The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-01-10
B E L A r, M d.
Friday Morning, January 10, 1890
The Farmer and the Tariff.

The Forum for January has an excellent
article written by ex-Speaker John G.. Car
Isle, in which he exposes many of the fala-
cies of protection which led so many farmers
to vote against their own interests in the last
Presidential election. Mr.. Carlisle shows
that the protective system cannot possibly
increase the price of articles the farmer has
to SELL The products of agriculture consti-
tute from rs to 80 per cent of our exports,
and being produced in greater quantities than
we can consume, are sold abroad.
The farmer was told that he ought to fav-
or protective tariff, in order to secure
"home market" for his wheat, corn, oats,
cotton, tobacco, beef and pork. Mr. Carlisle
asserts that the importance of the population
employed in protected industries as purchas-
ers and consumers of the farmers products
has been greatly exaggerated, and is merely
device to catch the farmer vote. These pro-
tected labortrs, Mr.. Carlisle shows, only con-
sumed per cent. of the value of our agricul-
tural productions, according to the census of
1880, and less than 10 per cent. of the value
of such products exported and sold abroad
that year.
While protection cannot increase the
price of our domestic agricultural pro-
ducts, says Mr.. Carlisle, it largely increases
the prices of great part OF the manufactur-
ed articles the farmer has to buy and use
When the price of commodity is SO low here
that our manufacturers cannot probably
INN demand
the imposition of duty, or an increase of
duty if one already exists, in order that the
the consumer may be compelled by law to
pay them such bonus upon their invest
ment as will enable them to commence or
continue the business. For instance, there
are no tin or terne plates made in this coun-
try, but we import all we use, although they
are subject to duty or tax of $22 40 per ton.
Notwithstanding this duty our manufactur-
ers say they cannot afford to produce that
clsss of goods. They are, therefore, demand
ing that the duty shall be more than doubled,
because they know that this would so in
crease the prices here as to enable them to
manufacture the article and realize profit
at the expense of the farmer and other con-
sumers of their products.
Mr.. Carlisle says it would not be difficult to
show. by reports of markets here and in 9TH
er countries, that farmers are forced to pay
millions of dollars more every year for their
clothing, medicines, paints, glass, salt, earth
enware, agricultural implements, board and
wire fences, barns and other buildings, vag-
ons, harness and other necessaries, than they
would have been required 10 pay if tie duties
had been fixed at reasonable revenue
rate.
Under our system of taxation the farmer,
continues Mr.. Carlisle, is powerless to pro-
tect his interests. He must take what he
can get for what he raises and must pay
whatever is asked for articles he buys, be-
cause they are protected by tariff laws against
the competition of everybody who wants TO
sell them lower. If he attempts to escape
extortion by purchasing in the cheap markets
where he sells his surplus, his own govern
ment arrests him at the custom house and
fines him from 80 to 100 per cent upon the
value of the goods, and this he must pay be-
IOT6 u6 Cdu ecIl VI use IuO dIIiSIOo uC HOS
bought with his own labor. What makes
the matter worse, the government does not
need this fine but imposes it upon the i'm
porter and his customers because they are
supposed to be competing with some indi-
vidual or corporation in this country.
1t is not at all likely that any relief will be
afforded the farmer by the present Congress.
The representatives of the protected indus
tries are already clamoring at the doors OF
Congress for higher duties to recompense
them, doubtless, for the money they expend
ed in the elections of 1888 to keep up the pre-
sent Ubiquitous tariff system. If they do not
succeed in getting higher tariff, they may
at least force u subservient Congress to main
tain the present rates. The high tariff is IN
doubleday one of the chief causes of agricul-
tural depression, and until it is reformed on
an equitable basis, with the introduction of
raw materials for our manufacturers free,
there will be little hope of better times for
farmers.