Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-11-06
From the Monroe Co. wv. va.) Waterman. |
A Question Farmers Gannat Afford to Ignore.

What is the record of results to the farm
n wrought by the Protection" policy in
quarter OF century ago, and |
enforced ever since by the Republican par
y? Farmers need not try to dodge this
question. 1t involves too importantly their
They cannot afford to shirk it.
W challenge them again and again to ex |
anime attentively the recorded experience
Of the farming classes for the past 25 years,
and then judge whether or not the high tar
if policy of the Republican party has been
a blessing to farmers. All that we ask of
them in the consideration of this question
is, that they just be honest. -
Let US see: First, the farmer was promis
ed that the workings Of the high tariff
would build up a permanent 'shome mar
ket' for all his products, where he could
always command compromising prices for
his cattle. and his grain, and his vegetables.
The tariff was to be the means whereby he
was to be introduced into new Ell Dorado
of prosperity and eontentmeat.
Has this been done?
After an experience of twenty-five years,
we ask the farmers 10 all earnestness have
these pledges been fulfilled?
On the contrary, we fluid that the demand
for farm products is diminishing, the prices
growing less year by year. This is no i'm
aginatiye picture. The farmers of West
Virginia know by bitter experience that it
is truthful representation of their eondi-
ton: and the recorded facts from other
States prove its accuracy 1t has been
found that the temporary and inflated pros
perity which the building up of protected
industries brings to the farmer in some 10
calities Is but aeeting thing at best, which
soon collapses, while the general and con-
tinual tendency of the "proteo'ive' policy
is to pauperizs the farming classes.
Let US go into the very home of "protec-
tiop," where the farmers are in the closest
proximity to manufacturing centres, and
examine the facts:
In New Hampshire and Vermont at
tempts are being made under legislative au
thority to repopulate the abandoned farms
in those States.
In New Hampshire, the Commissioner of
Immigration has reported that in one
.tow "a county sub division answering
to our District,-he finds thirty odd aban-
doned farms from which almost all the
buildings have disappeared. He tells of a
beautiful pasture Of 300 acres in the same
town which is not fenced;the owners would
not fence 1t for the use of it. The total
quantity of abandoned land 10 that town is
8. 500. Another town has 7, 800 acres of de-
serted land. The farms So abandoned range
all the way from one to ove- thirty to the
town. Fourteen towns report that there are
il 124 acres from which all the buildin gs
have disappeared.
Ia Pennsylvania, the dry rot has seized
upon farms in some of the strongest manu-
featuring districts. A New York man.
who wishes to buy farm for nephew,
tells in letter to the Eceniag Post of that
city how near this beautiful dream ap'
breaches to realization. He wanted to OBJ.
tain a farm in thu western part OF ALE
| ghapy or the northern part of Washington
county, Pa, and so advertised 10 Pittsburg
| papers, describing what he wanted. The
| faru.ers in the ction described literally
fell over cash other ip their efforts to sup
ply his waits. Everybody seamed clamor-
GUS to sell, bat he could not bear OF g salf
that had been made for months. When the
records were examined it was found that
mauy of the farms offered, perhaps ma j0r-
ity. were EMBARRASSED eth er by mortgages
or judgments. Lands in hat section had
| shruuk in yaius, as he estimates, from % tc
SO per cent. in ten years Everybody yapt
ed to 60 to town. They wished to exchange
the sthome MARKET" of the farmer for the
protection accorded to the manufactu rer.
ssThis writer says that the condition oil
the ssstarn Pennsylvania farmer was apt
ly described 6y th1 pst.iarch Jacob when
be called his sous together tG TeaeIye bis
blessing. 1saacber is o strong ass, crouch
| ing down between two burdens; and he
saw that rest was good and the land that il
| was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder
! to bear, and became q servant unto tTib
ute.'
| 'sThe Bellefonte, Pa, WctchnaaR states
that similar aud even greater depreciation
of farm lands Is to be noted in nj iii q. Cen
ire, Lancaster and Berks COUNTIES, It men
tions a sale 10 NJ "a IN at less than bali tha
value of five years ago, aud another at less
than one thud The Watchmon adds thai
| 1.-THE home market which is I'D to be the
result of protection, is not at hand to i'm
prove the financial condition of tie agric1i
turalist, while his means are Constant, J
drained to pay the tariff taxes
maryland farmers" says the Baltimore
Sun. can scarcely do more than keep theii
heads above water
In New York gtate, Assessor Woods is
qnoted as saying that SUD few yeacs there
will be nothing much but tenant farmers iu
this State. Year by year the value of farm
lapds deprecistes.
New York, pennsylvania, New England,
if any where On the face of the earth a
"home market ought to be provided aud
farmers ought to be prosperous, according
to tho Republican theory, it is surely in
those sections. And yet this testimony
proyee expressly the contrary!
"The proof of the pudding is in the eat
ing;" ard the proof OF tao tariff is in it's eff
fects The lamentably unprosperous plight
of the farmers cannot be set aside by any
possible process Of reasoning. No words
that can be uttered can nisprove their pres
ent unfortunate condition. And they aFs en-
during this under the very policy which il
was promised should bless them.
Have not farmers suffered enough
Would not the man who persists in fol
lowing a certain system in the management
of his Lrivate business which has constant
~ lost him nnoDsy, aud which has wrecked
the fortunes of a number OF his neghbors
under bis immediate observation, be eoas;a
cred a fool? What, then, must be though
of the farmer, who, after 25 years OF export
ence ana observation, shuts his eyes aud
stops his eass TO the truth, and obstinatsiy
votes upon himself the very system which
has brought him to the verge of ruiLs ConlG
there be more striking example Of the
madness of prejudieef
Are the republican farmers of the Green
brier Valley willing to sacrifice the temper
al salvation of themselves and their fami-
lies to party prejudiceS
When President Harrison was inaugural
ed president he took high ground on the
subject of civil service reforna and of his
own motion announced that federal ofriciais