The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-08-02
TAE GRlEvANCE OF TME TIL
LERN OF THE SOIL

SARY TO CARRY ON THE WORK, But AF
FoRDED NO PROTECTION IN RETURN FoE
THE PRODUCT OF THE LAND.
Harisburgh Patriotl
When Bouncer was in his 34th wear
he began courting a farmers daughter
and before ten moons had waxed and
waned he married her While vet his
life was in its teens, he had become infat.
uated with the life of farmer, and his
delight was, to sing with great gusto, the
song ending with the words, "To reap
and TO SOW, to plow and to NOV, and to
be farmers boy" Now that he was
married, he communicated his desire to
his father-in-law, who said Yes, Boun-
Ger, the life of farmer is full of poetry
and luxurious ease. Looking back on
my past life, all of which was spent upon
the farm, | cannot think of anything that
could be more exhilarating and less free
from fatigue than the work Of a farmer,
except perhaps the work of that dog yon-
| der on the treadmill. l have been on
the farm, man and boy, for sixty years,
and have nothing to show for my lfe's
work but the same old farm, minus the
H..
Everything we use from a harrow tooth
to reaper and binder is taxed bv the
government at Washington, but no tax
is laid for our benefit, and no thought is
given to us by the men who make the
laws. Only yesterday was reading the
Tariff list to see where it protected the
farmer, but there was nothing protected
on the farm but sleeps wool, and even
that is no benefit to the farmer, because,
as general rule, he raises but few sheep
and the price of the wool is fixed by CITY
buyers who control the price both in
buying from the farmer and in selling TO
the manufacturer There is a tariff tax on
potatoes, and cabbage and hay, which
they say Is for our benefit; but, bless you,
when these are plentiful, the tax cannot
help the farmer, and when they are scarce
we have to buy them and pay the tax
The men who own coal and ore mines and
the men who manufacture what the far
mers use, have their combinations to re-
strict production and raise price They
can stop the mines aud the factories when
ever it pleases them to make additional
profits, but the farmers cannot shut down
the farms for there is seed time and har-
vest and the work must be done at any
cost. The farmers margin of profit is so
small and his crops so uncertain that they
dare not combine even if their numbers
were SO limited as to enable them to do
so. We must compete with the farming
world, and whether the price of our crops
is fixed by spectators in New York,
Chicago or London, We are powerless to
help ourselves. Most of the farms here
abouts are mortaged, and 50 would this
have been had | not leased a portion of
1t to gentleman who was prospecting
for coal. He paid me bonus which kept
qf s 92gh IF 9ksRf 9khf If Ppph 81 farms .ae are Hqsa @
cess of minerals would prevent a raise in
prices of farm lands. The bankers are
shrewd business men, and they last year
employed experts to appraise the value
of farm lands in some Of the western
states. 1t was found that in ten states
the total sum of farm mortgages amount
ed to the enormous sum of one billion
two hundred and ninety FIVE million dol
lars. Here is the statement of the Chi
cago Tribune which you may read 1t
shows the amount of farm mortgages in
ten western states as prepared by Mr..
Harris, banker living in Chicago:
Ohio, 1886, 100000; Indiana, $l75 ,OOO,-
600; Illinois, 5000, 900; Michigan,
:l25,o00,OO Wisconsin, 500, 900, 900;
Minnesota, $40 900, 400; Iowa, sIOO, O,OOO,-
900; Nebraska, $25 900 900; Kansas, $50
600 900; Missouri, sl0o,o 900.
Now Bouncer, the average rate of in
terest on these mortgages is about ten per
nd ha Co.., l.
yield three per cent. on the investment,
these farms will, in all probability, be sold
and the former owners become tenants
to landed aristocracy such as exists in
Europe. Why don't the farmers econO-
mize, you say They do as far as posi-
BILE, but they are tariff take! to death on
everything they buy. Look at this list
of articles | bought for your wife to as
sist both of you in housekeeping, and in
making good appearance on the Sab
bath:
One cooking stove, tariff tax, As per
cent. one heating stove, tariff tax As per
cent. one dozen knives and forks, tariff
tax, so per cent. one dozen glass goblets,
tariff tax, 50 per cent. one half dozen
spools of thread, tariff tax, 46 per cent.
one package of needles, tariff tax, 35 per
cent. ten yards of oil cloth, tariff tax,
80 per cent. one half dozen tin dishes,
tariff tax, 40 per cent. ; one dozen cups
and saucers, tariff tax, 55 per cent /; one
hair brush, tariff tax, 80 per cent. one
broom, tariff tax, 80 per cent. one clock
tariff tax, 80 per cent. one Holy Bible,
tariff tax, Is per cent. +; two pairs cot
ton stockings, tariff tax, 40 per cent
two pairs woolen stockings, tariff tax,
63 per cent. one wooden dress pattern,
tariff tax, 68 per cent. ton of coal, tariff
tax, IS per cent. chamber suit, tariff tax,
35 per cent.
There, look at that. 1t is down in reg
ular order, just as l bought the things
from time, to time but that is not one-half
of the tariff tax-for l am taxed on my
axes, ploughs, harness and oil. The nails
drive in my hog pen are taxed 40 per
cent. and the very buttons on my old
clothes are taxed 25 per cent Last
spring l wanted to put up little marble
headstone to my wife's grave, and the tar
iff tax on the marble was SO per cent.
The sugar / put in my coffee is taxed 50
per cent and the soap keep for company
in the square room is taxed 36 per cent.
No, Bouncer, don't be farmer unless
you can first see your way clear to have
these taxes removed. have been Re-
publican all my voting days since the
party was first formed. Learned to love
Lincoln, Sumner and Garrison, and these
men all favored free trade and low taxes
~ x,o,,lI ho