Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-08-05
Causes for the Depression Of the Argicu'suF
al Interest.

The Baltimore San thus gives lts reasoh'
for the depression of the agricultural inl0i
est
The heayy seduction in the prices OF al
the gre at agricultural staples OF the COUNTY,
during the last decade has inflicted great
pecuniary loss and consequent distress anu
novertv even on the farming and planning
interests engaged in their cultivation. 10
this condition of things great maLy causes
have conspired, and in seeking a remedy
the first and indispensable requirement Is
to investigate and discover those causes.
The very first step in that investigation
brings US squarely to confront that idol OF
the republican party-the tariff-to which
has been ruthlessly sacrificed the Interests
of the farmer, the planter, the merchant,
| the mechanic, and of tho .workingmen OF
| every class.
Commerce is the exchange of commodi-
ties which are mutually needed. We must
buy if we want to sell. But just here this
idol interposes and forbids our buying Of
| foreign nations; consequently foreign ma
tions will not buy ofus. Commerce ceases.
Trade expires. Foreign markets for our
| agricultural staples are closed-hermetical-
ly closed. Mr.. Blaine, tho Coryphaus OF
the republican party, after years spent in
the worship of his party's idol, renowned
| it in his celebrated declaration to the COM
mittee of ways and means Of the House,
| which framed the Mckinley bill, that thai
| bill would not open market for single
barrel of pork or single bushel of wheat fol
our farmers and producers. He never spoke
a trusr word. He endeavored to break hif
! fall from the party faith by calling his re
| turn to reason and justice reciprocity. REQ
I iprocity is only free trade, "writ small"
| The earliest consequence of our breaking
off all intercourse and trade with other ma
tions was the sudden and extraordinary IN
crease in the area Of cereal and other agri
cultural productions abroad, especially il
Russia, Hungary and India. which took on
place in supplying the foreign grain an(
produce markets TO this must be added
the fact of the uniform average good crops
in Europe during long succession OF sea
sons, and we have in these facts two mos
Influential and pervading oanses of the de
Apresson of our agricultural interests. But
this is not the whole Of the evil the tarif
inficts on the country. While this idol o
the republicans with ons hand. smites on
commerce and shuts out our farmers ant
producers from the markets of the world
I with the other it lays heavy burden Oh
tevery article of manufacture that enters in
l to the consumption OF the people by eAor
mously increasing their prices for the bene
st Of few thousand manufacturers. /
thus burns the candle Of the peoples pros
perity at both ends. The wonder is tina
ruin did not long since overtake the farm
fers.
| Th8re is another cooperating cause
There can be no doubt that farming in thi
scountry has been oyerdono. This is OWN
Ito two causes, for both of which the reput
I lioan party is directly and Immediately re
ssponsibie. During the war and for som
I years afterward the government of tho Uni
{ ted States gave enormous Gums of none.
1 and vast tracts OF land to railroad corpora
I tons in the West. When thssa roads wer
Ncompleted at the peoples expense thei
l owners sent cut hundreds OF agents t
l scour Europe to persuade aud secure immi
4 grants to come over to buy and oultiVat
the lands the government had given lhes
corporations, and thus furnish freight ant
passenger traffic to their roads. We knoV
with what result. Vast areas of land wers
thrown open TO cultivation, and millions Q
i'm migrants were brought in to settle aut
farm them. With the markets of Shi
world closed upon him, with the price O
every article he used on his farm and in hi
family Increased from thirty to forty pc
cont, was now added TO the burdens which
/ these entailed the keen and sharp compesi
1 ton Of the bonanza farms OF the West, cul
tivated almost wholly By machinery. Ia il
I surprising that the farmers as class every
+ where, aud especially in the Eastern and
Central States, went to- the wall2 They
slrove hard to keep off the evil day By
nortgaging their farms at usurious interest
! TO the very men who had grown rich by tbs
1 exaetion Of lhe tariff. But the evil day hal
1 come, and in their suffering and distress
4 thsy are crying out for a remedy.