The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-07-28
FARMERS FOR PROTECTION.
They Made the First Tariff for Their
Own Special Benefit

Agricultural Property Under Protec-
tion-Striking Facts About Agric ultural
Conditions in the Good Old Times.'
Protection was adopted by the founders Of tho
Government for the special purpose Of bene-
hitting farmers. The members Of the first Con-
Gress were nearly all farmers themselves or
represented farming constituencies. Agrtcul-
ture was practically tho only industry Of the
people, and they saw their produce rot on their
hands year After year for want OF market for
Il. To create market for this produce was the
primo object Of the carly legislators. There was
not robber baron among Thorn. Their policy
statesmen down to Blaine and Mckinley based
their advocacy of Protection on their belief that
It benefited the farmer most OF all. We shall
quote from TWO only. jackson and Calhoun,
both Democrats. Said the former, in advocacy
OF tho Tariff Of 1924:
II will ask what is the real situation Of tho
agriculturst? Whore has the American farmer
Q market for his surplus producer Take from
agriculture in the United States GEO. 900 men,
women and children. and you Will at once give a
market for moro breadstuns than all Europe
now furnishes u.s."
10 evidently understood how Protection ben
ented tho farmer. The certain results of Pro-
section. Calhoun said, would be:
"The farmer will and a ready market for his
Surplus produce, and. what Is almost OF eq ua
consequences. q certain and cheap supply OF all
his wants."
He was no less sure that Protection benefited
the farmer, because he. like Jackson, had expe-
Fienced the miseries OF lack Of domestic mar
Notwithstanding the teachings Of all the great
Statesmen Of early times, our country has on
several occasions sxperimented with low tariffs
In every instance the effects on agriculture
were most disastrous. Senator Ewing. Of Ohio.
speaking Of tho low tariff period Immediately
preceding tho Tariff Of 1924, said:
"1n short, every portion OF the world was
searched by our intelligent merchants. and all
combined did not furnish q market adequate to
our surplus productions.
every farmer in Ohio long knew and felt the
pressure consequent on this state OF things
Year after year their stacks Of wheat stood un.
threshed, scarcely worth the manual labor OF
separating the grain from the straw. 30 low
was 1t reduced In comparison with manufac-
tured articles that have known forty bushels
Of wheat given for pair Of boots"
Colton's Life OF Henry Clay" thus describes
tho wretched condition Of agriculture under
another experiment. with low tariff before the
Protective act Of 1s42 came to the farmer
Esecusi
"I1 some parts Of Pennsylvania tho people
we're obliged to divide bank notes into halves,
quarters. Fights, and so on, and agree from
necessity to use them as money. In Ohio, with
al her abundance. it was hard to got money to
pay taxeA. Tho sheriff Of Mustingum County.
- stated BY the Guernsey Times in the summon
$50; ton hogs At ~ cents each; two horses
ssid to b worth SO to SIS each) at 81 ach; two
cows at u zach; barrel ofsugar at 81. 50. and
Mo-, a. stated by the Hannibal Journal, the
sherin sold three horses at $50 each; one large
OK at lax cents; 1ve cows, two steers and one
each; -four hogs, the lot at a. cents; one
sightday clock at $3.50; lot OF tobacco. seven or
eight hogsheads. At IS; three stacks OF hay. each
ct IS cents, and stack Of fodder at rs cents"
30 much for our own e1perie ace with low or
revenue tariffs. Bp gland 8 example is no less
instructive. Before her adoption Of FREQ Trade
her agriculture was the main source of her
strength and wealth. 1t vas armies drawn
from English farms that won her Victories.
msde her conqussts and placed her in the proud
place she has occupied for centuries among the
nations OF the Garth.
To-day, eleven million acres OF the best
farm land in the world IL lying waste in Eng
land, 200. 900 persons annually Leave tho agri-
cultural districts and tho condition OF British
agriculture ts simply deplorabls. FREQ Trade
has all but Tulned the English farmer. 50 ithas
ruined the Irish IN rmer. So 1t has dealt with
agriculture in India. In fact, our own export.
sncs and that Of the whole world Is that q
revenue tartn means death to the farmers pros
perity.
On the other hand, see low constantly and
greatly the condition Of American farmers has
Improved. Never before could they get 30 great
sQuantity OF the things they consume with 50
small o quantity Of the things they produce. The
following comparison between former and pres
snt agricultural conditions shows how superior
those of tho present arc. and vindicates she
wisdom OF our carly statesmen. who, at q time
whom the farmer citizens Of the young Republic
had to exchange q wagon load Of farm prod
uce for q pair Of boots. 80 directed the course
Of Legislation as to realize at the close of the
nineteenth century the conditions here
pictured:
PRICE OF THINGS FARMERS SELL.