Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-08-09
THE FARMER.
How the Tariff Brings Him
Prosperity.
A Wool Grower Relates
His Experience.
Compelled to Compete. With His Pro
ducts in the Mark sts OF the World,
While Everything he Buys is
Taxed.

sPEEcH OF HoH. W. H. HATCH on TEN
Agriculture IL the oldest and most honorable
occupation OF man. 1t is today the foundation
Of all commercial and material progress in this
country. The history Of the world teaches that
in all ages IN every country, sgricaiture has
borne more than its fair proportion Of the bur-
dens Of government. fhis, Mr.. Chairman, 10 par
ticulariy true in the nineieenth century and IN
der our X publican form Of government 10 1888.
Under the present system the government Of
the United States 10 exacting from the people OF
this country nearly hundred million dollars a
year more Than Il nseda For what purpose IL
this tribute leviedi propose to undertake TO
show Tor what purpose II Is done. IL Is done 70
enrich favored classes that have fastened their
fangs upon the legislation Of this country. 1t is
done to enrich one class Of people at
the expense Of the masses. The whole
system was conceived in greed and
avariee, aud il has been maintaiaed from that
day 10 this by misrepresentation, corruption and
fraud. Now il has been stated, and no man de
mics il, that since 1850 this country has grown in
wealth aud IN prosperity at aratio unpreeedent-
cd 10 the history Of any nation on earth. Not
withstauding tho four years Of the civil war.
notwithslanding the destruction OF property,
during that period-from 1850 to l880--the
country had grown TO an extent almost startling
when we contemplate 1t. II has grown up into
the billions. ! know 10 to be true; the figures
state ID. Gentlemen upon the other side as.wen
Is upon this side have quoted them, and be-
lieye them to be correct. But where has that
money been concentrated? What favored class,
If any, in the United States have reaped the
benefit Of that great accumulation of wealth.
Has il been equally and evenly distributed
throughout the landf No. Haslt, in any single
state or section of the country, been distributed
10 ali classes alikef No. Has Que class solely
got the beneds Of it2 Yes. Now look first al
the general figures before come down TO item
izlng some Of them.
The nearest estimate that can be made of the
value of the agricultural wealth of this country
is based upon the valuation of farms, farm ami
mais, farm implements and machinery. The
ownership Of the land, its improvements, the
ownership Of all the stock upon the farm, the
ownership Of all the tools and machinery nee
essary To run it, constitute the farmers capital.
In 1850 the farmers Of this country owned $S,-
967. .343 $50 of property. In l860-mark this
day-they had increased their aggregate wealth
from the sum named to nearly eight billions, or,
TO be more exact, 1880, ,493 ,O6S, little more
than doubling the original capital in ten years,
and showing by calculation o net increase Of
shout 101 per cent. In 1870 they had increased
from 81 080 493 06s to SILL 125, ,95S 747 not quite
20 per cent In 1880 they increased from $1l !.
24,95S,7 ,747 to $i2,104, col ,53S, or only about
per cent Between 1850 and 1860 we had the
lowest tariff and the lowest rate Of tax collec-
tions that we have had IN this country for the
past seventy wears. Between 1870 and 1880 w
have had the highest we have ever had. Be
tween 1850 and 1850 the farmers Of the country
more than deubled their wealth, and betweei
1870 and 1880 they accumulated but per cent
increase.
Iappend an exact and verified table Of tn
figures: