The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-08
The aQitba 1ailu Eagle Sunday glurno, anne s, 1890
THE BURNING ISSUES.

LIZ UUIultIllu NOUUUkJ.
into our country increases the selling price
Just that much, and while you may read
this argument in the columns of an anti
tariff paper you can turn to the market
columns of the same issue and find the sell
ing price Of an article included in the tariff
schedule, though made in the United
States, and many times it is offered at a
less price than the tariff fixed thereon. The
item of soda ash IS a good illustration.
1t was worth in this country before
the tariff was fixed of One-fourth cent per
pound and before any was manufactured
here from so to Sl2 per ton. Now | am
informed it can be purchased for 81 and
$3.50 per ton. There are other articles
that might be mentioned, but it is not my
purpose TO follow every item in the sched-
ule. There are defects in the law and
hence wrongs exist that should be RENE
died. hence | am in favor of increasing the
tariff on articles Of luxury, only consumed
by the rich and reducing it upon articles
of general consumption, and on such
articles as IS affected so as to make 1t bur
densome Gf any that are used by our
farmers in producing food products for
our people, if such tariff increases the price
OF such article, such as farm machinery
and others that are needed upon the farm.
LUMBER FOR THE FREE LIST.
While do not believe that the removal
of the tariff from lumber will cheaper It
one cent to the consumer, yet want to
see the experiment tried and if it does
cheaper it then let it remain on the free
list. | am unalterably opposed to build
ing up any man or set of men at the eX-
pense of others, yet [ am in favor of pro
lection just far enough to keep out the
products of the cheaply paid labor of for
eign countries, and maintain or increase
the wages of our skilled and other laborer
in our manufacturing centers, as my Judg-
ment has always been, that If we could
manufacture and produce all articles
we need in this country, it would so in
crease the number of laborers, who are
now producers of agricultural products,
that our market would always be at home,
and it is good markets that Onr people
want for their beef, pork, corn, wheat and
other food supplies.
JUST WHAT IS NEEDED.
l think the following resolution adopted
by the Commanche county Alliance at
COldwater, Maya, 1890 tO-wit.
Second. That we demand of congress
the protection of American industry. when
it does not foster trust or trade COM
bines, and we demand the same protection
for farm products that is given to the
Has the right ring and proper sound.
No government should foster the interest
of one portion OF her people and burden
the other the manufacture of the east and
the nabob of Wall street have no greater
right to receive the favOrS of the govern
ment that the citizens who Subdues the
forest and makes the farm. The former
have never made two blades of grass grow
where but one grew before. but the latter
has, and having done so is a benefactor.
1t has become fashionable of
late to indulge in condemnation
of the tariff. Let us be careful
shat we do not carry this too far, and de
stroy the benefit derived by that army Of
laborerS who are mostly members OF in
duStrial unions. The argricultnriSt needs
protection for his wheat add the breadstutf
made therefrom as against the cheap
wheat of the lndlaS and Russia.
FEW FIGURES.
Let us fora moment see the cost of certain
articles of necessity to the farmers. We
take for comparison the prices of 1888 and
1890 on the first day of June in each year:
Price of articles. 1880. 1890.
Self-bindery ........$ .$315.0O $4,000
Corn planter. 5000 $500 TO $40.
CultivatOr. 400 1900 to So.
Wood pump. 300 600
Farm wagon. ........ $500 0O-OO to 500.
The complete list of all farm imple-
ments show clearly an average fall or re
ductiOn in price from 81 to 90 per cent
since the year 1880. while all machinery
and wagons are now far better made and
hence more durable and more ingeniously
fitted for the work to be performed. But
let US go a little further with this cOmpari-
son:
Price of articles 1880. 1880.
Barbed wire. l0c per Ib 4 to 41Ic.
Iron nails per kegg Sc. 90 $3.50
PIow steele. 100. 1870 SIC.
Milk pans. .... =. 2.25 per doz. 100
Nearly every article of household hard
ware has decreased in cost, the per cent of
reduction being all the way from % TO 70
percent. Every one IS familiar with the
decline in the price of groceries, and the
introduction of improved machinery even
before 1880, brought dry goods away down
the scale of prices, but the reduction con-
tiuued and unbleached muslin declined to
6 cents, calico from to 3 cents per yard,
ginghamS the same or more and WOrSted
dress goods about y per cent. There has
been general reduction in ready made
clothing and boots and shoes OF from 80 to
80 per cent. Lumber, drugs and all other
incidentas that create the farmers neceS-
sary outlay of money has Lad a similar
experience | don't believe there is a single
exception TO the rule. Wheat was worth
in 1880 from 20 to 50 cents and corn about
the same price as now; hogs $3.50
to So 80 and worth more now; cat
tie, and other stocks are shade
higher now than then and such is the case
with nearly all the produce you have to
sell Thus we see that notwithstanding
the ''robber tariff that has existed the ten
years compared, something, some power
unexplained, has cheapened our living eX-
Denses instead of increasing. Yet l am
Lob