Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-02
The Home Market"

From a letter addressed by Mr.. A.
Van Bibber, of Cincinnati, to the Dem
ocratic National COMMITTEE, we make
the following extracts. They seem to
be worthy of the attention of the Com
mittee, and of all thoughtful citizens as
we'll:
II wish to discuss the home market
argument of Senator Sherman. Per-
haps the same view of that argument
has occurred to you. But il a contest
from which there is no appeal. and
where time is limited, it Is not we'll to
take that or anything else for granted.
Mr.. Henry George, in advocating the
confiscation of the land, in order to
prove it the best thing for everybody,
is compelled, of course, to try to argue
that it would be an advantage to the
farmer to have his land confiscated.
1t bothers him, but he is compelled to
make stagger at it. In like manner
Senator Sherman is hard driven when
he is compelled to argue that the farm
er is benefited by paying double prices
for all he buys, because the double
prices enable the mechanic to buy of
him. You don't want any better point
to debate to the farmer than this, for
the argument cuts backward worse
than it does forward. If it is so es-
sential that the farmer should pay such
high prices for all he buys, that the
mechanic may be able to return small
modicum of the money for his wheat,
corn and pork, then why, on the other
hand, should not the mechanic strive
for the prosperity of the farmer, that
the farmer may be able to build a COM
Portable house and furnish it decently
with the mechanics labor? Why not
turn the hume market argument end
for end and show it the other way?
Give the farmer chance TO get on his
feet.
1.-THE mechanics say there is 'over-
| production because they are too short
| sighted to see beyond some piles of I'M
sold goods. But that is nonsense, for
everything they make is urgently
| needed. Go through the whole West
| and see how poor the houses of the
average farmer are. and how poorly
and scantily and cheaplv they are furn-
| ished. The demand is there. You can
go and see it. If every Western FARM
er would send you list of the manu-
featured articles he really needs and
would be glad to buy if he could, the
present generation of mechanics could
HUI supply tudt uttudJu. LIVERY Seu-
sible merchant knows that every re-
duction in price widens and expands
the market, and that every advance
narrows and contracts it and checks
consumption. Yet mechanics insist on
screwing prices up to the last possible
notch, and then they complain that
some of them are not employed. They
can't see that their boss is not their
employer at all, but only a broker, and
that the public is the real employer.
The entire West is heavily mortgaged.
Nearly three hundred million dollars
go for the interest alone, annually. If
the mechanical minority would let the
farmer get on his feet and let him have
a chance to get clear of part of this
load, then the farmer would be GUS
toner worth having. Where does this
three hundred million a year 60? Most
ly to capitalists and to banks. Where
would it 60 if the load were removed?
Why, to the mechanics, of course!
Where else could it 60?
"7he first thing to provide sUork for
the mechanic is to provide n class able
to buy his manufactures, and tn insure
for him the permanent prosperity of
that customer class. Then, and not
till then. is the prosperity of the me-
chanic thoroughly insured"