Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-01-24
FARMERS READ.
Hon. John II. Thomas Explains His
Wheat Bounty Memorial.
TspriDgasld Transcript

am asked by many persons, at home
and abroad, why / presented TO Con-
gress a petition asking a bounty on
wheat, and l ask permission TO reply
through your eolnmns-
1t is a proper question TO ask, especi-
ally as the short extract published in
the Cincinnati Enquirer did not give
the whole idea of the petition, and that
extract is all that most people saw
When the whole petition is read
copies Of which / will furnish those ap-
plying it will be found / ask Congress,
in justice to the farmer to do one of
two things: Either to reduce the tariff
on manufactured goods to One-half its
present rates, or to grant the farmers
bounty of twenty cents a bushel on
wheat, so as to make them as nearly
equal under the law, with the protect
ed manufacturers, as possible. / did
this after a careful study of the ques-
tion, and under the full conviction, that
the tariff on manufactured goods is fully
double what is required for any legiti-
mate protection, and results in pro-
tected manufacturers demanding and
receiving a much higher price for their
goods than legitimate profit requires,
and is consequently so much of an un-
necessary burden and tax on the peo-
pie, and especially on the farmers who
compose nearly one-half of our popula-
ton.
My dealings in business are with
farmers. make goods which farmers
buy and use. From q close contact
with them in this way l can know
whether they are prosperous or not
And know they are not now as pros
porous as they deserve to be, and would
be If they were treated as the protected
manufacturers. Moreover, I am my
self farming much more land than most
farmers, and know from my own ex-
perience that farmers are not prosper
Gus, especially those raising wheat, and
cannot be so, until some things are
changed for the better. To restore
prosperity to farmers, one of two things
must occur: Either they must get bet
ter prices for their wheat or other pro-
duce, or they must be able to purchase
their supplies of clothing and tools
cheaper. They will not be able to buy
clothes or tools cheaper unless the tar
iff is reduced. The tariff can be re-
duced One-half without material injury
to anyone. And it is because the pro-
tected interests through money, fraud
and Misrepresentation, insist on keep
ing the tariff where it is, that invite
the farmers to unite in asking and de-
manding bounty on wheat to place
them more on an equality with the
more greedy protected people.
The farmers owe it to themselves, in
simple justice, not to be forever "hew-
ers of wood and drawers of water" for
a class of men who are using the Gov
ernment to enrich themselves at the
expense fthe farmers. They owe it
to themselves to demand and insist up
on equality under the law. They have
the votes to accomplish it, and it will
be granted, whenever they unite and
ask for it. 1t is to this end my petit
ton relates. 1t has in it the proper re-
lief to the farmer, and if they insist or
either bounty on wheat or a cores
ponding lessening of the tariff, they
will get one or the other, and either
will be a great gain to them.
There are other classes equally in
terested with the farmers in asking re-
lief, and especially the laboring classes.
And it behooves them, as we'll as the
farmers, to demand recognition in
some way, equal with the most favored
class. But as I am not recognized as a
laboring man, It would be presumptu-
GUS in me, If 1 tried to represent them
in q petition to Congress. Yet would
be glad to see them move in this mat
ter in solid column. The farmersand
laboring classes are the two most in
jured by the favoritism of our high tar
iff, and both are injured to such an ex-
tent that nothing but an immediate
and an unconditional redress of their
grievances should satisfy or silence
them. J. FL. THOMAS.
Springfield, O., Dec. 25, 1883.