Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-06-06
Why Farmers Should be for Tariff
Reform.
EDITOR STANDARD:

EDITOR STANDARD:
The Oegonian every now and then
tries to instill into the minds of the
farmers the principles of protection,
and tells them that it is to their in
terest, and to the interest of the ma
ton, that they should favor protection.
So far as we are concerned, we never
could comprehend how or why any
intelligent farmer could favor that
system OF protection which compels
him to pay an average of Al per cent.
tax on nearly everything he buys,
while the price Of everything he sells
is made in the great free trade markets
of the world; and after reading those
monopolistic editorials, we were as
much in the dark as ever.
Let us see just how the present sys-
tenn of protection effects the farmer.
He rises in the morning and puts on
his flannel shirt taxed 65 per cent,
his pants taxed 81 per cent, his vest
taxed 40 per cent, his coat taxed 81
per cent, and his shoes taxed 35 per
cent. He washes his face in bucket
taxed 80 per cent with soap taxed 20
per cent, and dries it on a towel taxed
40 per cent, puts coal taxed 15 per
cent. into stove taxed 4S per cent,
eats his breakfast from plate taxed
80 per cent, off a tablecloth taxed AZ
per cent, with knife and fork taxed
80 per cent, and sweetens his coffee
with sugar taxed 50 per cent, and
seasons his rice taxed 113 per cent,
with salt taxed 40 per cent.
Breakfast over, he puts on his over
coat taxed GO per cent, his hat taxed
90 per cent, goes out on his farm
mortgaged to the extent of so per
cent, OF its value, and sows wheat that
he must sell at prices made in Liver
pool, England, in competition with
wheat raised on cheap land by the
cheapest labor in the world.
The farmers wife rises in the morn
ing, puts on skirt taxed AZ per cent,
woolen dress taxed 65 per cent,
stockings taxed 40 per cent. and shoes
taxed 35 per cent. After breakfast
she cuts a dress out of cloth taxed 60
per cent, with scissors taxed 45 per
cent, and makes it on a sewing ma
chine taxed As per cent, with thread
taxed GO per cent and needle taxed
% per cent, lines it with goods taxed
81 per cent, and trims it with buttons
taxed 25 per cent, and braid taxed 70
per cent.
When night comes the farmer takes
his horse from the plow taxed AZ per
cent, takes off the harness taxed 80
per cent, puts him in barn built of
lumber taxed 81 per l 900 feet, covered
with shingles taxed II per cent, put
OH with nails taxed 43 per cent, feeds
his hogs and cattle, each worth 2
cents, with corn worth only 20 cents q
bushel under a Republican admins
tration; then goes to the house eats
his supper. then picks up the O,ego-
mian, printed ON paper taxed 20 per
cent, from type taxed 25 per cent, and
reads "Why Farmers should Favor
Protection"
If he is good christian like the
editor Of the Oregonian, he then reads
. chapter from q Bible taxed 20 per
cent, kneels on carpet taxed so per
cent, and thanks God that he is in
favor OF home market, lies down on
bed taxed so cent, draws over him a
sheet taxed AZ per cent. and blankets
taxed lO4 per cent, and dreams of the
beauties of high protective tariff.
Finally, when his race on earth is
run, his life having been shortened by
the hard work necessary to support
his family and pay the interest on the
mortgage, he is gently laid with loving
hands beneath the daises, while his
fate is recorded on a marble tomb
stone taxed so cent.
We don't think the farmers of our
grand and glorious State. named after
the immortal Washington, are in fa-
vor OF any such system of protec-
ton. They are getting their eyes
open, as witness the recent elections
in Ohio and Iowa, and we believe that
in 1892 a large majority of the farmers
OF Washington will be found march
ing in Democratic procession carrying
banners with Tariff Reform" in
scribed upon them, and will cast their
votes for the candidates of the Deme-
cratic party, which has ever been
their best friend and has always Cd.
posed this system Of so-called protec-
ton, which makes the rich richer and
the poor poorer.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE.
REV. s. X. Long, O young Methodist
missionary who has inst returpad IN