserve, success. it will
stimulate an important industry, bring
relief to many farmers, enhance the
prices OF land, aud add materially to the
wealth and commercial importance Of the
state.
VALUE OF FARMING LANDS.
II farmers would study carefully the
official reports, and see how much more
valuable farm lands are in manufacturing
states than in states devoted more largely
to agriculture, they would appreciate
more fully than they now do the benefits Of
having the factory beside the farm---of
securing home market Every farmer,
ii he will but stop TO think, will realize
the advantages accrujng 10 him by being
able to market all the products near his
home Why is farm near a large city
worth more than one near smaller city ?
Because it has 7 better market. Why is a
farm near a thrifty city more valuable than
one near a country village ? Because the
market is better. Why is farm near
lively village worth more than one equally
fertile 10 or 20 miles away Because it is
nearer to market. "Only this and moth
ing more" Going TO distant markets Is
what shears the profits from the farmers
products Bring good market near him
ana MS pfOILS are secure.
TRANSPORTATION CHARGES.
Farmers complain loudly, and often
Justly, against the extortions Of transpor-
tation companies. middle men" are the
bane Of the farmers business Tie vast
army of people engaged in the work OF
portation, commission and exchange,
are but the agents Of the producers, and
the producers grow rich or poor precisely
as they are required to employ less or
more people in making their exchanges.
The farmer suffer just as much in t!.e
extra prices he has TO pay in getting his
produce into the hands Of the consumer,
as he does if he is compelled to pay un-
reasonable wages for blowing his land,
planting his seed, or gathering his har-
vests. The remedy is to shorten the lines
Of transportation, to reduce the number
Of middle men," to bring the market
nearer the farm. This is done by building
up manufactures, and manufactures are
built up BY protection" Ills better for
the farmer 20 sell his products in the
eastern states. than to transport them to
Europe 1t would be still better TO sell
/ them in Wisconsin than at the east. His
interest, then, plainly, IS 10 support such
policy, as will continue to spread manu-
featuring industries all through the
country, so that agriculture and manutact-
uring may grow up side by side. Suppose
an opposite policy was pursued. Let all
protection be withdrawn from our manu-
/ featuring interests. Let the country be
/ flooded as Il would be with the importa-
tions of many lines of goods produced by
cheap foreign labor. What would be the
effect 1t is plain enough that some OF
our industries would be crippled and
others ruined. Large numbers of men
would be thrown out Of Employment.
What would they do What could they
do bat one thing, go to farming. No
other employment would be open to them.
There is land enough for everybody In
this way the consumer ofthe farmers pro-
ducts, would become producer Of the
same products. Instead Of a buyer of
farm produce he would become seller
oft Instead of customer the farmer,
he would become his competitor. Thus
farm products would be increased, and
their prices reduced.
But says the free trader, "ifthe prices
Of farm produce were thus reduced, the
articles he has to buy would be reduced
also" Not so, at least only for short
time. Just as soon as our manufactures
were broken down, and the foreign manu-
facturer was relieved of competition here
he would put prices up. That is the in
evitable logic Of business.
"But," says the freetrader again PRO
lection encourages and builds up monop-
olies" Nor is this statement true. II IS
in defiance Of an axiom Of business, that
competition destroys monopoly" We
see this truth emphasized in every depart
ment of business activity. Even the rail
road companies, the strongest corpora
tons in existence, yield to the mandates
of this inexorable law Of trade. Where
competition exists monopoly can have no
existence. Capital is always watching
with eager eyes for profitable investment.
Enterprise is keenly alert in the struggle
for gain. Capital and Enterprise will in