The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-05-07

tho only course pOssiblo u enlightened stntos-
manship Is TO assure tho iarInpr adequate pro;
the production of larger proportion OF tho
articles which wo now import.
These may bo summarized as follows, tho
figures given being for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1889, and the values thOB5 AT The ports
OF export:
SUGAR and mola 500, 3Ol ,S0f
Animals and tneir products. except
Fibers animal aud vegetable ....... 0,453, 0jj
Miscellaneous, including broadstnhs,
fruit, hay hops. oils, rice, seed, to-
bacco, ytgetablss Ninos, etc. $500. II 25i, 800
For obvious reasons omit any reference hero
10 the S9O,O0),OO) expended foe tea, CO Tee and
nous sum OF ;-26, 3.7SS imports of agricultural
products. the far greater part OF which, amount
ing probably % $40 OO,OJO or 2jO,OOJODO could,
with proper encouragement be produced on our
own soil. The establi shment OF Our agricultural
experiment stations the energetic research by
the Department of Agriculture into the differ
ent sections of this country; Investigation OF
their soils and climate AMI ths application. in
gene raj of scientific principles TO agricult ure,
all combining, mike This assurance doubly sure,
provided always that this diversihcation be en-
coumged and 70 stered by the application OF the
principle of production TO the development OF
new industIi g on the farm. IL Is simply the
extension 10 our agriculture OF the protection
so benefcaly extended in the past 10 our
manufacturing Industries. In the days when
the farmers wore prOsptrous, when good crops
were accompanied with high rices and the
the farmers. 10 man. stood by ths principle OF
protection urged on behalf OF the man ufactur-
ers, who, burdened then with the heavy load
OF taxation imposed upon them by the civil
war, were threa eaed With grave disaster in the
face of European competition. Now, fn tho
face OF the severe comDeJitiOn which to-day
confronts the farmer in foreign markets, duty,
fairness. and in the long run sell interest de-
mand that should afford him the benefits of
home market foi all That he may he able TO
produce on our own soil. This includes all the
sugar and mOlasses all animal products, wool,
silk. flax, and other fbers, all our breadstuffs,
fruits, hay hops, rice. tobacco, vegetables, aud
wines, but many of these things Will never, can
never, be produced on American soil in competi-
tion with the labor OF European mines. espe-
cially when, ns in the of sugar he indu stry
abroad has been helped by liberal Government
bounties. 1t is worth while noting that the
price per pound Of the great bulk OF the sugar
imp Drted was, Mt the point OF shipment, 2.9l
cents. IL should be borne in mind that, while
we estimate in our sta iStics the value OF inn
ports ut the price in the foreign port OF ship
ment the value II the export i, on the other
hand, estiinn ed ut the price at the port OF ship
nlent in our country, so that 20 the former must
be added transpor tation commissions, eX-
change, and dealers profits, which, without tho
duty, would add fully p 10 30 per cent. more TO
arrive at it's value at the point OF consumption /;
this would bring up the cost TO tho consumer OF
cur agricultural imports to nearly 500 90 900,
or estimating solely such ms could be, with
proper encOurag 'ment, grown on our own soil,
we nave n value OF not much lass than $3.50. OJJ,-
900 rs the possible reward OF diversified agricul-
ture, n sum almost equal To our agricultural
exports estimated Mt farmers prices-that Is,
less cost of transpoftati) IN aud commissions or
other shipping charges 10 point OF shipment.
Before leaving this sub lect, glance a. tho
competi. ion Which Dur farmers have hitherto
been compelled 10 meet, even on OR own soil,
will DO found most interesting. OF tho 81
90, 600 or SSt0l0.0 worth OF live animals inn
ported into this country. the greater proportion
were OF ordinarily narke able stccS, rs contre
distinguished from pure-bred stock imported
Tor breeding purposes AM admitted free. or all
other animal products including wool, there Is
not one that can not now, indeed that is not
now, being raised upon our own soil and yet,
including wool and hides the imports OF these
animal products amounted in the year referred
To to over so 900 90; 30 this add 500 10000 for
fruits SS.C0)G0J For barley, over S2,0J0,0OO for
hay AID hops, S}50)OO) for rice. Sll 600 600 for
tobacco, S3,O)OO00 for oils -, 50). 300 worth OF
vegetables, the same of eggs, over million dol
lars worth OF cheese-these represent some of
the Imports, aggregating neahy Sll5,OOOOO),
which, in spite of the prOductiveness OF our own
soil, are brought into this country and sold in
competition with our farmers. The region OF
the United States whore this competition is
doubtless most severely felt is in New Eng
land. the seat of manufacturing enterprises
which owe their existence 10 the fostering care
OF protective tariff laws, and what il the result
1t seems To me that our system of taxation
demands Improvement in certain directions.
The cost OF supporting the Government needs
to be most oqulta Jly adjusted am )ng the differ
ent classes OF our people. At present in many
States the burden OF local taxation presses
heavily upon farm property It's very nature
ton created by the State, and to which special
privileges are granted either by state, county,
or Incorporated villnge or cty'should be taxed
in proportion TO IL earnings. and in all ways the
principle Of taxation should lie 10 place the bur-
den OF maintaining the government, whether
State, municipal or national upon the luXu-
ries and comforts which the wealthy enjoy, and
20 reduce IL TO II minimum in its application to
the hardly earned property of the poor man.
No doubt many more causes could be AS signed
for tho present agricultural depression, still
less is there any doubt but that other and more
efficient remedies than those suggested might
be found may say will be found ID relieve it.
/ have merely tried 20 indicate what seemed To
me the more important causes, aud 10 point out
such remedies as n long and solicitous consid-
Grafton OF tho sitrHtiOn. and. l may add long
familiarity and s. pathy with the hard work
irg frugal class which Is the immediate and
chief sufferer have suggested 10 my mind as
both necessary aud feasible.
/ cauddly confess that my personal SYM
pathies are with the farmers, and thcy must
bear with me 81 offer them an earnest word OF
caution. No possible relief can come To them OF
10 the country. no permanent remedy for pres
ent ills il TO be found in measures which are
rather the outcome OF resentment than the
product of reason. / would say 20 the farmers
stand firm as the everlasting hills in demand
ing what is right, and resisting any possible
infringement on your ri hts as citizens by any
other class combination OF people, but be
ware lest in your just easerness To secure your
own rights, you seek TO infringe upon the right.
If others. No measure that conflicts with the
rights Of any one class OF citizens, but what is
sure 10 follow the course of the boomerang anC
return TO iniure the hand that shaped it. or
the other hand. let IL be borne in mind by al
other classes of our citizens, that the present
conditions demand consideration now aud thai
consideration must be full and fair for the tim,
being IL is paramount to all questions, and i
necessary, every other interest must be pre-
pared To stand a side in favor 81 measures look
ing TO the relief of agricultural depression.
j. NJ. hUsK.