Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-09-02

ures, based on thIs assumption, whiell
show that even 10 u WERE correct, the
farmer would have no cause to complain.
Mr. Nlmmo was for many years chief of
the government burvau of statistics al
Washington. lie IL ose ~ the brst au-
ti,oriiies extant ON subjects connect~l
With the .riencc ~ numbers ne applied
to the fact of our national existence.
Mr.. Nimmo calls attention to the tsrifi
on agricultural productions, spd says
ltha, II the tariff Il tax that raises The
price to the consumer ~ the article upon
which u !. imposed, and not only raise.
Il, but "rai.cs II nearly or quit" the
amount of the duty" then the farmer.
~ the country gain annually sso,op,-
on by the tarlfY, while the enhancement
which the tarlfY effects In the price of
manufactured commodities annually pur-
chased by the farmers sggregaie- only
saOl, ,s~i ,lsg. Til. would leave the
United state. giinsr. by the tsrlf to the
annual amount 90 nearly s'JD,Op,opD. q"
say nothing of what they gain by the
increa ..d prosperity of th. communit,
at large, and the development of new
home market. for their product. Ia man
uf.cturinv c.bisr. bailt up by th. Infu-
enc. of the hrIff. The farmer ha' gain
cd by the creation of these home mar.
ket. alone, far more than hls portion of
th. tariff tan; hat there \. Tor his sddl-
tional benefit a tariff a. Ne have seen, on
most ~ the articles which he produces,
that protect. him from being cheaply
unsi.r.oli In nj. own country by foreign
producrr.. II !. this prot.Ctlon that en-
able. IN. profitable business of WOOL
growing to h. carri~i on t0 advantage
la IN. unltsi States; that protect. the
grower. of American barley from dl.id-
,ants g-ou. foreign competition; that
keep. out foreign butter sud cheese,
unlc.. they hs,. paii q duty of Tour
cent. per pound before entering our
markets, giving the hou. farmer That
much more compensation for hl. product
than hi. foreign competitor can receive
for good. that cntsr Into American con-
sumption. ~ much to show thai The
tariff doe. not hurt the farmer. Va tot
labor generally, th. fact that, .klllc'l
or un.kille,l. labor !. better paid here
than In other land., !. Que ~ the grrat
reason. ~ the trend of forrign emigr'-
tlou io our shores.
n may d. that, q. the c'lli0r of the
Aryu. .ay., the tsrlf had .omeihi.g Ia
40 with the decline ~ our foreign carry
ing trade. Hut bowi simply 10y pro-
Wiling hom. channel. for ih" Investment
Of money which are so much niorr lucfa'
tI,. aud aitracti,. than the carrying
trade that Americans have prrfsr-'i to
hlr. foreign vessel. rather than conduct
for them ..ly.. q business la which the
r,turn. we're not equal to those thit
could b. secured With les rick Ia other
Jlrr.tIon.. Had II not been for the var.
our shipping would not have .o gnlckli
dI..ppearrd from the oc"tn; but the
dI.appearance woall have come Ia tline'
under th. working of the lava. ln'ar'-
sbl. q. that by which water seeks u.
l.,.I-th,t capital seeks the Investment.
which pfom.lc tb. smallest risk aud
trouble aDi th. largest returns, and thai
ID d-.ert. th. Investment. which h'Nr
ceased to hold cut ihc.s Inducements.
American. hire foreigner. to carry their
ocean freight, q. they hlr- porter. Ia
carry ther grip-.,ck., b-causs they de-
not care iodo the WORK ihemsel'e. at
the pric.shlch u commands.
Finally, IA. editor ~ the Argu. com.
pI.in. of the tsriif that "u Ia. aid~i
two aud a half millions annually io tie
co.i of living for th" pcopl- oi Mainr'
Nh.n N. .ay. this, u. dee. not stop to
consider that the whol. amount ~ mon"'
r,i..d by the tariff l. ne.lei io defrly
IA. .x,sns.. 10 the government of the
United states. What do"s the sss''oo'
uJ rai..si by the hTir ~ forf u go"-'
With the other Que hundred old millions
of money Raised by f,sl.rlI taxation, Ia
paw the President aud hl. Cabinet OH
c,r., and ih. senators ani Cougrcssmcn'
and the Que hundred thousand other
federal official. ani employees, al wash
Ing,on and throughout the country. u
yo.. a. liquli.tc the Interest on the na-
tlonal Debt, aud the principal, a. " b
come. due. II goes Ia maintain our
army anil navy, and Ia erect goNernuirn,
buIlllng., aud Improve river. and hir-
bor.. and to construct anJ sustain ight
bou. a.. ani keep up the llf.-saSing ser
,Ic.. "A soe. to .lciray tbc cost II the
coast survey and'the geological survey,
n goe- to pay Icnsi"n. to wouni'd
veterans, aud to th. widows 81 ''ih".'
Who died that th-ir country might I've.
IL 4. not lost, q. u u went out 81 ih'
country, bat most of II r,t.rn. directly
Ia IA. people, and !. by th. recipients
,,p.u.L.i for 10. ncces.aric. aud lux
uric. u life, thu. helping Ia swell ih'
ti.lr In th. various channel. of cifcula'
tIon, In Maine a. well as elsewhere.
n ia. bulk of the money nec'iei fo'
the national parpo.e. named were no'
r.l.r,i by th. iariii. it would have Ia b'
levied In some other way. Would th'
farmer. of Maine prefer to bear theii
share of IA. bunlen ~ carrying on th'
f~ieril government Ia the form of an in
creased tax on landi Certainly not, b.
cause a. th. Argu. admits, the land la
collected for state aud local purposr'
ami nail by Ga. farmer I. di.proportion
.t,l, heavy a. IL L.. n II l. III. payins
of the federal tax of s.,sp,vo annual,
that burden. th. inhabitants of Maine
tb.y are likely to feel the burden, no mat
ter la what form it !. laid on.
Hut 4 do not believe the people 81
Maine Ia be- so lacking In individual ."
sources that they cannot pay their shar
of the expenses of the general govern
men,, Will. people Ia other sections. %
the country are paying their respecti'
portions checrfully, snd still growinl
richer year by year. ] think that th
peopIe of Maine are made of 80 sterlinl
stun a. any of ia. inhabitants of till. ~
public, aud that u Maine !. falling be
hind In material prosperity We mus
seek especial reasons for u, not sueh
reason a. the existence of the tarif'
which affect. all sections of the Unite
state. alike.
A. pointed cut In my former article
there are disadvantages suffered by th
farmer. of Maine which do not afliict tl'
farmer. of other sections of the country
and the chief of the.e-s disadysntag
that might, I hold, be removed ~ithou
loss 10 those Who are responsible Tor "
exi.tence-ls a scale Of railway frrigil
charges upon the products of the hri
that la many instances practically cot
f,scatr. the result of the farmers aboI
4 .bowed that la orier To secure th
tran.portation of his grain aud cattle I
market, aud of fertilizers aud other suI
plies Ia his farm, the Maine farmer ~.
10 pay six "a ten times q. much Per nil
as his competitor. the Western f.rinef
and that while the value of farm re-
estate Ia Maine has declined ~ per cen
In the last ten years, the railways
, Maine have been declaring dividends q
q IA 10 Per cent. aud still accumulaiin
. .urpiuse., and that their shares, as
. natural consequence, are ssiable mt
? considerable advance above their pa
value. The price In one instance Ia
: ranged from lso TO rs on the sa<
: made In the Boston market since the hr'
{. Of April last, and the stock referred !