Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-27
The Tax on Agricultural Implements

4
A Kansas subscriber writes us to Civ,
some Information about the relation o
the tariff TO the farmers, and particular
ly In the case of agricultural imple
ments., We have already published
some Important Information on this
subject, and we are glad to do SO again
In 1880 the Democratic party incOr.
porated In its platform the maxim "a
tariff for revenue only" This precipi.
tated very lively tariff debate, In the
course Of which some one tried to
frighten the workmen In Rock Island,
Moline and q score of other Western
towns where quantities Of agricultural
machinery was made, by saying that a
tariff reduced to the revenue limit
would close every agricultural imple-
ment factory In the United States.
This brought to the front Mr.. B. ID. Bu-
ford, president of the Buford Plow Com
pany, of Rock Island, ILL.,, who publish
ed a statement Of some length denying
this allegation, and pointing out that
vantage to the manufacturer of agri-
cultural implements, and tax upon
the farmer who bought the Implements.
He said: 81 IS-fl .'s.i ~ ''.- -7f ''
''There is not one article that we
make, or one interest Of ours In the
world that is in the least degree bene-
fitted by the tariff. On the contrary,
almost every thing that we buy Is en-
hanced In value by the present tariff,
and, Of course, our customers in turn
have to pay more for what they buy of
US. Every consumer
has to pay the enhanced cost simply as
a bonus for something called protec-
tion.n ~. 81 'n .-ai
Among the testimony taken by the
Tariff Commission of 1882, is the state
ment of Lucious Wells; formerly with
Deere d Co., Moline, Ill.,, who made o.
600 plows the previous year, to the eff
feet that the selling price Of every agri-
cultural implement was increased from
Is to rs per cent. by the tariff with no
compensating benefit. l.f.
On account of the skill of our manu-
facturers, inventors and workmen, we
make better and cheaper agricultural
implements than they make In Europe,
but the tariff taxes OH wood, iron and
steel increase the cost of manufacture,
and the manufacturer makes his price
high enough to cover this, and the
farmer who buys the fork or the now
ing machine rays the price thus raised.
Mr.. w. H. Brown, president of the
Standard Manufacturing Company, of
Boston, said to the Tariff Commission:
"'If pig iron Is brought in here free, it
would help the Western people In get
ting cheaper moving machines and
cheaper wire fences" ''5s ''
Mr.. A. B. Farquhar, a large manufac-
turer Of agricultural implements at
York, Pa, and an exporter to South
America, made very radical low tar
iff address before local Democratic
society last May and another q few days
ago before the New York Reform Club,
portions of both of which we have
printed. ',t, ..+'"' s.
Mr.. Harter who made very effect
| i've reform speech last summer before
which he presided, which we printed
September a, is q member of the great
Aultman agricultural implement man
| featuring concern. '-''
| We would like to ask the Kansas
farmers if there was not good sense in
this plank Of the North Dakota Demo-
cratic platform of last year:
| 6 RESOLVED, that we are in favor of the
| absolute repeal of all customs duties on
lumber, salt, binding twine and all raw
materials entering into the manufacture
of farm machinery and household uten-
siis, and on all reccessaries Of life; that
while our farmers and laborers are COM
PEELED to compete with the pauper Ia
Dor Of, Europe and the natives Of India,
I In the growing and sale Of the products
of the soil, they shall not be compelled
to purchase Id the artificial market oi
high protection" y" t"' 1g,.. 5,
fhe consumer pays the tax and the
consumer Of iron and lumber, when
worked up into agricultural imple.
ments, is the farmer, who seems to be
finding i very hard to make both ends
meet. We do not see how the Govern,
ment can increase his receipts, but We
do see how it. can reduce his expenses
-NdtiOnut Democrat. }" S,7 s''7