The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-03-28
SPRING FARM TOPICS
The Tnff aud tee FITmH-Frult for the
F.mlly-Hug Cholsrs.
Early VegetabIss-A Farmers VOice-Pea-
fowls-Farm AccOunts-Lucern
AlfaIfa-HonsehOld Hihts-LiVe
stock and Farm Notes.

at meeting of the Farmers institlse
held at Dixon, Ill, lately, the decline of
Agricultural Prosperity being under dis
cussion, Mr.. L. ID. Whitney, of T.skilwa,
said:
Agriculture is suffering blight. and
among the causes is the protective-tsriff
system, which gives bounties to Ger ain
classes at the expense of others, the bur
den resting finally mostly on producer 4.
National taxes have grown s1Dce lou mo c
than five-fola. Now 800, 600 900 ANNUALLY :,
and more, can be dropped from this va
sum. This should be boon to the tax
ridden people; but strange doctrines are
preached from high sources. Instead of
cheaper sugars, lumber, clothing, aud
other necessaries of life relief is to be ofs
fered in cheap whisky and tobacco! This
ludicrous proposition proves to be made
in earnest, and unless vigorously
opposed 1t may succeed. Man
ufacturers do not wish to pan
der to evil, but they seek to find some ex-
cuse and necessity to keep the high tariff
intact throughout. The present high pro-
tective tariff bad patriotic beginning.
The great demands of the treasury in the
late war led to imposing direct taxes on
the goods OF our own manufacturers.
Simultaneously the present high tariff was
imposed SIS a compensation. After the
close of the war the direct taxes on manu-
laCtuIc6 were Icpcdl6O, Out LQ6 mdQQIaC-
turers were fortunate enough to retain the
war tariff. This gives the treasury more
money than is needed. The lowering of
national taxes should be q blessing. The
removal of the extra war tariff is q natural
sequence, and would greatly relieve con.
sumers. Bat the original doctrine of
protection to infant industries is now to
be superseded. Perpetual protection, and
the higher the better, is the new dogma.
nj ho
of vast tariff confederaey seeking the in
dorsement of the country to this doctrine.
Its effect upon agriculture is already seen
In the statistics now given. l will here
give one more, bringing the fact nearer
home.
Before the enactment of the present
high tariff the state of Illinois was fast
gaining upon Massachusetts, In wealth; us
may be supposed from natural causes.
Since the war tariff enactment the case is
reversed. In 1860 the per capita wealth OF
Massachusetts, was 1862. That of Illinois
was 5000. In 1880 Massachusetts, had in
creased her per capita to 81 SOS, while
Illinois had reached but $1005. While
Illinois, with her great natural adj
VantaRes, had not even doubled,
Massachusetts,, with her sterile soil and
rocks, advanced l50 per cent. Massachu-
sets claims that Illinois shall pay for her
goods price sufficiently high to make up
the difference of wages between this coun-
try and Europe. Let me inquire who is TO
pay to Illinois farmers the difference
between farm wages here and farm wage
in the Old World? II we should grant the
claims of Massachusetts, to help her pay
laborers 20 per cent. tariff will amply cover
the case, az that is about the amount that
the cost of labor bears to the price of the
manufactured goods. The other 20 or 10 ore
per cent. enacted by the present tariff il
perhaps to furnish the money they send
west and invest on mortgages On our
farms."