The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-30
HOW THE FARMER IS BENEFITED
BY PROTECTION.

1dlr-mlnQeQ men tlaC never, SlIlCS Tic
organization of the republic, was there
single administration that pursued such
an intelligent policy, having for It's OBJ
iect the welfare of the farmers and all
presided over by President Harrison.
The magnetic and vigilant secretary of
state, James G. Blaine, deserves the
sincere thanks of every farmer for his
successful efforts in our behalf. Not
content with opening the rich markets OF
Brazil for the superintendent products
of our farms, factories and furnaces, his
craftsmanship surprised even his best
friends by the rapidity with which he
concluded negotiations with Spain.
American flour, hitherto excluded from
Cuba, is now permitted to enter the
Spanish Antilles practically free of duty.
We will hereafter furnish Cuba one
million barrels of flour year, besides
manufactured articles and machinery.
Other rich markets will in the near
future be opened up to American trade,
and we may confidently expect boom
not only in farm products but in all
manufactured articles which the invent
i've skill Of the American people Is capa-
BILE of producing.
I cannot conceive how any patriotic
American can refuse to acknowledge the
great debt of gratitude which we owe to
Blaine for the superhuman efforts he has
e. II 81 IF !,
producers. Many misguided Americans
had their hearts filled with hate, rather
than admiration for the immortal Wash
ington, and it is probable that the future
historian will place the enemies of Blaine
in the same category as the enemies OF
Washington. For the first time in our
history we can point with pride to
statesman whose mental vlgor and as
tuteness enable him to gain diplomatic
victories when contending with the
trained diplomats of Europe.
Will the farmers of Kansas, many OF
whom are graduates of the best
schools of Europe and America, permit
few empty-headed demagogues to lead
them along a road that history's lessons
assure us can only end in national and
individual disaster? The sober second
thought of the farmers of Kansas, as
we'll as the great body of the American
people, will ratify the principles which
experience. as well as common sense,
assure us will lead to beneticent results.
When Cleveland asserted few years
ago that the tariff was a tax he forgot
that there is not a single article which
we formerly imported under low tariff
but was cheapened in cost after few
wears of protection. This is fact which
cannot be truthfullv contradicted. In
proof of this assertion | will take earthen-
ware which we imported in 1892 under
the low tariff of 81 per cent. An assert
ed crate of white ware then sold for
S95 so, and now. by means of American
competition. the same assorted crate
sells for SIG 80, although the duty is
now 90 per cent. In 1852 we had not
single kiln for either plain or decorated
ware, and the silly American goose was
plucked heartlessly by the foreign manu-
facturer.
By means of protection we gave en-
plovment TO American labor and capital,
and in 1889 there were more than Slo,-
600, 900 invested, giving employment 10
$1,000 persons. 1t is safe to assume that
each Of these workers has at least two
others dependent on him who live on the
wages earned: we have then 90 700 per-
sons who are living from this one indus
try. The number of carpenters, masons,
plasterers. blacksmiths, tailors, dress
makers, shoemakers, groCers, butchers,
etc, which are necessary for their well
fare will make the aggregate at least
S.. 600 persons. And the farmer feeds
them all, thus lessening the surplus,
which goes a-begging for a market 10
Europe.
With every other manufacturing in
dustrv it is the same-the farmer feeds
them all. When you protect these man
unfacturing industries you protect the
farmer Protection 10 one is protection
to the other. The more wheat, beef and
pork we have TO export, the lower will
be the price. II is only by the blessings
of protection that we can prevent for
eigners from setting price on the pro-
ducts OF our farms, and also setting a
price on the manufactured goods which
thew send us.
The manner in which we have been
robbed by foreign manufacturers, con-
trolled by syndicates when there was no
American competition, can be illustrated
bv the prices Of tin. In 1874 foreign tin
plate was selling for sl2 box. \ COM
panv was formed in Pittsburg, Pa, TO
make American tin plate, but before this
company was firmly established, and in
order 70 crush them out. the price was
reduced 10 81. 30 per box. Of course il
was impossible 10 continue; but when
the fires were extinguished and the man.
ufacture abandoned and the American
company lost all the money invested IN
the enterprise the price advanced IN SIX
months to SO per box. The silly Amer
lean goose was once more plucked for
the benefit of foreign syndicate. We
imported last year 500, 600 tons Of tin
plate. which, If manufactured here,
would give employment TO 100000 peo-
pie. 4 tariff for revenue By destroying
our home market has always enabled
the foreign manufacturers 10 nix the
price on the goods sent 10 Us, and even
still worse, il enabled these foreigners 10
fix the price of our farm products sent
20 them.
There is no country in the world where
protection for the farmer Is rs much
needed as In the United States Why
should we import s.. ,ooo. 600 worth OF
food and live animals q yeaE. We ina-
port potatoes from Scotland. canoages
from Holland and beans, peas. tss5ev
etc. from Canada and Nora Scotia
Is il not time IN view Of the foregoing