The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-30

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good for the reason that they export so
large a part of what they grow, and are
compelled 70 submit 10 the marked prices
of the world. Why It is necessary To
export so large portion of the productions
of American farms economists OF the free
trade group do not care 10 explain. There
is every reason, indeed, why they should
not dwell upon this point, for, rs chickens
come home To roOst, so do tine curses of
overproduction come home to the votaries
of free commerce.
The theory of G. d. T., who writes the
above in the Repu5lieIa, is that all the
farmers has to do in order to reduce his
surplus so that it "will not be necessary TO
export" is, ~ to stop growing it. II is
strange that the farmer never thought of
so simple cure for what are for him the ills
of excessive taxation. Stop growing grain ;
let your farms grow up with weeds for a
few years, and rest yourself in idleness
Then having stopped production, (2) ask
congress to increase the tariff on imported
food products to prohi5itive point, then
none will be imported and the whole
problem is solved! This SO simple rem.
edy that one is tempted to go out and kick
himself because he never thought of it
before. It's very simplicity, however,
marks the greatness of the conception
impossible 10 common minds. yet II is
but the truth 10 say" says G. d. T., that
in every epoch of our industrial history,
and at every stage of economic agitation,
large proportion of the jewellers of the
manse" have Joined their fortunes with the
advocates of freer commerce. and enlarg-
ed surplus and frmer reliance on the
markets OF the world" This painful per.
versity on the part of the farmer is what
is distressing. He will not see that if he
would only stop raising grain to sell abroad,
no imports would be possible; for since
the manufacturers OF this country sell
abroad only about one, sixth of our exports,
II Is the farmers gra!u that pays the bills
for the goods that pass the custom house as
well as all debts owed by the United States
to Europeans. 1t is this outward food of
grain that the protected interests cannot
eat that is their stumbling block. But it
does seem good deal like impudence now
to ask the farmer TO stop producing, to cut
off his source OF supplies-his living-to
benefit the manufacturer, who for % years
has been promising and promising, in con.
siderati0n Of the high taxes levied on him
to take from the farmer all he could raise,
but is no nearer doing 1t now than then
nay, not so near as then and this, too, after
the farmer has submitted TO these eXtOr-
tionate taxes through % years of peace for
the manufacturer benefit. II would
seem as if il were about time now that in
all fairness, the farmers voice should be
heard, and himself given chance to make
ends meet These % years have proven
that protection can not bring this country
to point where the farmers products can
all be consumed at home, even if that were
disirable; and 1t has proven that protection
can not prevent importation, for the total
importation Is now, under our highest
tariff, nearly double what it was under
low tariff. In 1859 after SAY 10 years of
low tariff, the importation was 1872 millions,
while in 1886 1t was 1916 millions rhe
higher prices range, the greater is the
importation, and protection defeats itself
In view of these facts, II certainly is de-
cidedly brassy to ask the farmer to shut up
his shop and discharging his hands, and
thereby stop this over production"