The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-01

industries. So that there il practically
difference whatever worth talking
about between tho wages one receives
and the wages that another receives
they are both substantially the same.
Ii you take comforts and costs of living
and all that into account, the agricul-
tural hand i'll Ohio receives quite as
good wages as the labOrers in the pro-
tected Industries of the country.
"My friends, nothing is more com
mon for these men appeal to every
body-than to hear the protectionist
orator say that the tariff is a benefit to
the farmer. How II can benefit a farm
OF | have never been able to find out.
Let us consider the subject in the light
of experience. We had a low tariff
from 1916 up to the breaking out of tho
war. IL was called the Walker tariff,
or the tariff of 1916, l remember it
very we'll for | was in the house of
representatives at the time and voted
Tor it. Now, from 1861 take this
from the census, and therefore l have
TO take these years-frOm 1850 to 1860,
while that tariff was in force, farm
lands in the United States, according
to the census report, Increased i'll value
l03 per cent Then came the high tariff
OF 1861, or 1862, which evcr it was.
And from 1860 to 1870-anOther period
OF ten years-the increase in the values
of farming land in the United States
was only 40 per cent. Under the low
tariff it had been lO3 per cen increase
Of value in ten years. Under this high
tariff il was only 40 per cent. But il
may be said hat it includes the period
OF tho val and doesn't make a fair
comparison. l grant the force OF that
To some extent, but the war ended in
1865, and we can compare tie next ten
years, from 1870 to 1880, and by these
same census reports it appears that in
these ten years Of profound peace, from
1870 to 1880, the value of the farming
lands OF the whole United States have
increased but 9 per cent. Under the
highest protective tariff that eve was
inflicted upon this country they have
increased but 9.per cent, while under
the low tariff OF 1916, in ten years, from
1850 to 1860, u period of profound
peace, they increased i'll value 1O3 per
cent. Applause More than ten times as
fast as they have increased now. l
have somewhere here Il statement OF
how it was in this gOOdly state OF
Michigan. Yes. here 1t is, (prOducing
memorandum from 1860 to 1860, UNI
der the low tariff period, the value of
farming land in Michigan increased 211
per cent. From 1860 to 1870, under a
high protective tariff, they have increas-
ed las per cent, but that includes the
time of the war. But from 1870 TO
1880, during a period Of profound
peace and under the highest tariff that
tho country has Eve known, the value
of farming land in the state of Michi-
gan was increased only 253 per cent
They increased under the Walker tariff
which has been 40 much denounced as
that tariff il had increased at the rate
of 2ll per cent, while now, under ten
years of profound peace, it has increas-
ed bnt 254 per cent, and yOu must re-
member that under the Walker tarill
we had y great Wharf.-The Mexican war
and | do not make any deduction Tor
that. Had values continued To i'll
crease from 1860 to 1880, as they did
during the low tariff period from 1850
to 1860, farm values in Michigan would
have been III 1880 one billion ami !OIty-
seven million dullars-tllat il one thOus-
and and forty seven million dollars, i'll
stead Of being as they were by the
census OF 1850, only $l99, 900 900. And
SO, too, take farm implements. They
increased i'll value from 1850 to 1866 ut
the rate of 10Th per cent, and in 1850
only Al 60. 100 per cent. Ii they had
Increased in the same ratio under the
high tariff period that they did under
the low they would have been W'rh
$23, 10000 instead OF sig, 5u0, 600.
You see, then, by these figures that it
is quite impossible that this high tariff
can be of advantage to the agricultural
community quite impossible.
But, 10y friends, | must draw my
remarks TO q close. Ii is time that L
was giving way TO other gentlemen
tho are to follow me, in order TO give
them a fair opportunity TO present their
ton, though, 10 one thing. l have
spoken about this surplus revenue that
lies u~selessly III the vaults of the treas
ury. Now, | want TO read to you what
Senator John Sherman says upon that
subject, only so late as July B, in a
speech before the chamber OF commerce
in Cincinnati. AS you remember, he
was four years during Hay es' admins
tration secretary Of the treasury. Now
nobody will charge John sherman
with being n democrat, | anu quite
sure. daughter and applause. No
body will charge him with wanting TO
destroy American industry, but here is
what John says: Il would. like to talk
TO you men of business to-day on the
matter OF the great surplus OF money
in the United States treasury. That
affects you materially. We would
rather prefer to have it than a deficien-
cy. The government of the United
States has this surplus now and it
seems as though some people were try
ing to get rid of it. l do not intend
to allude to politics. Every man
of sense knows that the government
should not collect any more money
than is absolutely necessary to carry OH
the business with close economy. Con.
gress ought this year to devise some
mode TO dispose of this surplus. Yet,
as | said before, il is better TO have this
surplus than a deficiency Now
agree with that entirely that the gov
eminent should not collect more money
from the people than Is necessary to
carry on the government economically
administered, and everybody knows
that this great surplus which is lying
uselessly in the treasury and is increas'
ing from year to year is a great injury
To the country, and does nobody any
good. 1t has the effect among Other
things, beside its pecuniary effect, o
damaging the prosperity of the cOun'
try. 1t has a very c%orrupting effect
Governor Allen of Ohio ono said il
his forcible way, speaking when he wal
excited, THAT you might as well try &c
keep a powder house in hell as to have
an honest government with a surplus
IL the treasury. [Great applause ant
laughter
Well, that was q pretty strong state
nent of the case, but it vas not ex
travagant after all. Why, gentlemen
If You would just look over the schemes
Tor plundering the government, owing
70 this great surplus that is there, you
would be amazed. There is scarcely
anything that somebody won't ask for
TOR they say why, the government hal
money which is lying idly in the treas
ury and you might as well give it Il
ds for our little scheme as to have j
wing there and so every scheme 0
sxtravagance-cverything in the worlt
by which the people u be bled ant
high taxes kept UPS advocated by
these mcn and grows in Il great degree
- Al G-a " l.,