Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-04-30
THE KANSAS FARMER
As He is Affected by Protection.

AS DO u Au0Ot00 W 1IOtoCClOus
BY ALxERIx GILLxrr. OF ExroR1A.
The present and past depression in
all the great agricultural pursuits has
started many minds upon the task of
finding out the cause and if possible
pointing out remedy. The difficulty
is not owing probably to any one cause.
1t is likely that many things have con-
tributed to produce the present depres-
sion; and this depression extends be-
yond the agricultural producers and af
fects agricultural property, and largely
very many other kinds of property.
The imitation produced by the war, with
the weakening of the government
credit; the issue of paper money; the
creation of the national banks and their
issue of money, and debts made in the
thensexisting condition Of things with
the subsequent legislation by congress
Strengthening money: such, for in
stance, as the act of 1869 strengthening
silver of 1873; the resumption act which
took effect in 1879. have all, sooner or
later, had very material effect in pro-
ducing the present condition of things;
and, last but not least of all, the pro-
tective tariff system as it has been ap-
piled in its practical working has been
unequal and oppressive upon the great
staple agricultural industries of this
country. Within three New England
states and good portion of the middle
states the great staple productions OF
agriculture are abandoned. They have
gone largely into the highly pr otected
manufacturing, and staple agriculture
is almost entirely abandoned to the
Mississippi valley, which may be said
to now consist of that vast territory
extending from the Allegheny noun
tains to the Rockies, and from the great
lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. This vast
region is mostly engaged in staple agri-
culture. Probably One-half of the en-
tire population is engaged directly in
producing the great staples OF agricul-
ture, viz: wheat, corn, beef and pork in
the northern section, and cotton in the
southern. Engaged in this great field
of productive industry in this country
will be found prbably one-rhird of the
entire population of the United States;
body of laborers in this field probably
equal in number to all the laborers in
all other classes of labor in this country.
It may also, in this connection, be
said IF farm labor, and to its credit,
what cannot be said of the other classes,
that the great body of farm labor in
this country is thoroughly American
and thoroughly patriotic. Whenever
the country's need require it, the
farmer patriots will be its support and
reliance both in peace and in war.
The young men brought up on the
farms, with their hard earned common
school education, and their practical
sense acquired in their industrial
schooling of the farm, come to the
front, branch out into other callings.
and when emergencies arise they become
the men fitted for the place. The gov
ernment, therefore, in any scheme OF
protection, owes to this class of labor
more than to any other, (if discrimina-
tion can be used) the best and surest
and most substantial protection. Any
scheme of protecting, dignifying, en-
couraging and ennobling American
labor, should begin with the farmer
and he should have a full measure OF
the real article. And any scheme OF
that kind which leaves him out alto
gether, or which gives him but a shad
.owy and thin semblance of the genuine
article, is neither equal, just or satisfac
tory.
The staple products of the agricultur
sal industry of the west then, are in the
more northern ATTITUDES, wheat, corr
cattle and hogs, and in the south cotton
These great staples are produced ii
such large quantities that there is
large surplus for foreign shipment
after supplying all the demand fol
home consumption. This surplus ship
ped abroad is sold in the world s markets
duu GuO ~ kCC SuCkCs 1908 IAC OOoC VA 6Co
ting it there, fixes the price for th'
home consumption. Thus the farn
labor in all these great staples has il
the sale of its products to compete will
the cheap labor of the old world. T.
: illustrate:.The worlds market for whea
il, Liverpool. If wheat be dollar {
nj shell there, and the price declines
cent the fact is at once cabled to all tn
great Produce Exchanges of this coun-
my. any 1 thence to every railway sta
tion whe nee wheat is shipped, within
an hour: nd the price of wheat goe
off a cent bushel at once. If tn
nrice of whea be dollar bushel il
LIVERPOOL, the price at any railroad sta
tion where wheat is bought will be
dollar bushel less tie cost of gettin
it there. If that cost be fifty cents
bushel the price will be 6fty cents;
such cost be sixty cents then the prlc