Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-15

unfavorable incidents of agriculture that the
farmer cannot produce upon orders He must
sow and reap in ignorance of the aggregate pro-
duction of the year. and is peculiarly subject to
the depreciation which follows over production
But while the facts have stated are true as 10
the crops have mentioned the general aver
age of prices has been such as to give to, agr1-
culture fair participation in the general pros
perity The value of total farm products
has increased from 81 1853 GIG. s66 in 1860 to S4I
500 900 600 in 1891 as estimated by statStlc1ans,
an increase of 23o per cent The number OF
hogs January 1, 1891, was 5o,625,105 and their
value 500, 193,925. On January 1, 1892 the num-
Der was 81, 1893 0i9 and the value s2i1, 91 41o On
January 1. 1884, the number OF cattle was 90
875,6i8 and the value S54f,127,90a On January
/, 1892 the number was 81, 651 ,239 and the value
$50 749, 155.
If any are disconnected with their state
here: if any believe that the wages or
prices, the returns for honest toll, are made
ouate they should not fail to remember
that there is no other country in the world
where the conditions that seem TO them hard,
would not be accepted as highly prosperous
The English agriculturist would be glad to ex-
change The returns of his labor for those or the
American farmer and the Manchester work
men their wages for these of their fellows at
Fall River
believe that the protective system. which
now for something like thirty years has pre-
vailed in our legislation has been mighty in
strument for the development Of our national
wealth and most powerful agency in protect
ing the homes of our worl1ingmen from the IN
vasion of want. I have felt most solicitous
interest to preserve to our working people
rates of wages that would not only give daily
bread but supply comfortable margin for
those home attractions and family COM
forts and enjoyments without which life
is neither hopeful nor sweet. They are Amer
lean citizens-a part OF the great people for
whorn our cons ntution and government were
framed and instituted and it cannot be d per-
version of that constitution to SO legislate as
@l,Os- no font ir1Fa
pendence. loyalty and sense of interest in the
government which are essential to good citi-
ze7shp and which will bring them, as in 1861,
to the defense of the flag When it is assaIied-
1t is not my purpose to renew here the argl-
ment in favor of a protective tariff The result
Of the recent election must be accepted as hav-
ing introduced new policy. We must assume
that the present tariff, constructed upon the
lines of protection, is to be repealed and that
there is to be substituted for it a tariff law
couSt ructed solely with reference 10 revenue:
that duty is to be higher because the in
crease will keep open an American mill
keep up the wages of an American work
man, but that in every case such rate OF duty
is to be imposed as will bring the treasury
of the United States the largest returns of
revenue The contention has not been between
schedules, but between principles and it would
be offensive to suggest that the prevailing party
Will not carry into legislation the principles ad-
voca ted by it and the pledges given to The peo-
pie The tariff bills passed by the house of
representatives of the last session were sup
posed, even in the opinion of their promoters
inadequate and Justified only by the fact that
the senate and house of representatives were
not in accord and that general revision could
not, therefore, be undertaken
recommend that the whole subject of tariff
revision be left to the incoming congress It is
a matter of regret that this work must be de-
layed for at least three months, for the threat
Of great tariff changes introduces SO much I'M
certainty that amount not easily estimated, of
business inaction and of diminished production,
will necessarily result 1t is possible also that
this uncertainty may result in decreased reve-
nues from customs duties. for our merchants will
make cautious orders for foreign goods in view
of the prospect of tariff reductions and the I'M
certainty to when it will take effect
Those who have advocated d protective tariff
can well afford to have their disastrous fore
casts of a change Of policy disappointed. If q
system of customs duties be framed that
will set the idle wheels and looms of Europe in
motion and crowd our warehouses with foreign
made goods and a t the same time keep our mills
busy: that will give US an increased participa-
ton in 1.-THE markets of the world of a greater
value than the home market that we surrender;
that will give increased work to foreign work
men upon products to be consumed by our peO-
pie without diminishing the amount of work to
be done here: that viii enable the American
manufacturer to pay to his workmen from 30 to
100 per cent more in wages than is paid in the
foreign mill and yet to compete in our mar
ketS and in foreign markets with the
foreign producer; that will further reduce
the cost of articles of wear and food without
reducing the wages of those who produce them;
that can be celebrated after it's effects have
been realized, as its expectation has been in
Europe, well in American cities, the au-
thorS and promoters of it wilt be entitled to the
highest praise We have had in our history
several experiences of the contrasted effects of
a revenue and of a protective tariff but this
general ton has not felt them and the expert
ence of one generation is not highly instructive
to the next The friends of the protective sys-
tenn, with undiminished confidence in the prin-
ciples they have advocated, will await the re-
suits of the experiment.
The strained and too often disturbed rela tons
existing between the employees and employers
in great manufacturing establishments
have not been favorable to d consideration by
the wage earher of the effect upon wages of the
protective system.
The fact that his wages the highest
paid in the like callingS of the world and that a
maintenance of this rate of wages in the alb
sence of protective duties upon the product OF
his labor, was impossible. were obscurcd by
the passion evoked by these contests. He MAY
now be able to review the QueS ton in the light
of his personal experience under the operation
of tariff for revenue only. If that experience
shall demonstrate that present rates OF wages
are thereby maintained or increased, either ID
| solutely or in their purchasing power and thai
the aggregate volume of work to be done in this
country is increased or even maintained; tina
there are more or as many days work in a veal
at as good or better wages for the American
workman as has been the case under the pro
tective system every one will rejoice. y gen
eral process of wage reduction cannot be con
! templated by any patriotic citizen without tbs
gravest apprehension. 1t may be- indeed,
! believe is, possible fer the American
| manufacturer to compete successfully with HI:
| foreign rival in many branches of production
! without the defense of protective duties. if thu
| pay rolls are eQualiZed: but the conflict tina
| stands between the producer and that resul
and the distress of the people, when it is at
| tanned, are not pleasant to contemplate Tn
! society of the unemployed, now holding its IRE
| Quent and threatening parades il the streets o
! foreign cities, should, not be allowed to acquir
| an American dOmicile
Reports of Departments.
The reports of the heads of the several execu
| tive departments, which are herewith sui
mitted, have very naturally included resum
| of the whole work of the admins tration, wit
| the transactions of the last fiscal year. Tn
| attention, not only in congress, but of the cour
| try. is again invited to the methods of admins
| tration which have been pursued, and to the re
| suits which have been attained Public rever
ues amounting to 81, ,079, 90 2S have been CO
| appropriation, without a single defalcs
ton of such Importance as to attrac
| the public attention, and at a diminishe
per cent of cost for collection. Tn
| public business has been transacted not onl
with fidelity, but progressively and with
view to giving to the people in the fullest po:
sible degree the benefits of n service estal
lished and maintained for their protection al
/ fort