The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-09
FARMERS READ.
Are You Paying Something and
Receiving Nothing?
Some Inc0ntrOyertibIe Facts
on the Tariff Question.
Will You Profit by Past Experien ce
or Continue to be Robbed.
High Tariff Cannot and Does Not In
crease the Price of Wool-Read
What Republican Manu-.
facturers Say.

The relations of the farmer to the tariff, and
the most interesting phases of the question.
According to Republican doctrine the tariff is
panacea for all the farmers ills as well as
those of the wage worker, and even the manu-
facturer who is striving to get his labor as cheap
as possible. Now, if the farmer is seeking light
on this subject and is open to conviction on a
question that SO materially affects his welfare,
which means the condition of his home and all
that is dear to him, will profit by experience
and read he history Ofthe past, he will find:
First,t nat the tariff taxes the farmer enor-
mously without increasing the price of his pro-
ducts a single cent.
Second, that the price received for the staple
productions of the farm, such as wheat, corn and
pork. depends almost entirely upon the price Of
fered for them in Liverpool, London and other
foreign markets, and further. that the exporta-
ton of these products is increasing very rapidly,
making the farmer more and more dependent
on the foreign consumer, thus giving him ex-
elusive home market, as claimed by the pro-
tectIonists.
Third, that the average price of wool has been
much higher in low tariff years than it has been
under a high tariff.
Fifth, that the high tart # placed on wool in
nor the price received for wool.
Sixth, that this high tariff has not diminished
and cannot diminish the importation of wool.
To prove the first assertion one has but to in
vestigste the statistics the agricultural pro-
ductiens of the United States. In 1880 the total
value of farm products was 81, SOC, 600 900 of
which $242, ,0o0, 600 was cotton, leaving cereals
and provisions to the value of 81, ,2S9, 900 O00 OF
this amount 1915, 100000 worth was ex-
ported, leaving 81 ,914, ,000, 600 worth for home
consumption. 1t would certainly be fair esti-
innate to say that the farmers, umbering more
than half the population, consumed onehalf of
this amount, or $950, 600 600 worth. This would
leave the remaining half to be consumed by the
three million persons employed in industries
protected by tariff and by the seven million
employed in industries not protected. OF this
amount assign onethird to the three million
people engaged in protected industries and we
have $3.50, ,000 000 which is $45 900 900 less than
the amount exported This is the kind of a
home market the manufacturer gives the farmer
in exchange for being enormously taxed.
Do you watch the market quotations ON wheat
corn, etc? If you do it is unnecessary to say
single word on how the price offered in Liver
pool makes the American quotations.
For the purpose of getting at the price of
farm products in low and high tariff years the
following table, taken from the report of the
New York chamber of commerce. is submitted
Examine the price during the low tariff period
from 1850 to 1860 and during the high tariff
from 1870 to 1880: