Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-25
ITS h .ns".dl
The FARMERS BENEFIT.
weCRG UNCLE JtRRY RUSk AND
tHC TRIBUNE DISAGREE.

uish t-'la -. rsfm Products as REM
sdy fas low rs,css The New YORK Tri-
eaas Suppose. msWinIs,'s uumbug Pro-
tss,ian rsr MANNERS.
When Uncle Jerry Rusk took charge
81 the department II agriculture he felt
sure that something could bo done for
agricultural depression ON protection
lima Prices Tor farm products thrown
upon the market In 1889 were unusually
low. and gnol old Uncle Jerry thought
that some high tarif balm could he
found for the farmers discomfort
AM Uncle Jerry hal remedy. He
Il not one ~ tho-e men Uncle Jerry is
49,, a. paint out = distressing state OF
things and then ask. What arc you go
so ~ do alout ~ lie was ready to
undertake 81 cure all the ills that farmer
fssh IL heir 10
HIT hia remedy Let the gods on high
Olympus holl their sideA II was higher
duties On farm products
In the spring ~ 1890 he addressed n
general HITTER a. American farmers on
the subject 20 Agricultural Depression
ani it, Causes" Ito hal had 40 many
letters from farmers asking what Is the
matter. that he printed this general let
tee Tor circulation among them. and TO
prepare them for the high Mckinley
tArf that was then IN course ~ incuba-
ton
IN the cuurso ~ that letter he said:
''One glance ut the comparative rates Of
duty levied upon agricultural rs com
/ pared with other products. one glance ut
/ the free list. the greater portion of which
consists ~ agricultural products. either
grown ur which conld be grown upon
/ our own snil. AMI = comparison of these
/ hgurrs with the average rate of duty
levied upon manufactured articles ought
/ q i,s sufficient To- silence forever any OPP
position 10 the demand ! have made on
lvhalf ~ tho American farmer in my
annual report. namely. that by wise
application ~ our admirable protective
- stem all the benefits ~ our home mar
krt l,s secured To- him for everything he
may be able 10 produce"
Well. Mckinley came along In due
Time with higher duties on these com
ts.ting farm products" which were ruin
ing our farm.rs barley was raised
fruin 10 cents n bushel Ia 20 cents: corn
from 10 cents ~ ~. cornmeal from 10 to
a. oats frum 10 h. ~. wheat from 20 10
- hnnF from 20 per cent To rs per cent.
butter and cheese from 4 cents n pound
o. cuuta hay from G. TO 81 ton-and
80 sn to the climax 81 absurlity In a
duty ~ 8 cents gallon ON cider.
1his 80 called farmers tariff has
n1w been IN force ono year. and after
th.s short time here comes the New York
Tribune nnd shows up the humbug char
acieF ~ the whole thing That hide
luund organ Of high tariiiism has re-
Gently l,e-n ridiculing the assertion OF
the nmocratic papers that the McKin
ley law has increased the cost Of living
anl In doing ~ 1t sizes MP" Mckinley
bogus protection 10 farmers in the FOL
lowing style
Nobody imports bread or most Of
the meats ~ fuel or lights or houses
No sane disputaut will pretend that th'
C,,.i ~ the wooden houses in which
most ~ the people live Is perceptibly af
tcctrl boy duties ON imports or the cos
~ most ~ the brradstuffs or vegetables
Along the Canadian borders the cost o.
cattle aud eggs. and In seaboard citie
ssano ~ the vegetables. may be- affected
~ times 10 soinr extent. but for the vas
majority ~ the people prices Of all tn
principal articles Of food are In no way af
tccted by imports or duties thereon
Food covers about half the cost OF livinl
and rent abou, quarter. and for NOR
than N 80 quarters Of the people rental
are not affected by the tariff"
What will Uncle Jerry say when h,
seea the greatest protection organ show
ing mp the farmers tariff in this style?