The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1890-09-25

o. MI. blaine. Mr.. Mckinley, is nis &C.
port, confesses that agriculture is great
ly depressed, after quarter of CEN
tury of high protection. His theory and
the theory of the bill is not to aid the
farmer by opening new, or enlarging old
markets, but by increasing the cost OF
every thing the farmer must buy.
We have been told ten thousand times
by the Republican leaders that the high
est tariff duties we have had in our whoie
history have enabled us to accumulate
wealth with rapidity without prece-
dent in the history of the world. We
have been assured that in this wonder
full prosperity farmers have been full
If that has been true, tho
great increase in tariff taxes proposed
by the Mckinley bill would not be so
wholly uniustifiable. But what are the
facts? Since 1876 we have had no sub
stantial changes in the tax laws Of Ohio.
All property is to be valued at its true
value in money. This includes farm
lands. The value of lands is ascertain
ed by the personal examination of off,
GERS, usually men of the highest char
acter. We have had that done every ten
years for forty years. Now let US see.
when tested by the valuations placed on
our lands, what influence a high or low
tariff has had ON the property Of Ohio
farmers?
Between 1850 and 1860 the lands Of
Ohio, as returned by the appraisers, in
creased from s2GS, 751, 1O2 to S492. 593, 5S7.
This was q period Of the lowest tariff
taxes we have had for seventy-four
years. 1t was an increase of S22a S43, 5s7.
or eighty-four per cent. In 1850 the
lands of the State we're valued for the
purpose OF taxation at sos, sa1, ,094. The
increase in twenty years of high protec'
ton was s213, 227,9l7, or s12,615, $40 less
than it was under the ten previous years
of low tariff; or an increase of only
forty-three per cent In twenty years OF
high, as against an increase of eighty
four per cent in ten years Of low tariff.
But how has it been during the last ten
years? Are lands advancing In value In
Ohio? If high protective tariff is bene-
fetal to farmers, surely IL should be seen
in the increased value of their property.
But what arc the facts? We have this
year made q reappraisment Of the lands
Of Ohio. Sworn appraisers have done
this. Some of them were Republicans
and some of them were Democrats. /
believe tho valuation is as high in pro-
portion to salable values as any ap-
praisment ever made in the State. The
returns have not yet been fully
published, but the lands OF
Clinton County have decreased
in value s1.50o, 900; Green Coun'
ty, 81, s57, 900; Clarke. 81, 400. 900; Fay
ette, $3.50, 600; Ross. $1,900,00 The
decrease of the value Of lands in this
district alone during the past ten years
has been more than $1,000, 600, and the
decrease is found in evory township.
But this Is not exceptional. The
decrease in Warren County is s., 275, 600;
in Butler, ss.O6O,OO0; Franklin, 81, 1oo.-
900; Crawford, Sl96. 900; Delaware, s.
$50. 900; Knox. $l.09o,0t0; Morrow, Sa'
a07, 900; Hancock, notwithstanding its
oil and gas and the wonderful growth OF
the city of Findlay. $500, 1000; Richland,
81. O41, O00 Such reports as these ere
coming to us from every direction. The
cold, hard, cruel fact is, that the farms
of Ohio are worth less, and the farmers
of Ohio are poorer than they
were ton years ago by about
one hundred and fifty million
dollars! They have wasted, and worse
than wasted. so far as any increase Of
property is concerned, ten long, weary
years of life. and of toll, and Of trouble
Our tariff taxes have excited retail
atory legislation in France, Germany,
Austria and Italy, which has absolutely
deprived us of market for our pork and
lard throughout about half Of Europe.
1t has closed the markets of nearly hall
the civilized world against one of oul
most important products. Retaliatory
legislation has restricted and lessened
our exports of agricultural products te
Canada. Our high tariff has not only
not opened to US a market for our pro
duce, but it has driven us out of the best
markets of the world. 1t has made il
necessary for farmers to sell theil
products for far less, and has compelled
them to give far more for what they
buy. Is it any wonder that this has re-
suited in q condition Of gradual but Ger
tain impoverishment? Major Mckinley
proposes to remedy the difficulty by CIV
ing US a more heroic dose of tariff poison
But the Mckinley bill, which excites
such intense admiration in the minds o.
our Republican friends, not only raise!
the tariff duties. but it agrees to tax 20,
and me to give bonus OF millions o
dollars to the sugar growers OF Louisi
ana. The proposition is to pay to sugal
growers enormous sums OF money wrunE
BY the tariff taxes from growers OF corr
and wheat and pork.
Gentlemen: / am directly opposed Il
this whole scheme from beginning II
end-from top to bottom. More thar
twenty-one years ago reported reso
luton to . Republican Convention II
Clinton County that was unanimously
adopted, which contained the words
1--WE heartily favor revision OF the
present oppressive tariff so as to adjus
it to a purely revenue standard" l ON
in favor of doing that now. know O
no higher purpose for which governmen
is instituted among men than that o
securing to each man the full, peaceabl'
enjoyment Of the products of his owl
toll know of no more wicked perver
sion of the powers of government thai
by legislating to take the money on'
man earns by his toll and give it to an
other man, who has not earned 1t, to adj
to his business profits. That is the pur
pose and that will be the effect Of tn
Mckinley bill.
know that many of our retreatinl
Republican friends, led by the ables
and most audacious of them all, (excep
Mr.. Speaker Reed), arc trying to fint
refuge from aroused public indignation
under the shelter Of reciprocity"
too, am for reciprocity, but for reciproc
| ity in its large and broad, not In 1t
| narrow and contracted sense. woul'
open to our commerce all the markets o
the world. would invite France, Ger
many, Austria and Italy to allow us t.
export to their markets our wheat ant
corn, our pork and beef, or whatever w
grow or make, subject only to revenu
| tax. and would impose no other sort
tax on any thing they grow or max
! OF mine.
bal;ovo with Mr. R1aine that "Ou