Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-19

The Home Market Argument for Protec
tlon ln Light OF the Decline IN Farm
Values.
BERKELEY Co, W. VA, March 10.
as Editor nee Register
"You give us q nigh tariff for our pro-
lucts, aad we viii give you home mar
kot Tor yours. " IS che way the advocates OF
Protection approach the farmer Amph-
fed 10 runs thus. Give Us Protection and
this win c5rse manufactures TO spring up,
this In turn VIII increase the population,
and this increased population sgain viii
make o. demand right here at home for the
products OF your farm" This ia the home
market argument with which they appeal
90 the armer. lit means anything, this
erqument means that It, win give added
prosperity 10 bis business. seen IN IN
creased rewards Of his toll In large prices
Tor his produce, 10 constant demand for
/ it. ID the many pressing into his business
Co share Frs profits snd above al In the
increased value oil the Investments which,
Ire q fortunate 5ay, De made iu his lands.
Well, fer thirty gears we have had a
trial of the pehcy OF which this home
market argument is q corner stone, ard
what is tte resulis The cry Of distress
chat from en- over the land is heard CON-
ing up from the farming interests reveals
TO Continued depression, prices ruling
low year after year, the patient, hard
worked tillers of the soil getting more and
more in debt, landholders compelled to
seli ard become tenants or move away and
seek cheaper homes, tenants becoming
hleliugs. young men leaving the farm and
docking to the c.ties-the honorable and
i-teDeute1t vocation OF their fathers hav-
irr become less 6esirable than an under
f-L's place In g store or shop or ttficc,
f,rns over extended regions Of country
$50 might almost say whole States, lying
|uuler mortgage, the brave farmers lighting
+ lima losing battle, hoping by pawning their
|rh.rr.d acres TO weather it out hu
char tor Die better shall come, values OF
aru- declining tin in every quarter Of the
I ari oUrers cannot ge, by third OF q
Hslf what they would have brought IN
/ 1850.
Such the state of things in our great
| agricultural industry to day. Who dares
/ denviie But where IS the home market
argument for Protection in the light oil
/ these 'hiugs? Tie statements first made
are not ove5drswn. Just be Other DAY
0z .iticn from the farmers OF NebrasSa,
I heavily signed, went up 10 the United
/ States Senate reciting their distressed cor
iitiOu This Young commonwealth, one
lot the mos. prosperous OF The great grain
growing States OF the Northwest, her pros
|psrors agriculture alleged 10 be running
|tllt io the East by competition, with a
fertile SOIL s0.uhuOus climate and brave
|uacp.e. vet Tire statement Is thst at tie
lowest estimate her farms are mortgag'd at
$3.50 100000 But where is the home
market argument as seen by the light OF
toe condition OF this young State? The
'Cg.c Cd. tlls question rs irresistible. Its
eouc.vs on needs NOT Go be stated in order
to be- seen. Moreover this method of look
lluE al tcI thing b that which is used by
.Ne lFocaits of Protection themselves; itl
logic ls borrowed from thcm They at,
constantly appealing 20 the effects OF their
policy. alleging the bad effects OF a Low
Carl 10 our history, and pointing to The
rosp-r,y attending Protection, and boast
ioe oi 20 a- seen to-day in the land Very
SELL tie farmer cen well ask where ia hi:
srafe ot ilis prosperity BY the operation
o.. tls policy immense fortunes, reachicg
|l0'o millions Of dollars, have in the last
ten OF twenty years been made by men
who. sterling from nothing have stuck tC
o. given line of industry protected by It,
But where is the farmer who, starting iron
nothing has IN these years bscome a
millionaire by sticking to bis business
raising wheat and corn.
What is this home market argument
|cosirg the farmer Competent author
ties estimate il az $3.50, OOO,OOO annual Z
1.-The upwards Of $500, coo, 600 year VINCE
Igocs into the Treasury is but a fragmen
To-. the cost Of the Tariff system. ina
Isum is only the revenue. But our tant
is not q tarin for revenue; it is for Protec
Itcn This it's advocates Tersistent'y pro
Iclam. They scout the idea OF "a tariu 10
revenue SO that this 5000, GOO, goo an'
Imora a yesr is only Incidental 1t Is no
/ what they are after. Their object ls u
give g better profit to our protected indus
tries In attaining this end the estimate
that for every dollar that goes into th'
/ Treasury So goes to tlSss who are pro
tectsd by the tariff can be seen to be ress
enable. He-ce the estimate that PrOtee
ton costs this country 81, 600, 600, GOO anC
more a year. This Is the increased cost o
the uscessaries of life TO the people A
our agricultural population by the las
census coustitufss "A per ceut. Of the PEG
'p,e 10 is readi seen how 1t is that tn
farmers sha lbis sum is the ALLEGED
$3.50 eco ID - Of that Aud from
K.RUa.-.vw