Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-21

prove to . greater or less extent with
tne increase OF population and wealth,
the extension of the use of machinery,
which reduces the cost of production,
and the multiplication of facilities for
communication and transportation, which
reduces the cost of distribution. But
how long, Mr.. Chairman, are our farm
ers, to be compelled to pay tribute to
other Industries and wait for the crea-
ton Of home market that Will take
al their own products at fair prices !?
Among our greatest agricultural products
are wheat and cotton. They constitute
the main reliance of millions Of our peo-
pie for profitable use of their lands.
and many hundred millions Of dollars
are invested in the soil and buildings
and machinery devoted to their produc-
ton. Taking the average crop of wheat
In this country for several years past
and assuming that there shall be no
increase whatever in Production and that
the domestic consumption per capita
shall remain Just at what it now is
there would still be no sufficient home
market for this great agricultural sta pie
until our population had reached neasS,
one hundred million.
our COTTON PRooUrA.
The official statistics of the domestic
products. exploration and home con-
sumption Of raw cotton show that 10
would require three times as much ma
chlnery and three times as MANY oper-
atlves as We now have to convert this
material into commercial fabrics here
at home: In other words, we are now COM
PEELED to EXPORT two-thirds of our bro
duct to ne manufactured in foreignlcouD-
tres while one-thlrd only is manufactured
at home by all the machinery and labor
now EN- Dloyed. In 1850 there were S2lQ o,
100000 invested in cotton manufactures,
and there were employed in that industry
ll2;5o4 hands. To work uD our present
production of rsw cotton would REQUIRE
an investemnt in this manufacture OF
s660.0o0.0O0 and the endowment Of
5l7.662 hands. II we have been more
than one hundred years. part of the time
under verv high tariffs, in 30 developing
them TO take one-third of our product at
our cotton manufactures as to enable
European prices. how many more centurie
Will be required to enable them to con-
sum the whole product at prices fixed
DIV connection here ut home Great ap-
plausen. When gentlemen have solved
this problem to the satisfaction of the
American cotton-grower. he may be abb,
TO listen with patience to the arguments
BY which they attempt to convince him
OF the Immense advantages Of a home mar
ket that will never exist. What Is 10
be done with these agricultural products.
and with MANY others which are now
exported. while the farmers. are waiting
of restrictive legislation have been prom
Using them for so MANY wears? Are the
farmers and planters OF the North and
South to abandon their wheat and co.,
ton lands. or cultivate crops not suited
TO their soil or climate. while gentlemen
are making experiments TO ascertain
whether or not home market may not
be created by legislation? No. sir No
matter what gentlemen NAV predict or
what thew NAV promise. these great in
dustries must go on. and the American
farmer must sell his products in any mar
ket he can reach and at any price he
an get. tApplausel.
The gentleman from Maine Mr Ding
lew. while auDearing to admit that the
prices OF our eXDorta bic agricultural pro-
ducts are fixed in the foreign markets
In which they are sold endeavors to
avoid the force of the admission nv CON
tending that the prices in the foreign
market are regulated by the amount Of
production here. Now. MIR. Chairman.
undou btedlv the amount Of production
hero has some influence upon the prices
ABROAD but the controlling elements
are the worlds supply and tho worlds
demands. Our farmers do not compete
among themselves alone in the provision
markets OF Europs. Our wheat-growers,
for lstance. compete with the wheatgraw-
ers of England. France GERMANY. Rus
sla. Hungary. lndla and all the other
u CurODe anu ASH. ara
their products meet in the open and free
markets of the world the products CT
the poorest labor on the face of the earth.
WE WANT The WORLDS MARKET.
The lately emancipated serfs OF
Russia. the oppressed peasant OF Hun
gary, the ryot of India, who lives on
mlllet and rice, wears no garment ex-
cept coarse cotton shirt and sleeps on
the door Of q bamboo hut-all pour tho
products OF their labor into the FREQ
markets Of Europe to be sold in compe-
tition with the grain from our Western
States and Territories. Sir, our agri-
cultural constituents are not ignorant
Of the true situation They know very
well that ss to ell the articles which we
are capable OF exporting and are actually
exporting-and this includes all the prin-
cipal productions of their industry-the
foreign market is just as valuable to
them as the home market, for the OBJ
vious reason that the prices are fixed
abroad, and they receive here only what
they could receive there, after deduct
ing the cost Of transportation ZAP
plauSe.I
What the American farmer most needs
is home market in which he can pur-
petitors purchase theirs tapplause), and
II he can not secure this, then he simply
asks the poor privilege Of making his
purchases where he is compelled to make
his sales, and to be permitted to bring
his goods home without being compelled
to pay unreasonable taxes and fines by
the Governments for carrying on harm
less and legitimate business. tApplause.)
Mr. Chairman. we want not only the
home market, but all the markets Of
the world for the varied products Of this
great country. tApplause) We want
to send our agricultural products our
cotton, and our breadstuffs, and our pro.
visions to the naked and hungry manu-
featuring peoples of Europe, and our
manufactured products to the agricul-
tural people of South America, Mexico
and Asia. We can do this when we de-
termine to trade with other people upon
fair terms, but we can not do 1t so long
as we protect England and other manu-
featuring countries in the great MARKETS
Of the world upon the pretense Of pro-
tecting ourselves in our own. Let US
diminish the cost of production In our
agricultural and manufacturing indus
tries, not by diminishing the wages Il
labor. but by reducing taxation upon
the necessaries of life and upon the ma
terials which constitute the basis Of our
finished products, and by removing, -
far as we can, the restrictions which en-
barrass our people In their efforts to ex
change the fruits of their OWL toll which
they do not need for the commodities ct
other countries which they do need.
Great applause, loud and prolongedl
TO FRANCES CLEVELAND.