The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-05-04

adopted by the founders of the gov I
ernruent for the special purpose of
benefitting the farmers. The men,
bers of the first Continental Con-
gress were nearly all farmers them
selves or represented farming con
stituencies. Agriculture was prac
tically the only industry of the peo-
pie, and they saw their products rot
on their hands year after year for
want of a market. To create mar
ket for the surplus produce of the
farmer was the prime object Of the
early legislators. There was not a
robber baron among them. The pol
icy was farmers policy, pure and
simple.
Andrew Jackson good Demo
cratic authority--said in advocacy
of the tariff of 1924: II will ask what
is the real situation of the agricult-
urist? Where has the American
farmer market for his surplus pro-
duce? Take from agriculture in
the United States 600, 600 men, wom-
en- and children, and you will at
once give market for more bread.
stuffs than all Europe now furnish
es." John G. Calhoun, another
good Democratic authority. speak
ing of the results of protection said:
"The farmer will find ready mar
ket for his surplus produce, and
what is of almost equal consequent
ces, a certain and cheap supply of
all his wants" Jackson and Cal
houn evidently saw how protection
benefited the farmer. Notwith
standing the teachings of all the
great statesmen of early times, our
country has on several occasions
experimental with low tariffs. Sen
ator Ewing of Ohio, speaking Of the
low tariff period Immediately pre-
ceding the tariff of 1894, said: an
short, every portion of the world
was searched by our intelligent
merchants, and all combined did
not furnish a 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 I'M
threshed scarcely worth the manual
labor of separating the grain from
the straw. So low was it reduced in
comparison with manufacture. ar
ticles that have known forty bush
els Of wheat given for a pair OF
boots"
AS we all know, free trade has ru-
ined the English farmer. Before
the adoption of free trade in that
country agriculture was the main
source of Eugland's strength and
wealth. To-day 100000 acres of
the best farm land in the world are
lying waste in England and 100000
persons annually leave the agricul-
tural districts for the cities and
towns, or for newer countries. The
same policy has also destroyed ag.
riculture in Ireland and greatly in
jured it in India. We are approach.
ing in this country to the line where
under normal conditions, our own
people will consume at home all our
farmer'sproduce. There are no long.
er such vast tracts OF unoccupied
tracts of grain lands as were brought
under cultivation during the last
twenty years, and the diversified
ton of industry resulting from con
Sistent protection TOT lew more
years will place our farmers in a
position where prices of their pro
ducts will be regulated independ
entity of Liverpool, Russia and In
dia. When that time comes, and II
is not far distant, for already the
star of hope is rising, farmers viii
have very edifying conviction o
the value of protection. Let then
theorize as they may, tariff reform
ers cannot gainsay the fact tina
American farmers and workin,
men, under our wholesome protec
tive policy, are in far better condi
ton than the same classes of people
in any free trade country on thu
globe. JOHN n. GODDARD.