Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-15

Protection from the American farmer.
protection from the American farmers
surplus. Protection from the American
farmers payment for his surplus. Pro-
lection from the American farmers dis
posal to his countrynen of the payment
Tor bis surplus. Protection from the
American farmers competition in the dis
posal TO his countrymen OF the payment
for his surplus.
There was no other human being on
this green earth from whom the American
mill owner could be protected, or from
whom he wanted protection. There was
no other human being who entered into
composition with him. or who could enter
into competition with him, except the
American farmer.
He was protected-but protected from
the American farmer only.
The American farmer was forbidden to
take In payment for bis surplus any re-
lined sugar. under penalty OF fine Of
three and one half cents per pound-to
protect forty>nine refiners
The American farmer WAS forbidden to
take In payment wooden cloth. under PEN
atty OF fine OF sixty TO ninety per cent
The American farmer was forbidden to
take In payment cotton cloth. under pens
atty OF fine Of forty 10 220 per cent-to
protect 1905 cotton spinners.
The American farmer was forbidden to
take 10 payment iron or steel. under pen.
atty OF forty per cen,--to protect zoos
iron workers.
The American farmer was forbidden 10
take in payment silk goods under penalty
Of fine OF fifty per cent--to protect 3S2
silk weavers.
And so on, and so on
Every line 10 the tariff that protects
any body or anything Is leveled directly at
the American farmer. forbidding him in
30 many words to take in payment OF his
farm products sold abroad whstever is
made by the person protected, because
the farmer might. or could, or would sell
II again, at q profit, to his countrymen at
alower price than the protected mill,
owner.
The yearly product Of over two million
farmers must be sold abroad. There are
600, 900 more In the farming business
than are required to supply our 85. 900, =
900 people. There are less than thirty
thousand establishments protected from
their competition. and the highest esti-
mate OF the persons mployed-men,
women and children-ip these protected
establishments is 905 900. The $4,000
mill owners. who make large fortunes
when times are good through the protec
ton they enjoy against the competition
OF the 2.O0O,00 farmers, wax fat; but
the latter wax lssner and leaner.
From 1850 to 1850 these mill owners
were not protected against the farmers
and farming paid. The value of our
farms increased l0i per cent yearly. or
more than double the rate of increase Of
population.
From 1890 20 1880 these $4,000 were
protected against the fsrmer-and farm
ing has not paid. The value OF our
farms is increasing only ~ per cent. year
ly, or less than the rate OF increase Of
populsiion.
In 1850 our farms represented 46 per
cent of our national wealth, and In 1880
they represented only 90 per cent. de-
crease OF one half
Year. valne OF Farms Total Wealth. Per OF
1850. ....... S9,2T2,5T5,4sl s7,Is5,T sO27s 20
1890 ........ 645, 045,0O7 1879 sic O6s Il
1880 iO,ls7, 09J,T76 SJ,sl3,UOOoOO %
And the American farmer votes solidly.
votes blindly, and will continue to vote
every year 10 protect the mill owner
against competition by-himself and only
himself. T. f. WILSON