River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-05-20
Communicated.
ILOIlIIuHItaItus
nnas The Tariff protect Earuners7

Does The Iarih Protect FarmersI
IL is a mystery to any one who
knows the duties on farm products
and the protection thereby afforded
how farmers can support free trade
policy. They are favored as much or
more than manufacturers, by tie pres
ent tariff. There is much talk about
England's free trade policy without
thinking, perhaps, that it has existed
only since 1915, after hundreds of
years of protection. Her farming in
terests are nearly ruined to-day. and
unless some action is soon taken they
will be worse off. But space permits
only mention of some facts relating
TO the farmers of Wisconsin and Min
nesota, to show how the tariff is their
salvation. The laborers and manu-
facturers realize this already.
Wheat is low. partly because the
English market is receiving some from
India, where it can be raised for about
twenty-five cents per bushel. South
ern Russia and Australia are also get
ting a foOthold. In India wheat can
be cheaply raised by men who work
for five or ten cents per day, and board
themselves. 1t can be brought to
America as cheaply as to England.
Take off the present duty of twenty
Ave cents bushel and the Northwest
ern farmer would soon cease to bewail
a tariff, while selling his wheat at
fifty cents bushel.
AS it is, in st. Paul cheese from Eu.
rope is on the same counters with
American cheese. What would be
the use of trying to start a cheese fac
tory if the duty of four cents a pound
were removed! Some farmers near
River Falls have made money on pc
tatOes, and they are the staple crop in
some Eastern States, but take off the
duty of fifteen cents and Canada
would send i'll enough to make the
price lower than the cost of raising.
Some raise flax, and more ought to,
but it pays only because raw flax has a
duty of twenty dollars per ton, and
manufactured flax much higher one.
Perhaps some farmers rise in the
morning, and after breakfast of tea
or coffee admitted free of duty for
their benefit, after riding to town be-
hind an imported PercherOn admitted
free of duty, sell some cOrn-duty ten
cents, some mutton, pork and beef one
cent higher on account of duty, some
wool ten or fifteen cents higher for the
duty and none too high even then, and
then complain in the store of the tar
iff. Tie very rubber of which their
waterproof garments are made and
shoes they wear is admitted free and
is thereby cheaper; so are his cloves,
nutmegs and pineapples that he sold
rye or barley, with ten cent duty, to
purchase. And yet, he is not happy.
He sells butter, too cheap he thinks,
on which there is duty of four cents.
What would be the price without the
dutyl Farmers now, justly but incOn-
sistently, call for an internal revenue
tax upon imitation of butter. If this
is made high enough butter will be
very profitable product. Now double
the duty on cheese and dairying will
pay. He can buy his gypsum to fer
tilize the clover, not increased by any
duty. Oats have a ten cent duty.
In view of these facts can farmer
advocate free trade! Would any farm
ing be paying without tariff! The
present tariff was adopted in 1888.
Wisconsin and Minnesota Congress
men gave only two votes against it.
All honor to them. Ohio in 1884 told
Frank Hurd, her most blatant free
trader, to stay at home. Let all States
do the same, and not be bought by
money sent from England in large
amounts to spread free trade theories.
We do not want laborers who work for
starvation wages, nor English hand-to-
mouth farmers who are tenants of an
aristocracy. The very rich, the bond
holders and their heavily salarled en-
ployes are the leading advocates of
free trade in the Northern States. In
vestigate before you vote to reduce or
remove duties. Fortunately, the pres
ent Congress is not likely to make any
very dangerous changes. Remove the
duties on farm products and it seems
as if every incumbered farmer would
only be able to live and that his farm
would pass into the hands of the mon.
ey loaner.