Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-07-29
How Farmers Suffer.


If the farmers and laborers of this
country are required to contribute
from their earnings to build up lines of
industry in which they are not engag-
ed, it is absolutely certain that those
who give must become poorer thereby
while those who receives will grow rich
from the avails of labor they do not
perform. and it requires no stretch of
the imagination to foresee that under
such system time alone is needed to
divide these classes in this the proudest
republic on the globe, as the human
family is already divided in the most
arlstocratc monarchies of the old
world. 1t is infinitely better that this
nation should remain poor with its
property, such as it has, distributed
among all its classes, than become the
richest on the globe with its wealth
concentrated in the hands of few.
No dream of a theorist could con-
ceive of condition more perfect than
one which would divide and could
maintain, with equal effort on the part
ofindividuals, an equal distribution of
nations wealth among all its citizens.
This is impracticable, but what can be
said in favor of a system that strikes
the very roof of this equality; that
aids by artificial means in preventing
the nearest approach to such equality
that the human family is capable Of
attaining. Certainly nothing if men
are just. IF this is the result of pro.
tectiye tariff the argument is ended.
Let us consider further its effect
upon the farmers of this country. II
is self.evident proposition that tariff
levied upon products which nation
produces largely in excess of its own
wants, which it is constantly sending
abroad because its own markets will
not take or use them, can have no pos
sible effect upon the price of such com
modities, and hence it follows that So
long as we are producing annually
LzI~alo 80 .,;ll;o,. -, xol,,o &c 49,;
cultural products in excess of our own
wants, no tariff levied upon like pro-
ducts can benefit the farmers. Leg.
islators may spread such laws upon
the statute books. but they should be
as powerless to deceive as they are tc
benefit the parties in whose favor they
are professedly made. 1t is equally
apparent, as has been demonstrated sc
many times, that tariff upon a man
ufactured goods increases their cost oi
like goods produced at home. because
of such goods we produce less thar
we use. and hence must supply oul
wants in part by importations from
other countries.
But this increased cost is not the
farmers chief ground of complain,
against a protective tariff He must
have a market for his surplus produc.
tons in foreign lands. Unlike the
manufacturer he produces largely
more than the home market can take
The most important question therefore
for him to consider is how to extend
the markets for his products. Nothing
is more plain than the fact that if W,
sell to foreign nations we must buy O
them. No nation could long pay il
gold for any considerable amount o
imports and escape bankruptcy. i
follows irresistibly that tariff tina
keeps the products of any foreign
nation out of our markets must to ,
considerable extent keep ours out of it
market, and inasmuch as the farmer
of the country supply tbree-fourths o
all our exports, they are the chief SUI
ferers from any policy that accom-
plishes such result.-Gov. Boies o
Iowa.