Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-10-15
ss.ry forits support, IL, comforts and its Aappi-

dus,ry forts support, its comforts and its happi-
ness.
necessities of the country required the sacice
the patriotic sentiments OF the American people
might be successfully appealed TO; but. sir, inns
bill presents in all its naked detcrnity, without
the slightest attempt at conceamenf, the true OBJ
ject OF those who framed il and justihes s,tsri-
cion that the motives which prompted II origin
a.ed not in desire to promote the public welfare,
but rather to redeem promise given in moirens
Of political desperation.
Mr.. President the agricultural exports since
1870 have exceeded on everage $500 600 600 an
nually. and you offer the farmer, III exchange
Tor the foreign market which has purchased
and consumed these products, home inaIket.
Has not the home market during these 20 years
been amply supplied. and only the surplus has
sought sale beyond lis iimtss II agricultural
production did not increase, but reHainsc sta
tionary, would il not require over ten million az
ditional population TO consume this surplusf II
the legislation YOU propose to enact tends to re
strict these agricultural exports, will II not fesu.
in oveTstockiug the home market and 10 SUI
further reducing the price OF agricultural pro
ducts?
Sir the increase Of production in this industry
has for many years been in excess OF the increase
IN population. Under these circumstances, now
do you propose TO increase home demand. TO Keep
pace with the increase reproduction? II Is 10 DC
hoped that II Is not your purpose 10 violate tose
wise provisions OF the law which originated III
Democratic House of Representatives, and us
| pdSSdrC lI-lelCQ upon III kCpuDASdu 7~H-e~
| an earnest united Democratic minority, support
ed by the power and influence Of organized laocr,
which prohibits the importation Of la0orers uhuei
contract to work in these industries, and thus 70
increase population; will II be Claimed mat
the simple transfer Of the rural laborer to the M
| ufacturing certeTs will increase the demand LOT
agricultural productions The sitting air o; the
| mandatory, the fctid atmosphere oil me CtONUeu
| tenement house, the price OF wages, when BAL
anced against the cost OF living. will not tend 10
stimulate the appetite or increase the ability OF
this class OF our ueuded population who surrsncer
the purity and conteutinent OF rural lie 10 inc
iaSSnations and temptations which are iounS IN 4
manufacturing city.
This neither increases the demand nor enarges
the population. We have the same mouths TO
| feed, the same backs to ciothe, the same feet 10
be shod, and the same heads to cover. To the
| farmer a home market in this country would
mean loss OF over $500 ooo, 900 annually, ana az
| solute Drostration OF the agricultural INDUSTRY.
and the transfer through mortgage sales OF the
| home Of has family TO the possession OF the Eas'
tern creditor. To the manufacturer the home
market is not delusion, but reality. SO long
As the product of our mills is not equal 70 lhs
consumption by our people OF their pToductoA'
] prchlbitory duties will enable them 10 Tx the
| price OF their commodities and Will continue TO
| increase their accumuations.
Although protection can not benefit in any way
the farmer who Is compelled TO sell his products AZ
the price fixed in the free markets Of distribution
in competition with the priced labor know J
10 any other industry yet he has not complained
tndL OkneT CluLcnS OF III, country ltStlNtN tIiN
benefits which must necessarily result from the
passage OF q tariff bill. the object of which IS 10
| raise sufficient revenue for the economical ad-
ministration of the Government but he does
deny the right OF Congress to discriminate against
his industry, lessenng the va.ue OF his producis
by imposing excessive burdens upon the value OF
his labor done, not for the public welfare but TO
promote the private interests Of individuals or
corporations
In the campaign Of 1858. organized labor repeiied
Ne nreterlel
publican party, and to-day the farmers Of the
country fully realize that the prosperity OF tneir
industry depends aud that the value Of their labor
viii be enhanced BY opening wider the doors OF
commercial Intercourse; by repeating our uuwise
and restrictive navigation laws; By minimizing
the limitations on our international commerce.,
aud by reducing our excessive and prOhibitory
duties They are looking forward with hope to
the hour when American Congress will recog
nize the wisdom and the patriotism Of the sugges-
ton made by the distinguished Secretary Of state
in favor of entering into treaties for the exchange
OF the products aud manufactures Of this country
with those OF the Central aud South American
republics and the Island Of Cuba.
No stronger argument could be addressed TO the
public in favor OF foreign market tor agricultural
products than that penued by the most distin-
guished leader of the Republican party. He fully
realizes the fact that glut in the home marx et
could only be relieved by throwing down the
barriers aud removing the restrictions now para
living ne trade of the country. From party
standp, Mt he showed wise appreciation of the
iniquit..s OF bill that imposes such onerous
burdens upon the farmer, and which does not seei.
TO mitigate its injustice or attempt 10 offer him
any relief He sums up the effect Of the provisions
of the bill under consideration upon the interests
OF the farmer in the following terse but compTe-
heusiVs language:
There is not a section or a line in the entire
bill that will open a market for another bushel oil
wheat or another barrel OF pork"
| Mr. President the statistics o! our Government
furnish the strongest evidence to overthrow the
appeal of the protected industries that home
IN fket which builds up their enormous profits Is
in any way beneficial 10 the agricultural interest
The loss i'll the values OF farms, animals, nipple
| ments aud machinery in the manufacturing States
| of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont. Connecticut,
New York, New Jersey aud PENNSYLVANIA in the
decade between 1870 and 1850 aggregated sSI7 .ooo
600, and as Is shown in the remarks OF that dis
| tipguished Representative from Texas, Mr.. Mills
made during the present session. the loss III value
by reason OF the depreciation in price OF agIicul
| tural products based on the crop of 1850 aggre
gated the enormous sum OF SfS7o,o2oiIs. while
under the influence of high protective tariff that
| furnished TO the manufacturer a home market for
| his products the manufacturing industries Of the
country rapidly developed, and those interested
in them aniassed great wealth.
During the came period the value Of agricultural
products steadily falling; beef fell from 50 a
barrel TO s.; from "a cents per bnshel 10 IS
cents per bushel; -four from $500 per barrel &c
$3.50 per barrel, and wheat from SI.Io per bushel
to IS cents per bushel.
lniS fdll III price OF products mas
not resulted from overproouciion. The wheaic rop
of $50 amounted to lso,45o sos bushels with pop
uiaton contained within the limits OF the home
market Of 90 COO. COO The crop Of 1855 amounted
TO only as sos 600 bushels, while the popu alton
contained within the home market had increased
to O. 600 COO These figures disclose the tact that
although we produced IN 1855 Is OF coo bushels
less than ofd IN 1850, and The demand III the
home market was increased by the addition o.
r. 90 ooo consumers yet the price iell from ST.
10 IS cents per bushel which shows loss 10 the
farmers Of his country Oh the wheat crop Of 1855
OF si35o77Joo.
Mr. President the loss suffered by the farmers
by reason OF tins fall in price OF the single article
Of wheat was not caused by Overproduction. II
resulted fiori the competition IN the markets OF
distribution, and this active competition that has
reduced the price OF brescsiuls in those markets
has been ioslered and stimulated by the unwise
policy Of exclusion of foreign commodities from
the American market. England has been our
heaves, purchaser, the balance OF trade with her
being largely IN our favor. Her statesmen have
watched the growing tendency on the part Of the
Republican party in the interest Of few Of the
citizens OF this county, to frame our revenue laws
with Il view OF excluding the products Of her man
ufacories: and this conviction upon their part has
induced them 10 lend encouragement 10 the de-
vslopment Of the great wheat area Of India, and
TO stimulate the production Of this article by ex-
tending the lines Of transportation further into
that territory
They did not intend TO be dependent for their
breadstufTs upon a country whose avowed policy
il was endeavor TO exclude the products Of other
countries. Through her commercial supremacy
on the seas she has been enabled 10 foster the de-
velopmeut OF agricultural products IN other
nations who are willing trade with her, and the
result Of this policy has been that whereas 1879
the Argentine Republic exported no wheat, i'll
1859 She exported 1000 eco bushels; India in
creased its export from 100000 10 llooo, 600
bushe $ and Russia from IS COO 90 to Iz5 600 900
bushels thus incT- asing the worlds supply in
the markets Of distribution "a COO 600 bushels.
With these facts staring the lace should
not be surprised that our exports % wheat. which
in 1873 amounted 10 1872 s56 bushels in iss, fell
TO s. o7s bushels ana Tie loss 10 the American
farmer on that ngle crop in the foreign market
amounted to the sum OF s54,zS96TI.
The high tariff aud uuwise navigation laws
passed BY Republican Congresses have turned