The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-04-24
EXPRESSION OF OPINION
RESPECTING THE PRESENT STATE
or AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION,

The Cause aud Remedies Given by Score
tary HuSk In Lang Address 10 th'
Farmers Of tho Country-Ihe Deprss
sion Traced 90 Combination oil
Causes-Laok Of Protection for The
Farmer Ia Ono Of the 0rayost Causes
TaEatlon improvements
WAsnNoToN, April ea,-Aeeretary
Ruak, In reply to hundreds OF eommu
nioatIons from different sections OF the
country appealing 70 him for an express
sion Of opinion respecting tho present
condition OF agricultural depression, Ia
cause and remedies, has Issued long
address 10 tho farmers Of tho country,
The present agricultural depression, uni
yeraally admitted, and Of which there
can bo no doubt the secretary says can
be traced 10 a combination Of oauaea-ao
many that probably no one man can
enumerate them all. Those causes,
which 10 the secretary seem more d.
reotly responsible for this severe depres
sion, may be divided into two olaasea-
those inherent 10 farmers themselves,
and for which they alone can provide
possible remedy, aud those over which
the farmer himself has no direct control
and tho remedy for whiolL-laust be pro
ylded by law Ia the first class OF causes
indicated hG attributes depreciation Of
the productive power Of land 20 a
variety Of causes 10 Cai0loH culture,
want Of bualncl4,llte methods lack OF
study Of supply and demand and mar
ket prices, aud tho ownerihlh Of more
land by many than they can properly
care for
Afior Ailudlug nrleiiy
10 the dlacouraging effects OF farm
mortgages, the diilicutca Of tho trans
portati0n question, gambling In farm
products, controlling combinations and
the depressing eject Of the Increase OF
middle men on the results Of tho farm
or'a honest TOLL Secretary Rulls advances
an argument IN fayof Of higher duties
ON agricultural produato, one Of the
grayoat cauAerf0r the present agricul
tural depression, III the opinion Of the
secretary, 10 lack Of protection for the
farmer, Fow people, he aaya, realize
that our imports Of agricultural prod.
ucts, estimated NJ prices paid by the
consumer, are about equal 10 our
agricultural exports, estimated NJ prices
paid 20 the farmcr~Yok such IN the case.
Our imports Of produelH sold In compe-
ton with those Nctually,prOduced on our
own soil amount 10 nJhly Sllb,000,000
annually and ng muoD more could bo
produced on our own boil under fayora.
BILE conditions, our imports Of agricul'
tural products for the fiscal year ended
juno 30, 1880, aggregated SgOO,OO 600,
the far greater part Of which, perhaps
$3.50, 900, could, the secretary thinku,
with proper encouragement, bo
Produced on oar own soil.
To protection the secretary looks for u
romody. zone glance ho says, 'at
the comparative rates OF duty. lowed
upon agricultural ~ compared with
other products, one glance NJ The free
list the greater portion Of which con
asts Of agricultural products, either
grown or which could bo grown upon
our own soil, and comparison Of these
ilgurca with the average rate Of duty
levied upon manufactured articles,
ONEnl NO w hNllllltlN w hNtNNt lblNNNl
any opposition TO the demand / have
made on behalf OF tho American farmer
In my annual report n0mclyi That by
wise application OF our admirable pro.
tectiyc system all the benefits Of our
home market bo secured 30 him for
everything he may bo able to produce" "
Our sy,trm of Taxation,
the secretary thinks, dcmonda improve.
mont Ia certain directions, Tho cost Of
supporting tho government needs 10 bo
most oquitaby adjusted among the dif.
ferent Classos Of our people, AZ present
In many statcs the burden Of local taxa.
ton presses heavily upon farm property,
its very nature rendering II easily asses.
sable, Every corporation orentOd by the
state and TO whom special privileges are
granted, either by state, county or In
ccrporatod village or city, should bo
taxed In proportion 10 its earnings, and
In all ways the principle OF taxation
should be TO place the burden Of main.
tanning tho government, whether state,
municipal or national, upon the luxurics
and comforts which the wealthy on.
10y and 10 reduce II TO minimum In
Its application to the hardly earned prop.
erty Of the poor man,