The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-03-31
PROTECTIVE TAnIrF AND RUIN


or the Common People--How it Has
Touched the Farmers and Renters OF
Ohio.
Extract from the speech OF Congressman Bryan OF
Nebraska.
al append to my speech statistics
from seven states furnished by the cen.
sus bureau, showing the proportion of
those who in 1880 rented their farms
and the proportion who rented IN 1880
In ten counties in the State of Kansas
the proportion of those renting thei
farms increased from IL IL in 1880 to
33 % per cent, in $780, and CABS per
cent of the farms are mortgaged. \ IT
they tell us that they are protecting
infant industries
"Why, sir, these mortgages are held
in the East: and # these manufacturing
States, when their industries are 'in-
fants' own themselves and have mort.
gage on US, what is going to be the re.
suit when they get full groYnp Laugh
ter and applause,l
In Ohio in ten counties the proper
tion of renters in 1880 was 2i 90 per
cent; In 1890 81 10 per cent. In five
counties of Virginia in 1880 the pro-
portion was 1920 per cent; in 1890, 2D2Q
per cent; in New York in eight cour-
ties Is 20, in 1880; "a per cent IN 1890; in
Massachusetts ip ten counties, $40 uer
cent in 1880 and 14.20psr cent in 1850;
in Rhode Island in four counties - 81
per cent in 1880; 24.25 per cent in lS9 ;;
in Maine in six counties so per cent in
1880, 7.33 per cent in 1880.
"Thus in every State, so far as
these statistics have been collected, the
proportion of home. owning farmers is
decreasing and that of tenant farmers
increasing. This means but one thing;
1t means a land of landlords ana
tenants; and, backed by the history OF
every nation that has gone down, say
to you that no people can continue a
free people under free government
when the great majority of It's citizens
are tenants of small minority. APP
plause Your system has driven the
farm. owner from his land and subSti-
tuted the farm tenant.
1--WE cannot afford to destroy the
peasantry of this country. We cannot
afford to degrade the common people
of this land, for they are the people who
in time of prosperity and peace produce
the wealth of the country, and they are
also the people who in time of war bare
their breasts to hostile fire in defense
of the flag. Go to Arlington or to any
of the national cemeteries, see there the
plain white monuments which mark the
place, where rest the ashes of the ma.
tioh's countless dead those of whom
the poet has so beautifully written:
On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread.
"Who were they? Were they the
benehciaries of special legislation ?
Were they the people who are ever
clamoring for privileges? No my
friends; those who come here and OBJ
tain from Government its aid and help,
find in time of war too great a chance
to increase their wealth to give
much attention to military duties
A nations extremity is their Oppor-
tunity. They are the ones who make
carefully drawn, providing
for the payment of their money in coin
while the Government goes out, if
and drafts the people, and
makes them lay down upon the altar
of their country all they have. No;
the people who fight the battles are
largely the poor, the common people of
the country; those who have little to
save but their nonor, and little to lose
but their lives. These are the ones,
and say to you, sir that the country
cannot afford to lose them. quote
the language of Pericles in his great
funeral grafton. He says:
"'It was for such a country, then,
that these men, nobly resolving not to
have it taken from them, fell fighting;
and every one Of their survivors may
well be willing to suffer in its behalf,
"That, Mr.. Chairman, is a noble senti-
ment and points the direction to the
true policy of free people. 1t must be
by bene6cent laws, it must be a Just
Government which free people can
love and upon which they can rely that
the nation is to be preserved. We can
not put our safety in a great navy; we
cannot put our safety in expensive
along a seaeoast thou
sands of miles in extent, nor can we
put our safety in great standing army
that would absorb in idleness the toll
of the men it protects. A free govern
ment must find its safely In happy and
citizens, who, protected in
their rights and free from unnecessary
burdens, will be willing to die that the
which they enjoy may be
to their posterity.