Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-05-07
FARMERS and WACE-EARNERS.
How High Protective Tariff Is Eating
iUp the Farmers.
SPEECH
HON. DANIEL w. VOORHEES,.
of Indiana.
In the Senate of the United States,
Wednesday, March 10, 1890.


In the Senate of the United States,
Wednesday, March 19, 1890.
The resolution submitted by Mr.. VooR
HEEs OF the 18th of March was read, as fol
fows =
whereas the deep and Widespread depression
and decay OF the agricultural interests o
| the American people, the enormous snt
| appalling amount of mortgage indebted
ness on agricultural lands, the tota
failure of home markets to furnish remu
nerative prices for farm products. the
palpable scarcity and insufficiency cs none,
in circulation in the hands OF the people pc VII,
and effect exchanges of property and labor a
| fair rates, are circumstances of the most over
whelming importance to the safety and tn'
we'll being of the Government Therefore,
Be it resolUed. That 1t is the highest duty o
Congress in the present crisis TO lay ASIDE al
discussion and consideration of mere party 1s
sues and to give prompt and immediate atten
tion to the preparation and adoption OF sucf
farmers and other Overtaxed and underpalC
laborers of the United States.
Following is the third part aud con.
tinuation of Senator Voorhees, speech, the
publication of which was commenced in the
SPECTATOR of the 23rd of April j
Sir, New England is the home of high
protection; the busy brains of her people
have been engaged from the beginning OF
the Govern ept in devising tariff duties
for other people to pay to the manufactur-
ing classes, and she has placed her privi-
legged few at the head of the money OF this
country, if not of the world. But like the
boomerang as weapon of war, New Eng
lands high protective-tarif policy is at last
returning against her own bosom, and car
ryine widespread destruction to her farmers
in their homes, in their lands, and in every
thing they possess. We are informed by
Bradstreet's reliable journal, in an article
on statistics, ssthat depopulation in rural
New England is something to create
wonder. Recent Investigations by the
State authorities of Vermont, New Hamp-
shire, and Massachusetts, show that an
alarming number of farms in fair condition
and once owed by thrifty farmers are
abandoned entirely and turned over to the
brambe and the thistle, untenanted and
unrentable."
And, again, we find the following care
full and amazing statement recently mace
public in the press of the country -
The movement to recolonize Vermont and
New Hampshire with Scandinavian imml-
grants has brought out some signficant TIA iacts :
States. From the State commissioner of agr1
culture and manufacturing interests II is
of occupation, In the town OF Reading, Wind
sor County, Vermont, 1000 acres OF lands
which are now or have been In former times
good farms are offered for sale. One-half OF
these says the commissioner, are lands which
formerly comprised good farms. but with
buildings now gone, and fast growing up VIII
age, and on other portions the fences are not
kept up, leaving old cellar holes and miles OF
stone walls to testify to a former civilization.
Sneh lands can be purchased at from one TO
two dollars per acre. The commissioner telis
of having heard of one farm of 200 acres. with
fair buildings and good soil. In the township OF
Chelsea. Vermont. which can be bought ior
800. In the township of VershiTe. Orange
County, there are from thirty hve TO iorty
farms contiguous nearly so, abandoned or
unoccupied Many Of these farms have 1afr
set of buildings on them, and others could be
made comfortable with small outlay. re-
cent telegram in the papers reported that fit
teen families of Swedish Immigrants had peen
engaged to settle in Vermont.
A gentleman in Jamaica. Windham county,
has compiled list and description of farms in
that town, from which the State Com mmissioner
takes the following examples:
"a farm of 200 acres, fair buildings, GoOd
sugar orchard plenty of wood and timber, has
been one of the best in the town. listed at
"a farm of 1876 acres, good buildings, sugar
orchard. fruit orchard, and in good state of
cultivation listed at 500
A
only one year. with timber enough on the
place 10 pay for it.
"A farm OF p acres, good buildings. vacant
"A farm of 81 acres, good buildings, sugar
and fruit orchards, good farm. listed at
500 ,.,
alton must be sold list ed At $761
"a farm of l55 acres the finest location In the
town; has got TO be sold for what IL VIII
The Vermont commissioner then goes on to
say that In Essex County there are six towns
containing S949I acres of land, on which there
are probably all told not more than fifteen or
twenty families. These are described as good
lands, lands that will make good productive
farms we'll watered. and with timber sufficient
for home consumption, wanting nothing but
the energy, the bone and muscle to clear
them up.
farms, only 8 mites from railroad, can be
bought for S3 to $4 per acre.
"This is only partial report on the unoccu-
pied and abandoned farming lands of Yer
mont. It is known to the commissioner that
there are 5000 acres of such lands In the town
of Wilmington.
"These are startling facts. and what is af-
frmed of Vermont is also true of New Hamp-
shire and other New England states. Exten-
sive tracts of land, once dotted with farm
houses, are now covered with young forest
trees and brambles.
'.The only explanation offered by the Yer
mont commissioner is that. OF the people who
once occupied these farms, some have died.
others have gone West and to the cities. and
|
In still another account of agricultural
decay and desolation in New England find
the following melancholy facts and Fl cures !:
Vermont ia bed off. and New Hampshire is
no better The last Legi stature of New HaElp-
shire appointed MIR. Bachelor TO devise
means by which the farming interests might
cultivated. He sent out letters, and the re-
plies are said to be startling In the town CT
Jackson alone thirty farms have been deserted,
while In Bath there are 10000 deserted acres
| And SO in fifteen other towns there are from
| one to thirty deserted farms while In fourteen
others there are in all 2lOOO vacant acres with
tumble down buildings, and this is said to be
| only the beginning of the list which promises,
| on the basis of what has already come in, 70
| be q revelation. Tie Boston Globe says fhe
condition Of The other Northern New England
States is similar
| From New York and Pennsylvania sad
stories also come of the manufacturer eating
up the farmer. In fact. the tlller OF the SOIL is
| being ruined by system which creates an
order of plutocrats, fosters naonopolies. ana
begets all devouring trusts.
Sir, in the face of these appalling facts
and cruel figures of ruin to the farmers o1
| New England, as we'll as to the farmers OF
the Middle States and of the Mississippi
Valley, who will now confront the country
and eulogize the workings and the results
OF system of tariff protection which, after
continuous trial of twenty eight years,
has accomplished nothing save the concen
| tration, the AMUSEMENT OF enormous wealth
in few protected and privileged hands,
depriving the people of sufficient amount
of currency in circulation, impoverishing
and enslavipg wage-laborers, and inflcting
upon farmers such a condition of financial
wretchedness as to fill their hearts with
bitterness and resentment against the Law.
making power of the Government?