The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1890-04-04
THE FARMERS CONDITION

AhiA -AEe.i Ria - SOND1IbON.I |
we present herewith two views of |
the absorbing political topic of the
day-the condition of tile agricultural
Interests and the relation of the tariff !
aud legislation thereto which Will
prove mighty interesting reading at
THIS time. The first is from an emf
nent democratic paper, and the other
from an equally prominent republican !
jaurnal
TIE DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
New York Sun: "Grangerism Again.
The presidents OF various county
branches of the Farmers Alliance in
Kansas held a meeting at Topeka on
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
Ihey passed queer set OF resolutions;
some OF them are worth looking over
as specimen of the notions of IL
nance, taxation, and the province of
government which are entertained 10y
great number of men in Kansas and
in many parts OF the West and
Southwest.
Here is a pretty fine programme!
| AdSoC JAullodo luSlEly GSk
| for the passage of laws which will en-
for an Investigation with the purpose
of attacking the public credit, as they
seek to attack the pri, ate; for the alb
solute control of railroad rropsr rty by
the state, and therefore practically its
conliscation; and for the creation of
nontaXable class composed, in the
main, of themselves. The constitution
will have to be altered before their de-
sire for legislation impairing the OBJ
legation of contracts and for the cleo
tion of senators by the people can be
complied with; but they don't bother
themselves about the constitution.
Times are hard with them, and appar-
emily they hope to improve their con-
dition by attacking the rights and the
property of others.
One sensible resolution was passed
at this meeting. 1t was resolution
providing "for the better education of
the members of this order" But as
this education is to be obtained
through lecture bureau composed of
men holding the same extraordinary
opinions rs are put forth in the reso-
lutions we haye quoted, the Kansas
Farmers Alliance is not likely to prof
it by better education at present.
TO investors and all conservative
persons the revival OF Grangerism in
the west is matter for serious thought
TIE REPUBLICAN VIEW.
New York Press: "FacJs for far.
mers." The current number of tne
American Dairyman takes up the ques
tion OF agricultural depression, and
offers six remedies for II. One of these
is the admission OF manufactured pro
} ducts free OF duty; another, the admls
sion of manufacturers raw material
free; a third, the advancement of oui
shipping interests by admitting ship
builders materials Tree, and forth
the restriction of immigration.
There is not product of the farm
says the Dalryman, but what the sur
D plus over and above home consump
e tion has to be sold in the open market
of the world where there is no tariil 7,
protect their product, and everything
), the farmer buys, ii an imported article
t is taxed to death with heavy lmpor
duty, and, if of home manufacture, /
equally taxed from the fact that tn
manufactures of these home product
! put every dollar that they possibly cal
: into the price of the same, as the
q know that no foreigner can come il
= to compete with them
"Eyerything the farmer buys j
taxed to death is an assertion tina
price lists OF American and Englis
g markets and the American tariff lis
It show to be not warranted by the fact
q The higher the duty, or the greater tn
y alleged tax, the greater the domesti
l. production and the cheaper the article
l. In further proof of this The Press ma
i printed from time to time the annus
n statistics of the imports CT Canada
:. showing that that country buys 81 pc
IS cent. of its brass goods, so per cen
of its copper goods, 81 per cent. of il
cordaga, IS per cent. of Its gingham
,e So per cent. of its glass. 50 per cent. @
# it's rubber, 81 per cent. of its carpet
. 92 per cent. of its manufactures o
II wood, 81 per cent. of its tinWare, an
h all of its binding attachments, graf
10 drills, hay, straw and spading fork
ie harrows, harvesters, moving machine
- rakes and reapers, 81 per cent. of i
l. hoes, % per cent, Of its scythes and
" per cent. of It's spades and shove
H. from the United States. These figure
show that protection has made ever
thing that the farmer buys cheap
n than it would be III the Amerlce
ID sources of supply had not been deve
H. oped bv protection.
e. Nor does the Dairyman tell US no
n. the American farmer could compe
n. successfully in foreign markets wi
ey the ten-ceuLs-a-day labor of India
ey wheat regions. That cheap labor al
.ss the impossibility of competing With
We would tell the farmer, if his own col
mon sense did not, that it was til
,,+ for him to study the question of {
- versifying his crops. What new Gro
'se could he raise instead of the old on
his of which there was a surplus for {
its port which foreign markets did i
want2 Why, here are crops whi
home markets do want as their Ii
materials Crops like flax hemp, in
'rs sugar beets. special breeds of VIC
De- specia, varieties of cotton; and t
of American Dairyman crying
-; free raw materials so that the farm
'iF won't be able to raise them. The m
'an ufacturer who gets raw materials {
Ian stand free trade in products bet
L> F.,rr hnf hn 90,