The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-17
LET THE INVESTIGATION BE MADE

! LET THE INVESTIGATION BE MADE.
Jerry Simpson and his coterie of cal
lamity howlers are very clipper in their
criticisms of the Democratic party when
| it can be done in harmless and molten
sive way, but when it comes to taking
sides on any question affecting the sub
| stantiaI interests Of the country, and
where Democratic success may be jeop-
ardized or enhanced, they may be de-
pended upon to lend their assistance to
that party. When the resolution was
before the house authorizing an investi-
CATION of the effects the present tariff
law has had upon the agricultural inter
ests of the country, those knights of des-
pondency and distress were quick to
champion the proposition and to cater
to prejudice by dragging up bits of
ancient history to back their dema-
gogy. Jerry was very felicitous in
his references to temporary conditions
that have existed in Kansas, and which
have been magnified and paraded before
the world to the states injury ever since
incidents that occurred long before the
present tariff law was ever thought of.
Without referring to the grasshcpper
scourge and the subsequent season or
two of drouth, neither of which were
worse in Kansas than they were IN some
of the adjoining states, will Simpson, or
some apologist for him, tell the people of
Kansas what a law that had not been
framed had to do with the price of corn
in 1SS990? The allegation that farmers
were forced to burn their corn because
of the harmful effects of the Mckinley
law is too absurd for serious considera-
ton.
As for the proposed investigation, let
it be made, only have it fairly and hon
estly done 1t will disclose a change in
the condition of the agricultural COM
munity that is plainly and directly the
effect of the operation of the new tariff
law, as compared to that that existed
before and at the time it went into oper-
alton, which ought and no doubt will
make every real farmer warm SUD-
porter of the law, whatever his previous
political bias.
The investigation viii disclose the
fact that prices at home for all farm
products are higher to the producers by
from 10 to 80 per cent. than they were
before the law went into effect
1t viii show that although the food
crops of last year were the greatest in
the history of this country, they are
yielding the producers better prices and
bigger profits than any OF the past de-
cade.
Il will show that under the provisions
of the Mckinley law foreign markets
have been opened TO the pro lucts of
American farmers never opened before.
which so increased the demand for the
fruits of the American farmers toll that
Notwithstanding the great crops produc-
ed he has found a ready sale for his sur
plus at renumeratiye prices.
Let the investigation be made bv all
means, only let the Republicans see to il
that it is made in such a manner as TO
bring out the facts. If an honest inquiry
shall show that the law is detrimental to
the best interests of the people and in
furious TO the welfare of the agricultural
community 1t viii be time 10 amend the
law IN those respects, but the people Of
TINS csuntry viii not tolerate whole
sale changing OF the law simply upon
the unsupported assertions of political
biathersklteS and for purely PARTISAN
ends.