Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-24
PRACTICAL RELIEF.
The DEMOCRATIC TARlFr-RsFoRm
CLUB TO THE VIRGINIA FARMERS.
= Eeresh'e Pressntstlea Of the Situation
The True Rsmeay ana the
Wise Course.

iRp democratic Jarif-Reform Club OF
Richmond have issued tho following adj
dress to the farmers OF Virginia,
II - not questioned that the condition
81 the farming community In Virginia Ia
not prosperous and that the farmers would
Dc fully justified la using all legitimate
snd practical means 70 improve their con-
dttios. The farmer has had TO pay too
much for what he has to buy and has
gotten very unsatisfactory prices for what
What Il the cause Of this depression in
Tao prices OF farm products, aud what ia
the rcrnedyi Ono of the chief causes of
TINS uepression Is the limited market for
farm products resulting from our present
high tariff. We cripple the ability OF
European countries 10 buy our products
IN Imposing q restraint upon their trade
with rs. For instance, South Africa and
hustrailn raise fine Grade of wool which
but for the high tariff upon wool would be
imported into this country in large guam
titles, and the vessels that brought this
wool would take back American products,
but we are TO largo extent cut of from
this trade by the operation of the tariff.
Tits II but en- illustration. The ability
OF every foreign country TO buy our
products. depends upon the amount
OF goods such country can sell
70 ms. II is therefore obvious that
one great cause Of the depression
here in the prices OF agricultural pro-
ducts Is the present high tarif-and
not only does the tariff operate to depress
prices OF farm products. butt very greatly
increases the price of such things as the
farmer must buy. Upon the various articles
OF clothing. household and kitchen furnI-
ture. and farm equipments tho farmer pays
avery heavy tax. At least one-third of
the price OF snch articles is q tax paid TO
the government or IL IL a bonus paid 10
the protected manufacturer. In the case OF
wooilen goods the tax IL more than one third
of the cost. How is IL possible that the peo-
pie generally can be benefited by having
10 paw s. for an article which. but for the
tariff. they could get for S2y
THE CLAM NOT JUSTIFIED.
II is claimed by the protectioDists that a
high tariff increases the wages OF the la
borer, but the facts don't justify this
claim. The increased tax under the Nc
Kinley bill has not gone into the pockets
of the laboring man. The Hon. Joseph
Wheeler in recent speech in Congress,
said that he had before him list of sixty
factories that had reduced wages from 10
per cent. to 40 per cent, and that tneTe
was not o single instance whore wages had
been increased TO an amount greater
than they had been before the Nc
kiuley bill was passed. No one in Con-
gress undertook 10 question this staten ent,
aud Mr.. Carlisle in his great speech on the
tariff in the Senate showed that wages nad
increased in fifteen non-protected ludus,,
tries. while there had been no increase OF
wages in any protected industry. lie also
demonstrated that the Mckinney OIL nau
very greatly added to the burdens OF the
people. There IS no one so ootuse as not 10
see that It would be great relief TO the peo-
ple il they could get more for what they
hayeto sell aud had to pay less for what they
have TO buy, and this would unquestiona-
bly, be the effect of a reduction OF duties !
on imported goods. Now, this is a pTactI- |
cal relief. The Democratic party have been
laboriug for years TO reduce the tarlh.
The Democratic party Is in favor of tax
on imported goods sufficient to meet the |
needs OF q government wisely and eco
nomioally administered. and no more No |
one doubts that N our party gets full con- |
troll OF the government 1t Will enforce and |
carry out it's policy OF low taxation. The |
Republican party does not propose to give |
the people any reliet. and IL does not even !
admit that the people ought to have any |
relief. The monopolists. the money. kings, |
aud the protected industries now largely |
control the policy snd direct the action OF |
the Republican party. and hence 1t is vain |
20 look for any rehef from this party now |
or al any time.
NO REIIEF PROM THE THIRD PARTY.
Nor do we understand that the Peoples !
party propose to give any relief in this d. |
denunciation of the tariff at the hands of |
their speakers, and IL would seem that the
carrying out of the various schemes OF re- |
lief incorporated III their platform Will
render tariff reform impossible. 1t has |
been shown that the Democratic party
proposes TO give practical and certain re-
lief that is Of the greatest Importance TO
the people of this State and particularly TO
the farmers, who are the greatest sufferers
from our iniquitOus tariff system. Is
there anything in the schemes of relief
proposed 10y the Third party which can
justify the farmer in giving up. a
relief that is perfectly practical and that
is OF the greatest moment to him?
IL is not even pretended that these
schemes can be realized now-indeed. II Is
admitted by many of this party that any
considerable measure OF success In the
present campaign involves four years more
of Republican rule-but they contend that
in 1.-THE sweet by and by" they will make
things better for the farmers IN virginia.
How do they propose to do this Their
platform presents three schemes:
l. Free coinage of silver.
2 Government ownership OF railroads.
3. Government loans to the people at
small rate of interest upon land and non
perishable personal property.
FRKE COINAGE OF SILVER.
There is no sentiment in favor OF the
tree coinage OF SILVER which can he taken
into account as a political factor except in
the southern and northwestern States and
the great majority OF the advocates OF free
coinage are found in the Democratic party.
Ii ~ therefore obvious that to divide the
Democratic party or to carve out OF II IA
new party is TO destroy all hope OF the free
coinage of SILVER There is no chance of
bringing IL about except by working in
and through the Democratic party. Dlvi-
sion means defeat.
GoyEREMEST OWNERSHIP OF RAILROADS.
II is submitted that such ownership
would be most undesirable If II were prac-
ticable. The railroads would become the
footballs of political parties The tempta-
ton TO use them 10 promote partisan ends
rather than for the general good would DO
too great and there is every reason to fear
that they would be operated less safely
aud satisfactorily than they are now. And
then. too, such ownership with the vast
powers incident 10 IL, would tend TO de-
stroy the whole character of our govern
ment and 70 establish an oligarchy In the |
place OF q republic.
TuE AUTONOMY OF STATES.
Those who believe in the autonomy Of |
the States aud who desire TO conserve |
those civil and political rights and immu- |
mites that are the priceless heritage of /
the genius. the wisdom. and the devotion |
of our ancestors see with ever-lncreasing |
hppreheISlOu the touutnCy lOWhfus Tue i
Capitalization Of power III the General /
Government. 1he proposed ownership of |
railroads would be a fearful stride in the /
direction OF Capitalization. Our true
policy is rather TO restrict and 20 confne
within narrow and constitutional bounds
the powers Of the General Government.
Such ownership of railroads is not only
undesirable. but II might impose an in
toieYabie burden upon this generation.
Those who are advocating this wild and
visionary scheme do not seem TO have con-
sidered bow the government is TO acquire
the ownership of these railroads. We
think IL is within bounds 20 say that the
ownership OF these railroads would involve
the expenditure of not less than $1,000
O0O. 900. How is the government TO raise
this money? Suppose il could do so by |
issuing aud selling its bonds, still the IN
terest on these bonds would have TO DO
met year after year, and that would be an
immense sum whether the bonds bore in
terest ut the rate of @ per cent. or per
cent per annum, The present revenues
of the government would not be sufficient.
and the burdens OF the people would
be greatly increased unless these railroads
10000 -. N vtalH a NAT !