The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-29

industries have been enormously devel-
oped by protection, bnt he argues that all
this has been done at the expense of the
farmer: that he has been loser by the
amount that the manufacturer has been
protected. The truth is that not only the
farmer has been helped and benefited by
protection but the farmer has received
more benefit than any one else.
The protective tariff by inducing many
people to engage in manufacturing and
mining instead of farming has thus re-
duced the farmers competition and added
to the value of the products Of the farm
by increasing the market. The increase
in demand If we went abroad fer our
manufactured articles would, of course,
produce an advance In foreign prices.
With the exception Of those articles on
which the duty has not been enough pro-
tective so that they can get on their feet
and stand alone. there is not single arti-
Gle which the farmer consumes which is
not cheaper than it was under the revenue
tariff Of 1916, and cheaper because of the
development of home industries through
household goods and furniture, houses,
barns, implements, tools and fences are
ali cheaper; his produce sells for more
and his land has trebled in value
because protection, by increasing his home
market, has made better prices for what
he sells. Our railway system has devel-
oped the great valleys Of the Ohio, the
Mississippi, the Missouri and the Column
bia. and this quick and cheap Transports
ton from the Pacific to the Atlantic sea-
board is largely due to protection. With
out the protective duty on rails. which
they could not have been reduced from
$l66 per ton in 1867 to $3.50 in 1880, and
furthermore the rails could not otherwise
= have been obtained IN any such quantities
nor the railways have been built in SO
short a time. This reduction OF 81 per
cent. in the price of steel rails in eighteen
years could only have been done by do
mestic competition, and was made posi-
bic by the protective tariff.
When we first imposed q duty on steel
rails there were none made in this couu.
try. In 1867 We produced but 2. 500 tons,
but by 1879 we produced 693, lib tons.
Since then We have made every year more
rails than Great Britain. and in 1857 We
made more than the rest Of the world COM
bined, and have reduced the price of steel
of all kinds as well as iron In all its forms,
have diminished the cost Of cars, loco
motives, railway supplies, etc. The result
as to steel rails is but typical Of the work
of protection and like investigation of
any other industry that has been ade-
quately protected will show the same re-
suits. The Mckinley tariff is as COM
pletely farmers tariff as it could be if
congress had given them blank sheet
and pencil and bid them write out
tariff which should formulate their will.
The Mckinley tariff protects the farmer
against Canada, which in 1890 exported
$46,Oo0,0O0 of farm products and provis-
ions; it gives the farmers of New York,
New England and the Eastern frontier
states needed additional protection for
their grain, hay, milk. butter. eggs
and vegetables, against Canada, and
against Scotch and German potatoes
forcing down prices and destroying profits.
The tariff protects our barley grower
against Canada which had been accus-
toned to send to our markets annually
$40, 100000 worth of barley. Our Eastern
market used to be flooded with Canadian
and even Scotch and and German potatoes.
The foreign grower under the old tariff
could sell his potatoes at 25 cents a bushel,
pay the duty of Is cents a bushei
and compete in the American market at
40 cents, but the Mckinley act by Its in
creased duty on potatoes has made it
Improbable for the foreigner to send his
potatoes here until the American farmers
half crop was bringing at least so cents a
bushel. That is. under the new tariff the
American farmer gets 10 cents bushel
more than under the old law, TO console
him for unfavorable seasons. The reduc-
ton of sugar by 3 cents a pound has
effected a considerable saving in everv
farmers household. These are but a few
of the many instances which might be
cited where the Mckinley tariff helps the
farmer.
The Seattle Press Times of October %