The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-10-28
Farmers League.

Senator \. B. Criichfieid was in town for
a few hours Saturday morning, having left
Harrisburg after the adjournment of the
Senate, Friday afternoon. He says the in
yestigation OF Boyer and MeCamant has
shown nothing of a criminal nature up 10
date The Senator has been elected Presi-
dent of new organization known as the
Farmers Protection Tariff League The
plans for the formation of the league were
matured during last winters session of the
legislature by a number of members of the
house and Senate who are practical agricul-
tural.sts- The object Of the league is purely
educational, said the Senator and it aims
10 call the attention Of the farmers of Penn
sylvania, as a class, TO the difference that ex-
lsts between a tsrif that is levied for the pur-
pose Of securing merely sufficient revenue
to meet the expenses Of the government,
and one thar is 50 adjusted as not only to
accomplish the frs. object. but also TO give
protection TO the producers Of all such arti-
cles as can be produced in our own country,
whether they be manufactured articles or
the fruit of the soil"
=. Do you consider that the farmer Is as
much interested in the maintenance of
protective tariff as the manufacturer
asked the reporter.
." 1 most certainly do, said the Senator.
" The farmer is as vitality interested in the
American protection system as The manu-
faclurer or merchant. 1t is the farmers
mission to furnish his follow men With their
daily brad, bui wha, shall we do with our
farm products if We have no markets, and
where will We fnd our markets if our man
ufaciurers are compelled to close their doors
and our manuiaciuring industries are Grip
pied This Is a vital question aad it is a
condition of affairs that will certainly be
brought about if xe are brought into COM
petition with the pOOrly-paid labor OF En-
rope under free trade policy, or what IS
little better, tariff for revenue only.
soxE FREE TRADE FALnAcIEs EEFUTED.
1T will not do to tell US farmers that
what we would loose in the way Of market
facilities would be more than made up by
the advantages We will reap in being able 10
purchase everything that We need al a less |
price than we are paying now. All farm
implements, from a wagon down to a corn
hoe, as well as The clothing We wear, costs
but little more than one-half to-day what
they cost at any time between the years 1916
and 1861, the period during which the ene-
mics OF protection had their own way.
The object Of our organization IS to in
duce the farmers of Pennsylvania to inquire
into and acquaint themselves with these
facts, and to intelligentiy understand the re-
laiion that tariff legislation bears TO their
business as tillers Of soil.
What relation does this Farmers Pro-
tective Tariff Lesgue bear to the Farmers |
Alliance, Grange and kindred association
80 REIArIoE TO TIE sRavsE
mo relation whatever IL is modelled on |
an entirely different plan. as you can un-
derssand from what have ssid. 1t has a
single purpose 10 accomplish. and Is inten-
ded 10 furnish medium through which all |
proper means for the accomplishment of
this purpose can be made affective"
What other means than those Of organi-
zatiOn viii be utilized in this work?
The dissemii alton OF literature besring |
upon the subject will be one Of our chief
auxiliary agencies. Then we propose from |
time to time to hold meetings, where address
es on the SUBJECT Of protection will be made
to be followed by discussions to be partici-
pated in by anybody present"
What membership has the lesgue7'
cannot tell yon the number Of mem
bers. The league is as yet only in its infan-
cy, and yet it reaches into every county and |
every country precinct in the state. There
is not township in the state situated in a
farming district, where the organization is
not represented by active, intelligent farmers,
who understand how the markets upon
which they depend are affected BY protec-
ton 70 our home industries, agriculture in
eiuded. Democrats as well as Republicans
are members OF ihs leaguer