Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-03-06
SOME FROZEN FACTS.
Vhich the Farmers of the United
States Should Ponder at
Their Leisure.
FREE COINAGE AND LOWER TARIFFS

LIZ iooo SASSoiOi NlOiiCGcCo "a
revolution which should arrest
the attention of thoughtful
men all over the land. The
nine agricultural states-Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wis
consin, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas
and Nebraska-were represen-
ted in the Fifty-first congress
by 100 members, Of whom 70
were republicans. In the Fifty
second congress, which meets
next December, there will be
only 26 republicans from these
states.
Why this revolt? AS we
view it is due purely to econ
omic questions which affect the
prosperity of those engaged in
agricultural pursuits. And
what are these questions :?
When the farmer produces a
crop, his individual efforts
cease to determine the degree
of his prosperity, and other
influences over which he has
no control come in to determ-
inc his share of wealth result
ing from his labors. These
questions are;
First, the cost of getting his
products into market.
Second, the price of such
products in the market.
Third the cost of his supplies.
The two primary causes of
depression in the agricultural
industry are the demonetiza-
ton of silver and the high
tariff schedules. No greater
crime was ever perpetrated on
q free people than the debasing
of silver in 1873, at the behest
of the eastern, or manufactu-
ring sections. The gold stand
ard is as much an instrument
by which the profits and pros
perity of manufacturing indus
tries are guaranteed as the
high tariff schedules. The
gold standard enables them to
purchase raw materials and
food supplies at lowest prices,
because the volume of money
determines the value of the
raw products of labor, while
the tariff increases the prices
of the products of the manu-
facturer. Thus agriculture is
ground beneath the upper and
neither millstones of a gold
standard and high protection.
The iniquity of the gold
standard is now so thoroughly
understood in the west and the
demand for free coinage of sill
yer is SO crystalized that its
restoration cannot be much
longer delayed. Concerning
the tariff, however, the cam
paign of education is far from
complete, For 80 years the
people have blindly walked
by faith and not by sight on
this subject. The high pro-
teGtionists have boldly and
falsely proclaimed that their
theory is based upon some
great though underlined moral
principle, and hence all the
misery, oppression and Unjust
ice it has caused must be meek
ly endured for the sake of this
sacred principle. And SO the
people made an idol it and
bought costly gifts and laid
on its altar, and when they
saw how fat and sleek the high
priests of the temple grew
they forgot their own wretch.
edness and cried; "See what
glorious blessings protection
hath brought us" And il
anybody limited that its benef.
Charles were fattening at the
peoples expense, he was de.
nounced as an English ally
and a 'Free Trader" and abu.
sed without limit; or else we
are grandly told that the tariff
is too deep a subject to be un,
derstood by the common PEG.
pie. And yet the tariff is just
vs. simple a transaction as any
other ''hunko game" Its sole
ae0ret is based on getting
something for nothing, and the