Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-12
BUKLEIGH j. FLYNT, Pubs,
Augusta, Maine.
The Farmers and Protection.

For good while the Cobden club, sup
piled with English gold, has been making
special efforts to mislcad American farm
ers on the question Of Free Trade. The
Eng 18Th manufacturers and English editors
have greatly underestimate the intelli-
gence of our farmer n we'll as that of the
mechanics and worLmen Of this country.
TO test the real opinions OF the farmers of
the different sections OF the MON. a short
time since the New York Tribune sent out
to large numbers of them inquiries IA to
their views on the subject Of protection
The replies received were in answer to
the questions: "What, il any, changes in
the protective tariff nre demanded by tho
welfare Of American farmers q and, "Do
the farmers favor a protective tariff e. The
responses published number ifty-onc, from
persons residing in nineteen different
States. OF these seven are Eastern, five
are Southern, and seven are Western
States, the latter being Illinois, Ohio.
Colorado, Wisconsin, Missouri. Indiana
and Michigan. This group Of States is
represented in the Lat by eighteen cor
respondents, Of whom ten are secretaries
OF oranges, ono past master of
grange, three members with no other
designation. one the Secretary of the
National Bcr-keepcrs' Association, one
the Secretary of the Michigan State Bee
keepers Associations, ono the Secretary
OF Farmers Club, aud one designated
simply a. farmer. The official position
occupied by those who responded shows,
without any other reason being necessary,
the very probable opinion OF the grange
and oranges with which they are con
ncctcd. The fact that so many OF the
correspondents are masters or secretaries
also indicates that they are in the best
possible position to be fully acquainted
with the opinions of the members of the
bodies they represent. The document on
this and all other accouuts isa strong one,
and should suggest very emphaticallv to
those who claim that "all the farmers of
the country are Free Traders" that their
assumptions are without foundation.
A further analysis of the responses pub
lishcd in the New York Tribune brings
out some general facts which will he read
with interest, and which is earnestly COM
mended to the Free Trade literary bureaus
and organs throughout the country. or
the entire tifty-one replies given five are
from officers of agricultural societies and
\
keepers associations two are from officers
Of farmers clubs, two are from mechanics,
six are not specified otherwise than a.
farmers, thirty are officers of oranges and
three are members Of oranges, and one i.
n college Professor--isaac L. Roberts.
Professor of Agriculture of Cornell rni-
versity, Ithaca, \. Y.
OF the iiftv-one responders only one is
against protection. He gives his name az
j. l.. Runkle. West Grove. Ca, and he
says; "0ur grange has dishanded. They
we're divided on the tariff. | am for Free
Trade and every fellow for himself" No
wonder the West Grove grange dishanded,
when severy fellow was for himself"
The remaining fifty persons were for pro-
lection and reported that their oranges.
clubs, associations, societies. etc. were
either unanimously or practically uuani-
mously for protection. There was every
where reported a strong opinion for pro-
lection. The lecturer of the National
Grange, Mortimer Whitehead. of Middle
bash, n. J., is strongly for protection. II
will be of interest TO farmers to know
what he has to say. In his communica-
ton he states: IL have lately completed a
lecture trip out West. covering ten different
States. aud in every lecture have advo-
Gated equality in the tariff and opposed
Stree raw materials" Farm products are
all raw materials in certain sense, and
in another the products of skilled labor.
The Farmers Congress at its last session
took the same ground. Farmers are
coming to understand the question better"
Nothing can be more certain in practi- |
cal business and public affairs than that
country of vast and varied undeveloped I
resources like the United States, should /
have such governmental policy as best
tends to bring those resources into use and