Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-05-19

before the students Of Harvard college recently,
demonstrated 20 the callow young statesmen
Of that Institution that protection docs confer
conspicuous blessings upon the farmers Of one
Of the 2,46l counties IN the United States, at
least. That county IS Worcester, in the we'll
protected State OF Massachusetts,. Mr.. Lodge
says:
''In value Of farm products as compared with
farm values, Worcester county stands third
among all the counties Of the country. 1t is
most astonishing fact. Worcester county Is
rocky and the soil is not fertile; as compared
with the great regions Of the West and South
It is absolutely sterile. Yet II surpasses them
all. Why's Because there is a great market at
the door Of the Worcester farmer In the towns
and cities which are scattered throughout the
county. How did these towns come there's By
the growth OF the Industries which gave them
wealth and population, and which have risen
under protective tariff. Break down the sys-
TEN OF protection, crush out the young indus
tries and cripple the old industries and you at
once reduce the actual market Of the farmer.
1t is needless 10 go further to show that there
is no class so largely benefited by protection as
the farmer, and none that would be so injured
/ by any policy that would check or injure man
ufacturing industries"
This certainly proves that protection has
done something for the small market gardeners
they do not deserve the name Of farmers
of Worcester, In providing them with good
market for their cabbages, lettuce, peppergrass
and other products of their truck patches. But
| It is surprisingly ludicrous to hold up this
sterile, rocky county of Massachusetts,, filed
with manufacturing cities, towns and villages
as a representative of the great agricultural
interests of the country. Thereal agricultural
interest is in the West and South, and to tax II
TO build up factories and mills in Worcester
where the local market gardeners may sell theil
truck at good price, is sectional, selfish and
| inequitablc. Worcester county, Massachusetts
is no more an agricultural district than Brown
county, Kansas, is a manufacturing district
The grain Of all kinds raised in the former il
1880 was $50, 900 bushels-all Of which was solo
on the spot at good prices-while the grair
crop Of Brown county, Kansas, was 4, 5000
bushels, the bulk Of which had to be carriet
l,50O miles to the East at cost Of % to 3
cents bushel, 10 find market.
II Brown county, Kansas, had a dozel
populous cities and towns engaged in making
buttons, thread, needles, tacks and gloves, it
farmers could get good prices for their crops
too. But Kansas is farming State, and 1t
people must dig their living out Of the soil
without the slightest aid from the nationa
government. Massachusetts, is manufaetur
ing State, and possesses advantages for tina
vocation that are denied to Kansas. Protection
is Of direct, emphatic benefit TO Massachusett
because it enables her manufacturers TO charg
Kansas farmers sl.5O for goods that are wort
only 81, and at the same time provides the sur
rounding gardeners with good market 70
their truck and garden sass. But TO exac
500, 600 600 a year from the 100000 farmer
Of the country to multiply mills and factorie
in the industrial States, and then point to tn
high prices which the market gardenersin tn
vicinity Of these mills and factories get 20
their radishes and tomatoes as an evidence G
enormous prosperity that the system brings t
agriculture = is too diverting for any othe
audience than one OF Harvard students.