Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-26
INST G. THINE, Secretary of State.
ssThe Poor Taxed Farmer

The efforts of the free traders are
now mainly directed towards showing
up how terribly oppressed the farmer
is from theprotectivep policy. Instead
of opening the importing avenues
wider the farmer really should be
more protected than he is. For in
stance, in 1888 the Importation of
agricultural products amounted in
value to over 1913, 100000, and it
was probably no less for 1889. This
large amount of money, under right
tariff conditions, and with a better
foresight on thepart of the American
farmer as to the demands of the mar
ket. would have been secured to him.
This is a matter which will undOubt-
edly receive due attention from the
congressional committee now engaged
in revising the tariff, and so far as
governmental aid can be applied, a
complete remedy will be enacted. The
American Economist has short but
suggestive article touching this SUBJ
ject which we present to the readers
of THE REPUBLICAN:
The American farmer was never be-
fore the object of SO much solicitude
toour observation-disclosures as now. They
find that they cannot cajole the work
ingman whose intelligence tells him
what he owes to protective tariff,
so the arrows Of the free trader are
aimed at the ''poor taxed farmer. J"
And yet we hear of few if any con-
verts. The farmer is not so ignorant
as the tariff smashers think or as
they would haveus think. He knows
that all classes of agricultural nipple
ments are cheaper in this country
than any other part of the world, and
better, too. All kinds of heavy hol-
low-ware, such as stoves, kettles and
the like, are cheaper here than in
Europe. Nails, builders tools, hous e
furnishing, hardware. furniture and
wooden ware are all cheaper here than
there. This has been proven time and
time again, and any one who will take
UllO UIOuDlC " OO1liD Jul P1ASOS
with list from abroad will have to
acknowledge the truth. But it is said
the prices of farm products are con-
stantly falling and the ''poor farmer
cannot get even Il living price for his
corn, wheat and other produce. Adj
hitting that the price of agricultural
products are low, we can affirm as an
offset tha5 the American farmer pays
less per ton per mile in the way OF
freight upon the grain and meat that
he sells and the cloth and plows he
BUYS than does the farmer of any
other country. If the price for corn
and wheat is low let him raise some
thing else. The farmer who adapts
himself to the condition Of affairs is
everywhere prosperous. The farmer,
like everyone else, who does not keep
abreast of the times, is wondering why
protection does not bring him pros
perity. Our farmers have a market
at home practically sufficient to con
sumo all his products. This market
will enlarge as we diversity our indus
tries, and if we keep out everything
that we can raise at home our farmers
will have no complaints to make, fol-
they will have a ready sale at good
prices for all they grow. The 1ntelll-
gent farmer knows this, and with the
passage of the coming tariff bill, which
will more than ever protect the agrl
cultural interests, will come an era Of
prosperity.