The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-09-19
Mckinley and the Farmers.
From the Rockville Sentinel.

Mr.. Mckinley persists in the attempt to fool the
farmer into the belief that he is much protected
as anybody else by the spoliation tariff. We see in
the course of his first gun in his campaign he re-
ferred to the fact that the farmer has surplus
which he must dispose of in foreign markets. He
did not deny the fact; he did not state, much less
attempt to disproye that the price Of the surplus
governs the price of the whole crop, and therefore
no American tariff can affect the price of the crop,
because it cannot affect the foreign price of the sur
plus or at least cannot affect it fayoraby to the
American farmer Ignoring all that, with great
flourish he introduced table of figures showing
the value of imports of what he called farm pro-
duets in 1890 The total was S79.Sl2,102. This Mr.
Mckinley introduced as triumphant refutation of
an assumed assertion which nobody makes, that
mo products come into the United States in COM
petition with American farm products"
Certain facts of the highest Importance to the
argument Mr.. Mckinley found it convenient not
to state. For one thing, he did not state the fact
which appears in esame publication ofthe Treasu-
ry bureau of statistics from which he compiled his
table, that the value of exports Of products of
agriculture in 1890 $500 SIS $3.50 nearly eight
times the value of what he calls farm products i'm
ported. For another thing, he did not clearly state
the character of the products imported. For in
stance he stated the value of "breadstutfs" import
Il III
this, or all but about 100000 was barley which is
beerstulf and not breadstuif In regard to fruits
he omitted TO state that nearly all were of kinds
which are not produced in perfection in this coun-
try and that fact disposes of nearly Sl40OO,OO0
more of the 79S0OG0O of imported farm products.
over SIS 100000 more for wool. which we i'm
port because certain kinds which We need are not
grown in this country chiefly carpet wools which it
is claimed it will not pay to grow under any cir
cumstances. of our staple farm products we i'm
port very small quantities, and these almost
wholly for use in isolated localities where they do
not reach the general market in the least.
Mr.. McKinlcys array of comparatively triaing
figures did not alter the great fact that the staple
American farm products largely in excess of the
home demand, that the surplus has to be sold
abroad and that what can be obtained for the sur
plus governs the price of the entire product 1t
does not alter the fact that the farm supplies nearly
IS per cent. OF all our exports, and nearly large
proportion now as ever before. 1t does not alter
the fact that after thirty years of tariff protection,
which was going to give the farmer home market,
he still finds his prices made in foreign markets.
Mr.. Mckinley was very careful not to touch the
figures which prove these things beyond all con.
troversy. Why? Because he knew perfectly well
that they prove that the American farmers are the
victims ofhis tariff system, and that if they once
come TO understand this they will quickly put an
end to his tariff and his political career. His
system was conceived in greed and rapacity, and it
is supported only by deception, alschood, sophisry
and corrupt bargaining among its beneficiares 1t
will not bear the light-therefore its champions do
their utmost suppress and conceal the facts which
expose its true character from those who in the
of the case must bear the most of the burden
which it imposes.