Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-11-19
Stauntott $peftator.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 1890.
Why Has 1t Not Been So !?

Why Has 1t Not Been So?
General Rusk, who presides over the
Government department of Agriculture,
and who is doing about as well for the
agricultural interests as any one else could
under the circumstances, says he hopes
soon to see additional foreign demand for
our wheat, and that he is earnestly striving
to increase like demand for our surplus
of corn. These are great aud laudable de-
sires, but without the cooperation of Con-
gress we see no ground upon which he can
base his hopes for the one, or to sustain his
efforts in securing the other.
With the exception Of the policy advo-
Gated by Mr.. Cleveland, when Demo-
cratic President and Administration
gave practical proof by advocating measures
which could readily increase our foreign
commerce in a manner that would in
fiuence and enlarge the export of the sur
plus products of our country. there has
been no aid either by legislation or broad
views of executive policy announced which
grappled with the subject. The mere ex-
preston of wish or purpose, unac-
companied by the necessary action, to re-
vive reciprocal and profitable trade be-
tween our own and foreign countries equal
to the value it could be made to reach, is
rs s'sounding brass and a tinkling symbal,"
and has no effect on the great question.
The Republican party for thirty years
has had the entire control of the executive
and legislative departments, except when
Congress was Democratic, and then the
Executive was Republican, and when the
Executive was Democratic (and only for
four years. the Senate was Republican,
1t has thus been impossible to secure the
legislation essential to the Democratic
policy,-not of free trade as has been
falsely represented of freer trade,
through the means of which alone we can
secure the opening of the foreign markets
to the profitable export of our breadstuffs
and meat surplus.
How or by what means the increased
foreign trade that is not only to take up
our wheat and -four and meat-products at
profitable returns, and to stimulate, as it
whould, q largely increased interest isto avail
anything upon the great surplus of corn, 80
as to make the demand commensurate with
the expression applied to it, the Secretary
of Agriculture leaves us entirely in the
dark.
Why it has not been so in the past, is
pertinent question, and reasoning upon the
influences of cause and effect, the Secretary
should have explained to the people why
the enlarged trade in our surplus has been
diminished, and the process through which
it is to be restored. France and Germany,
as we'll as other countries, have virtually
closed their markets against our surplus OF
breadstuffs and meats, and this in retalia-
ton for the policy our country has purs ued
in imposing heavy tariff on their products.
The new tariff laws enacted by Rspub-
lican Congress and approved by a Republi-
can President, which have been so signally
condemned by the people of the country in
the recent election for members OF the
House of Representatives, were for the
benefit of monopolies, and against our
producing interest. Their effect will be to
lesson and not to increase foreign trade
1t is alone through increased foreign com
MERGE that our agriculture is to find relief
The hopes of the Secretary will prove de.
lusive, and his efforts of no avail, and he
will only witness blighted prospects as the
foreign fields of consumption are surveyed.
It requires more than the expression OF
hope-it requires wise legislation to pro-
vide for the necessity Of agricultural pros
perity. That necessity demands relief from
unequal taxation which the discriminating
tariff laws enforce. Otherwise the burdens
of Government fall unequally upon the
people and the farmers and laborers OF
every kind made to bear Unequal taxation.