Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-01-08
A BRIGHT OUTLOOK.

A BRIGHT OUTLOOK.
The republican newspapers of Kan
sas, and their correspondents, are fast
getting into line ON the subject of tariff
reform, for they are now acknowledging
that something is wrongI" The more
Independent and sensible of these pa
pers acknowledge what that something
is 1t is the robber tariff. With corn
selling at 12i cents a bushel; with
wheat bringing but 40 cents fat cattle
but 81 per hundred; hogs but $3.50;
horses low; mules low; everything the
farmer sells.at the very bottom, and the
things he must buy very high-with
such condition of affairs, of course
there is something wrong. Though
the protected establishments of the
east have everything they have deman-
ded i'll the way Of protection, they are
not employing as many men as they did
two years ago. Though the price of
meat and bread is much cheaper, their
men are not paid as good wages, and
consequently they can buy no more of
the products of western farms than
they did.
just now, when the farmers of Kan
sas are burning corn for fuel, they can
not see that protection has done them
any good. While the holder of the
mortgage on the farm is reading it over
BY his private electric light, the farmer
is reading over, by the light of burning
corn, coupon he paid last year, and is
wondering how he will ever pay off the
next coupon.
just now, when they are selling wheat
at 40 cents, and looking over their pa
pers to find when the next payment is
due on their twine binders, they are
wondering what the trust will charge
them for binding Irvine next year.
Just now, when they are calculating
on buying stirring plows to put in an
other crop of 13-cent oats and I2-cent
corn, they are wondering how the man
ufacturers of these plows can contrib
ute thousands of dollars to campaign
funds, for the maintenance of the great
and glorious protective system.
just now, when they have to pay an
average OF All per cent. more for every
article they purchase from their mer-
chant than they would if this were not
protected" country, the Kansas far
mer loads up the corn from another
acre of his mortgaged land, hauls it to
town, and trades it for very common
pair of half-cotton blankets, valued at
IS, half Of which is for protection"
Just now, when the Barber county
farmer pays direct taxes equal to 5 per
cent. on everything he owns, indirect
taxes equal to All per cent. on every
thing he has to eat, wear or use, and 10
per cent. interest on his farm mortgage,
and when he can't sell anything he has
raised for more than half of what he
knows it IS worth, he is excusable if he,
too, says something is wrong"
But there is consolation for the Kan
sas farmer; there is balm for the op-
pressed of Barber county: The state
gave $1,000 majority for Harrison; In
gals will be reelected, and he can have
4 big row with Voorhees,, Vest, or some
other democrat; Barber county is Off
cered exclusively by republicans; coun-
ty orders are worth So cents, and taxes
are but per cent; the county does not
have to endure but four months of dis
trict court a year; 'prohibltionists have
their prohibition, and whisky men have
their whisky" In the language of Mr..
ingalls,; the old soldiers are getting
everything they want except the offices
and their pensions, and everything is
lovely.
So what is the need of farmers alli-
ances, or tariff reform clubs, or oranges,
or knights of labor lodges, or kickers of
my kind?
The republicans are in the saddle,
and they are running county, state and
nation. Everybody should be happy.
whether they are or not.
Hurrah for Harrison, protection, pro-
hlbition, and these glorious, good and
prosperous times!