Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-17

What Ais Our Farmers.
The action of the Delaware State
Grange in annual session at Dover, re-
ported elsewhere in this issue,
Ia significant. The Grange criticised the
Statesenate for turning down the Higgins
railroad commission bill; accepted an
executive committee report substantially
demanding the revocation of railroad
charters and adopted resolution call
Ing for the opening of the markets
OF the world to their products.
This action, taken in connection
with the past efforts of the Grange
70 secure the taxation of stocks, bonds
and mortgages, indicates prevailing
dissatisfaction and restlessness which
the farmers themselves say is the neces-
eary outgrowth of their condition.
life of hard work for a bare liveli-
hood. And this is condition
, which their spokesman have as
serted on the floor of the
Legislature as well as in the Grange to
be continually growing worse. There
are exceptions but so general is this
complaint that we hear everywhere the
expression "the farmer is always max
ing poor mouth" There is ten times
as much dissatisfaction among our
farmers as was heard of in the old ante
railroad days before the war. Why is
thisr Were our farmers more frugal
and industrious theng Had they fewer
wants and needs2 Could they make
their money go further?
Last winter, when the farmers were
presenting their grievances before the
Legislature, they had much to say of
two successive failures of the peach crop
as leading count in their plea of i'm
poverishment. Now, after one of the
heaviest yields of peaches and berries
ever known and after harvesting a gen
orally good crop of cereals, they come
together and complain that railway
,freights have eaten up the expected
profits from their fruit shipments, leay-
ing them no better off than before. II
Is drastic remedy they propose--sub-
stantially to dispossess the present pro-
prietors and run the railroads them
selves-but remedy that we cannot see
would help them much because its
operation would necessarily stop at tie
State line without bringing their
produce much nearer to the markets of
the great cities. So that we look
upon this proposition as more expires.
sive of tho desperation to which
our farmers have been driven
by their hard lot than as offering any
promise of relief in this direction. The
agitation of last winter for the taxation
OF investments was expressive Of the
same thing. The county, road, Door
ehd school taxes which are paid by the
owner of $4,000 farm do not. We feel
sure, average more than one-third the
combined taxes and water rent paid bv
the owner of $4,000 house in vii.
mington; yet the farmer feels the $40,
or thereabout, which he is called upon
to pay as a burden almost intolcrablo.
1t was not always thus. There was,a
time when the Delaware farmer was
measurahly prosperous and correspond
ingly contented. Now lie tells us that If
is as much as he can do TO exc out d
bare living, Hetoils early and late, in sea.
son and out, denying himself all but tho
bare necessaries of life and consider,
himself fortunate il. he can then keep hi.
head above water. His land i depre.
ciating steadily in value and sheritrsi
levies are telling of thrifty farmers who
in spite Of all they could do, have been
swamped financially. Where lies the
blame?
We think the farmers are beginning
to find out that it is the tribute thew ar,
paying to the protected" interests Of
the country which is keeping then
down. They are helping TO pay 1925.
100000 worth Of customs duties and. M
conservative estimate, at least nv,
times that muchof indirect "protection9
per year. They are helping to nav
$l25,OOO,OOO annually for pensions
twenty-five years after the war, and
this great drain is steadily growing
And they are compelled BY natural law,
which no legislation can reach TO sell
their products in the free trade market.
OF the world. They mus, sell in d fre,
market; they must buy in a highly pro.
tected market. Their grain al Liver
pool enters into competition VIII
that of the Canadian farmer VIII
buys his reapers and plows and othe
agricultural machinery made in Indi
ana factories-at little more than hal
the price the Delaware farmer must paw
lie tolls to put money in the pockets d
the men who start UP campaign Til
plate mills and import cheap Welsh
men to work in them. That our farmer
are beginning TO understand this, moi a
partisans, but as aEriculturists, tn,
Grange resolution demanding that Con
gross take such steps as viii open III
markets of the world TO their product
is some indication. This is, us we under
stand it, q vague reaching out for reel
procity-not of the Blaine brand, with
club attached-but reciprocity tina
gives as well as takes.
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The Presidents Message.
Tho message Of President Harrison,
very fair and comprehensive summary Z