The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-06-25
AGRICULTURE AND POLITICS.
New England Farmers Abandon Their
Fields Because -, the Tariff Tax.

New England Farmers Abandon Their
Fields Because. ot the Tariff Tax.
Our civilization rest, upon agriculture.
To it every strong state must look, not
only for bread, but in large measure for
men who are to uphold its society. We
nave won and maintained our institu-
tions in peace and war by the aid of the
sturdy citizens who were born and bred
upon farms; therefore it is the first duty
of our Legislators to take care that the
laws do not endanger the prosperity of
those who till the soil.
The present condition of agriculture
in New England shows clearly that the
protective tariff is harmful to the inter
ests of the farmer. Thirty years ago this
part of the United States contained thou
sands of small farms, which are now
abandoned. In every neighborhoOd we
see these deserted homesteads falling III
ruins and their fields returning to forests.
The traveller in these districts feels that
some great plague has fallen upon the
people. Thus in the towns of Tisbury
and Chilmark, in Dukes county, Mass,
more than three-fifths of the farm
steads Of thirty years ago are now
deserted. On one tract Of 200 acres,
where formerly stood twenty-five farm
houses, only eight remain, and the great
er part of the fields has grow up in
brushwood. Several of t le New Eng
land states have been led to the en-
traOrdinary measure of making a Census
of their abandoned farms, with the hope
that foreigners might be induced to buy
fha,n Althn.,nh th.Sn lists q ,a it,narfant
in that they take account only of those
places where the houses and fields are
still fit for use, the results are startling.
They show that the small farmuri is rapid
ly being driven from the land which for
centuries had maintained his forefathers
in prosperity. The census Of 1896 shows
a loss of population in 93G rural towns
in New England.
One reason why the small farmers
have been driven to abandon their
fields is 4 found in the fact that the pro
tective tariff greatly increases the ex-
penses Of their households. In Il family
. of five persons engaged i'll farming, and
living with strict economy, at least $3.50
has to be spent for clothing, household
utensils. farming tools and the materials
which are used III repairing building,
and fences. On the average more than
fifty dollars of this sum is due to the
protective tariff. This tax is great
enough to make a life and death differ
ence in the struggle of a man who has
to depend for his success on his OWL
strength and the natural resources of IA
small tract of ordinary New England
Land \Ei+l, th,t ,,n.r,lt ,f ,,,o, 90,
the right side of his account he can
support his family and put by something
, for his old age. Without it he must
a fail.
When the system of the protective
tariff was begun the farmers were prom
ised that the manufactures which it
would induce would afford them a high
: priced market for the pr nets of their
fields. This theory has I ved to be ut
2 terly in error. except IN the case Of the
r market gardens near the great cities
Y which are owned by men Of capital and
titled by hired labor. no part of ON
q agriculture has had any considerable
+ advantage from the establishment OF
!, factories in New England. 1t is now
I made clear by experience, as it is evident
a from reason, that the price Of our soil
: products is determined by the market
: rates of European countries where our
surplu, is sold. The notion of the ad-
vantages of a home market is shown by
the facts to be fallacious. Instead OF
e being a blessing TO the small farmer, the
tariff is IA curse which s~tealthily work,
h for his uin.-Prur,-sor y. 5. Smaller III
: New England Tariff! Reform Almanac.