West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-10-23

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his farm. You there behold the poor,
blind dnpe breaking mp his grounds, pro-
/ p@rtng them Tor crops, and then planting
ana drilling IN his corn, wheat oats and
] rye with plows, harrows, planters, aud
dulls on which hc has paid ont of his own
| pocket from 80 to leo per cent, nearly
double their real value, as tarin tax
lana Tor the protection and enrichment of
the manufactures OF such implements in
this country You behold this onslaved
and deiuued victim OF the money power
cutting his small grain and hay with
reaper and mower for which he has
paid twice what they would cost him but
for protective tariff.
He uses double~priced hoe in his cab
bago patch and a doublc-priced pitchfolk
al has hay NOV aud wheat stack in order
to enable the manufacturers of hoes and
pltchiorks TO avoid foreign competition
and thus get rich. lie then puts set o
harness on his horses, taxed from the
bride bits 10 the breeeh bands, and on
every buckle, link and chain, bitches
them 10 a wagon taxed So per cent, at
least, ON every bolt, spike and tire that
holds 10 together, and then, with suit
OF clothes on his back taxed at about the
same rate, and with his wife by side,
also covered with raiment at two-fold
protected prices, ne starts to town shout
ing for the Republican party, the side
boards OF his wagon proclaiming that the
productions of his farm are the fruits OF
protection.
The fruits of protectionl They were
planted, nurtured and gathered in spite
OF protection, and at dosble expense
because Of euch n curse in the statute
books of the Government. IL is noto-
fious and self-evident truth that the
tarifi, as IL now stands increases the
farmers expense account from 80 to over
100 per cent on every implement of hus.
bnndry with which he tolls from one years
end TO another.
The Mills bill attempted to place all
HIRES, srlcb az hemp, iVte, flax goods, and
manila, used in the manufacture of twine
ON the free list. That just and moderate
bill was defeated by the monopolists; and
now, with tariff of $40 ton and 40 per
cent. I'D valOrem on Irvine aud also n
Irvine trust, creating a close monopoly in
It's manufacture, thousands of farmers
during last summers harvest were not
able 10 pay the increased price of Irvine
binders. They have been forced back 10
the machinery of their naked hands. and
with bloody fingers and thumbs they
nave reflected upon the price Of binding
twiue, enhanced TO 10 cents pound by
tauh and by trust. 10 is true that party
preJudlces are stubborn and hard To re-
move, but surely IL ia not too much TO
suppose that between these Same sore
fingers and thumbs Republican ticket
will not be found this year.
The very house in which the farmer
lives is monument 70 unnecessary. un-
just, vicious, wicked and criminal taxa.
ton. His barn 10 the same. There is
not "a inch of lumber, or a shingle nail,
OF pane of glass in either of them which
has not cost the farmer An average tax of
! "a 4
Government, but as n naked subsidy 10
the manufacturers OF lumber, iron and
gloss His table, spread with dishes and
with his daily food, js an altar reared to
taxation, on which he sacrifices three
times day to the unholy god OF mann.
mon now controlling the councils of the
nation and dev0uring the enforced Offer
ihgs Of unpaid labor His bed is not n
place Of untroubled rest; it is lined and
stitched and quilted with dishonest taxes,
which he is compelled 10 pay before he
can draw his blanket over his weary
frame and sink down to sleep.
But in discussing the effects Of high
protective tariff on the farmer, and on his
struggles for prosperous home, there re-
mains for consideration another page of
startling statistics aud agricultural disas.
teTs In high-sOunding phrase, and with
the swelling note of bugle proclaiminp
victory in advance, the advocates, the
orators and essay lists Of protection are
constantly Boosting Of the growth and
development Of the country. and citing
its wealth as AN evidence that their policy
- sound and just. Bot is It true that
there has been p healthy development Of
the true interests Of the American people
and an honest, beneficial accumulation Of
wealth In this country under our present
policy, and more especially by virtue Of
tho present system Of tariff taxation?
The prosperity Of huge corporations, the
accumulation Of vast fortunes in the
hands Of the few, the swollen bank ac-
counts Of trusts, syndicates and protected
manufacturers, are no more evidences Of
a peoples wholesome growth and great
ness than were the riches Of Dives when
he refused crumb Of bread TO Lazarus,
nor than the iil-gstten possessions Of the
Scfibes and Phar isees who devoured
widows bOuses and made long prayers i'm
the days Of our blessed Saviour on earth.
The only genuine strength, progress and
glory of nation must arise frOm the In.
crossing value Of is agricultural lands.
and in the yearly incomes aud substan.
tial gains Of "a labonng people. thereby
81 consequence securing their content
meut and their bappinesa
Sir, our present system Of protective
tariff taxes was enacted - years ago, and
] deny that the farmers Of the United
States have been prosperous under iis
I operation; ] deny that they have had
fair profits on their labor, ] deny that
they have bad reasonable yearly incomes.
/ or, on On average. any income 81 al, Of
/ ter barely securing the absolute neces-
ssries Of life. On the contrary. J assert
| that while farmers have been compelled
/ 20 continue the payment Of war taxes in
7 q time Of peace, there has been not only
no increase in The value Of their lands
during the last quarter Of century. bmi
an absolute loss Of not less than 30 pe1
cent
Reliable statistics warrant me in say
Ing that the improved farm lands Of tie
United States, 81 put 60 sale to-day under
The most favorable circumstance now
possible would NOT upon q general aver
age realize more than two thirds their
value twenty-five years ago. Take the I
lands Of ule State OF Ohio ~ an Hlsstfa- I
ton Of this startling fact Ohio is one OF
the most favored states by nature in ths
American Union. and yet three years ago
Governor Foraker in an official address.
comparing ibe value Of real estate in 1857 I