The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-08
AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.


High Protection the Worst Enemy of tho
Farmer-The View Taken by Congress-
man TOwnshend, of Llinois-How Mo-
nOpOlles Are Created, Maintained and
Fattened.
The largest industrial interest of this couu.
try is the agricultural. 1t comprises the great
est number OF persons: its products aggregate
the greatest value, and In divers forms are the
commodities that form an enormous part OF
our internal, and almost the whole Of our ex.
ternal commerce. To this commerce, this
great and diversified industry in all its
branches, the enormous war tariff is an enor-
nous obstruction, and to the eighteen millions
OF American citizens who occupy themselves in
this industry it is an oppressive burden and o
curse.
The claim that protective tarifI is beneficial
to operatives OF any class deny in its length
and breadth. But, let this claim be admitted to
whatever extent the claimants may assert,
still, no fairly-informed person not swayed by
partisan prejudice will pretend that protect
i've tariff is directly beneficial to bthe agricult-
ural producer. 1t is true, there is a duty,
small by comparison with other duties, on
wheat, barley, oats, maize and other products
OF agriculture, but these duties have no
effect on the commerce of commodities
whose prices are governed by the rates
In foreign markets. The prices in
our own markets of almost every product Of
Lne ldrlu ufe HXeu Dy tne price WHICH tne sur
plus Will command abroad. The prices Of
breadstufis are determined not in New York
and Chicago, but in Liverpool and London.
And at that market where the surplus OF our
agricultural products Is sold, and which fixes
the value OF the whole production, the products
OF every American plantation come in contact
with the productions OF Russia, Hungary, even
British India. No American tariff law can pre-
vent this competition, nor protect the Amer
lean agriculturist against it in the least de-
gree There Is u tax on corn OF 10 per cent. I;
the statistics Of 1885 show that we exported
from this country md sold In foreign markets
nearly 1900, 900 bushels Of corn, and yet only
4.5O0 bushels were imported into the country.
We are the corn producers of the world. We
have no need to import corn, for the reason
that VIC grow more than we can use and are
compelled to seek foreign market for the
surplus, and the amount of corn that we ex
ported probably realized t25,OOO,000. The corn
that we imported did not cost us but little over
1900.
There Is n tax on wheat OF 20 per cent. In
1855 we exported 132, SOL 1895 bushels OF wheat,
being over One-fourth Of our whole CROP and
we imported only 212,311 bushels, which, as all
know, was imported by mills on the Canadian
bordos, in order that they might have the
profits of grinding 1t into -four mainly for ex
portation to the markets of the world. In ad
dition to the wheat expectation Of that year,
We sent abroad So, 900 900 worth OF wheat -four,
and imported. virtually, not any.
But protection tells us that we must so leg
islate as to furnish q home market for oil oul
agricultural products, and that this can only be
done by high tariff 1t is the fact, however
that our agricultural products increase more
rapidly than our population, SO that If We dc
not export these products in their natural con.
dition we must do SO by converting them into
manufactured articles, and export these arti
cles. But this can not be done under high
.lS N@u all
products where they are the cheapest, and the
nation selling the cheapest will control the
market. This rule excludes our highly-taxed
manufactures made from highly-taxed mate
rials from the markets OF the world, although
We have natural advantages possessed by nc
other nation.
A Weste advocate of this high.tariff policy
OF excluding the products Of our agriculture
from the markets Of the world has dilated upon
the imaginary prosperity and happiness 1t has
brought 10 our agricultors. We learn from him
that the log-cabin has disappeared-that
comfortable homes carpeted rooms, q spring
wagon, u buggy or carriage for the journey to
town, country paper, books, plenty to eat
and wear" these, we are told, "are the fruits
OF protection that the farmer enjoys" Though
] have lived among farmers most OF my life, II
has been my mis- fortune never to have seen the
reality OF this pretty picture OF Arcadian hap
piness produced by exorbitant taxation. Nc
The State, the county, the township, the
school district, and in many cases other taxing
powers, come to him with their exactions OF
taxes on his land, his improvements, his cattle,
his harvests, his implements OF husbandry, and
even the furniture that he is consuming by use.
II he has sold his products he must divide the
money received in payment with the tax.gath
erer. And where the local taxing power leaves
of, the taxing power OF Congress begins, lay
ing taxes on -Four thousand distinct kinds OF
property, including almost every thing that the
farmer buys uses In tilling his land, or in his
house, or his barn, or wears on his person. and
per cent! Seneca declared that the world, IL
hts time, was governed too much. In our time
the tillers OF the soil, changing slightly tht
words, but not the meaning OF the Roman phil
osopher may we'll raieo to Heaven the cry tina
they are taxed too much.
The pretense that this enormous taxation
benefits and enriches them, causes the loI
cabin 10 disappear and replaces It with th'
mansion and all the appurtenances OF pastora
opulence, is ridiculous nonsense. Pho farme
works harder and longer for smaller gains thai
any man who eats bread in the sweat OF hi
! brow. No class OF men live moro frugally o
are more saving. And yet, In this twenty-sxtl
year of the war tariff (Which we were assures
| should cease ut tho close OF the war; there ar
hard times and much distress among thcs
who pursue agr culture. Instead Of enrichin
| them, taxation has devoured their gains an
| encountered their lands with debt. Here Is al
| exhibit oi the amount OF mortgages now rest
| ing on farmers In ten Of the great agriculture
| commoAwealths:
| In Ohio Observation-Disclosures, Tnl ,oOn,00
In lnulinii. ...,.....-...,.,....... ouS,WUV
III LIMOS .,.,.,. ..'''''.'''.'' oso,Vpiu
In Wisconsin. ..'..''..... snOo,uu