The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-11
The Earnera and the rer.f.


No,withs anding the fact that the farmers
have alliances and o.her Organizations IN
nearly all tie s,a-es, they have taken no
steps TO have their interests, 50 far as the
tariff Is c 7ncerned. represented before the
ways and means committee. That commit
tee has been engaged 70 several weeks in
hearing statements and arguments relative
to the tariff, bu, nobody has spoken III be-
half Of the farmers. Il is true that sheep
raisers and sugar and rice planters have
appeared before the committee, and asked
either for greater protection, or that
no change be made il existing
duties on articles which they produce.
but there has teen no effort to show the
committee that the farmers generally would
be greatly benefited by a ve-y considerable
reduction in the duties on articles which
are necessary TO them. II is somewhat re-
markable that the farmers are so indifferent
to their own interest.
The cotton planters, for instance, should
show the committee that the jute bagging
combination has virtually robbed them of
millions Of dollars within tie last two years,
and that if the duty we're removed from
jute and jute bagging no such combination
would be possible. They should also show
that free jute and jute bagging would be of
incalculable benefit to the n.
The farmers, north and south, are affected
by tariff taxes to a much greater extent
than they are aware of. The most of them
assume that they have no interest in the
tarlff-that the tariff is something which
concerns only the manufacturer. If they
were to study it they would no. be long in
finding out their mistake. They would dis
cover that the tariff takes from them nearly
all their profits, aud in many instances
more than their profits. This is especially
true with respect to poor farmers.
Ex-Gov. Click, of Kansas, speaking
few days ago of the condition of farmers in
that state, said that they did not under
stand how great burden the tariff was to
them. He stated that mortgages to the
amount of 1858, 100000 were held against
Kansas farms, and that the majority of
farmers, by the closest kind of economy.
were frequently not able to pay
their interest. For two wears
the crops have been excellent. but the
prices Of wheat, corn. oats, potatoes, etc,
have been remarkably low. Corn has not
commanded more than Is cents bushel
delivered at the railroad station. and. in
most instances, the station is a long wav off.
1t Is evlde t that If a farmer has a crop of
corn averaging fifty bushels TO the acre he
cannot get enough for it to pay the expense
OF cutivating it. How difficult then Is it
Tor him to pay not only high rate of inter
est on the mortgage on his farm, but also
70 pay the extra. taxes with which the
high protective tariff burdens him. Owing
to the protective system he has to pay a
great deal more for his agricultural impie-
ments and machinery, aud for the clothes
OF his family, than he would if his interests
were fairly considered in fixing the duties
on imports.
The farmers have a pretty hard time to
get along, however hard they may work,
ana however economical they may be.
When they are in position, therefore. to
speak In their own behalf, it is somewhat
strange that they do not do so. The repre-
sentatives of all the protected industries
rushed to Washington as soon as the
ways and means committee announced its
purpose TO hear those who wanted to be
heard on the tariff, but the farmers have
sent no delegation to Washington to speak
Tor them. Ii they don't make an effort to
secure their rights. they VIII have to con-
trnue to bear unnecessarily heavy burdens.