Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-29
rnH TARIFF AND TIA e rAnmHs.

Tbo Condition OF the Agricultural
DIass-EcononiicD Discussion Among
tlie Fnrmors-Ffrcct OF the TariIf
0n the Farmers = Comparative
Prices Declining social Dignity
The Exodus from the Farm.
Last summer many Of the papers
throughout the country, among them
the GAZETTE printed, at the request
of the Reform Club OF New York City. a
lNries OF seven questions relating to the
condition OF the farmer, and to the effect
vt the tariff upon that condition. Many
hundreds OF answers were received
mostly from farmers themselves.
From these answers 1t appears very
dearly that the farmers are far from
being rs prosperous as in times past.
Ovei 400 out Of the 505 testify, with q
greater or less degree of emphasis, to
this fact. "Not by long shot, !" almost
hll In debt" "they go in debt for their
machinery" "bai condition financially,
,nosally and socially" ''les prosperous
than evor before" degeneration, .'de.
aidedly no." formerly they could buy
land and make it pay for itself, they can
not do 40 now" "worst condition they
have been in for so years." mot one in
W, is as prosperous as formerly" ina
Icrity complaining" s'nore discourage
lnent than for 80 years." mot prosperous
NJ happy" mot nearly so prosperous az
during the later sixties and early seven
ties" Qhis from believer in protection)
EARNS and crops are mortgaged, they
0te deeply In debt, and many OF them
liDve given up the struggle" ''can
Bearcely make enough to carry him from
hop to CROP" mot SO many landowners
Ne 10 years ago." "barely make liv-
lag" mot by devil OF sight" mot
ltv about AZ per cent" lin debt and no
lsow to get out" "12 months behind In
itore and blacksmith bills" Such is tine
tone OF the answers received.
Those who say that the farmer is as
prosperous as he has ever been constitute
Il very small minority of the whole num-
b0r, as some do not answer the question
at oil, others answer it with many reser.
vstions, and In some cases the answers
ARE 30 doubtful that they could be
counted M fairly on one side as the
other. 1t is significant that some 80 Of
those who are ranged on the side of pros
perity believe that the tariff has had O
tad effect
THIS widespread dissatisfaction has, a,
might have been expected, aroused a
lively interest in economic discussion.
There is substantial agreement among
farmers generally that there is something
wrong. They want to know what it is
The natural conditions are all favorable
30 the trouble must be On ARTIFICIAL
Eaan. made one. Ia tbs discussion many
reasons for the great depression OF the
agricultural GLASS appear. Probably The
most popular one is that the fsrmel
in compelled to sell at low
price and buy OF high ono
OF course that means ruin. There il
much complaint about our financial sys
TEN which il "all in the interest OF tn
capitalists" Upon the trusts Is thrown
large measure Of the blame. 1t is said
thai all olesses are organized for the op
preston of the farmer, VINO allows othe
people to make both his buying and sell
ing price. Some attribute the trouble h
the rapid depreciation Of the land muci
of which was bought at very high prices
Nor 10 the tariff forgotten. There are bu
rs out of the whole number who stat
positively that the tariff has had bene
tlcial effect upon the farmer. With thes
the 'home market argument" is thu
favorite one. The great majority thinl
that the effect of the tariff has been ruin
Gus. 1t Ia they say the cause OF the high
price paid for commodities and the loy
price paid for produces; it restricts tb
farmers market; It coIapels him to hu,
in protected market and TO sell in q fire.
ira ie market; it provokes retaliation Of
the part of other nations; it builds n
trusts aud monopolies; 1t makes tn
farmer protect other folks and leaves hin
unprotected; it's effect is "bad," ruin
Gus, fatal, ''demorslizing, "psralyz
ipg;" it is q "curse," burden"
''deadener," robbery" it ''rsise
HE'LL" and it "impoverishes the farmer
Between this very small and this yer
large class, there is class Of doubtful
men, most Of whom evidently lean to th
tariff reform side, aud nearly all @
whom are at least Indifferent TO protec
tion. Some OF them don't know
others say, ''littlo effect" mo effect,
"quession unimportsnt'; still others ba
anoe things, aud give timid judgment
now on one side, now on the other.
The preponderant opinion ia that
bushel Of wheat or q barrel OF corn wi
not buy az many necessaries of life es
years ago. There is great ponitivene,
on both sides of this question. 1t
certain that wheat and corn have recent
bsen very low. Many OF the necessari'
OF life which tho farmer buys have falIe
in price very materially within 80 yea
that is certain, too. Bat the faTmt
has TO have more. Things whicn wei
once luIusies are neeessaries new. Agaii
it is claimed that so large proportion
the proceeds OF q trade go to commissiC
men and mid6lemen and railroads tn
there ia little left for the farmer. III
quality Of the articles purchased is We,
inferior, and so, quality for qusiity, the
are really dearer than 80 years ago. TV
suit9 of shoddy clothes year at SO
$40 suit are not as ohosp as q got
woolen suit costing $25 to $50 The
is great complaint about the high pri
of sugar. What specially pinohes
that bushel of wheat will not "psy
much debt and taxes" rs it would
years ago. From some cause Il
farmer is running behind, aud 8
as 800 OF them vote, he h
''lost social dignity as compared wi
merchants aud mechanics" And he b
lost dignity because no ia running behii
-saoh is the verdict. knowing Rll the
sbings-that tine farmer IS barely MAXI
living, that he is being taxed TO suppc
other industries, that he always gets Il
bad end OF trade, and that he Is 1851
''sociGl dignity" as compared with y
other classes of his fell0w-cilizsns--it
not surprising that "tarmers' SONS she
less willingness than formerly to becor
farmers" What right have people TO {
poet anything else 7 Hard work, pc
pay-or no pay at sll--and little prC
pect of Improvement" such, in brief, a
the reasons given for the "less willin
ness" that the boys show to becoI
farmers.