The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-06-24
Profit and Loss on Peas.

A local illustration of the effects of Major
McKinley's tariff Oh tin is afforded at this
time by the Baltimore canneries. A short
time ago machine was invented for hullIng
green peas, and this hitherto tedious and
expensive operation can now be performed
so as TO bring canned peas in the market as
cheap article of food. The production of
peas was at once stimulated, and a vast
acreage in Virginia and Southern Maryland
was planted in this crop. Last year it was
grown at an excellent profit. This year the
number of barrels and baskets brought to
Baltimore has been enormous, and thous-
ands of barrels have been timed in local
factories. But the energy and labor of the
farmers and the skill of the inventor are
met squarely this year by the greed of the
protected monopolist Canned peas are
regarded by the many as a luxury, and
they cannot be sold except al a certain price.
The tariff on the tin in sufficient number
of cans to contain barrel of peas cannot be,
added to the price charged TO the consumer,
but comes out of the pockets of the farmer.
The price so affected Is below that paid a
year ago, and the tin tariff which thus
C ,mes directly from tine pocksts of agricul
ture is sufficient TO represent the difference
between profit and loss to the farmer
Baltimore Sun.
As a narrative Of facts as far as they ap-
ply TO peas the Suns story is probably true,
but misleading in its philosophy. Had
there been no tariff on tin the case would
not be materially different. There are too
many idle people who have no money to
buy peas and those who haye jobs-large
numbers Of them-get such small pay in
the cities where the great canned pea market
is, that they cannot afford 10 spend any part
of it for the luxury of green peas in tin.
If there was money sufficient in the country
and it conld be had by those who pursue
productive industry, the idle labor would
be employed at reasonable wages. More
food products would be consumed, the de-
mand would increase, the prices would rise
in an equal ratio. The farmers crops
would find consumers, and he would not
lose part Of them after having raised
them, even though he received no higher
price for perishable crops like peas and
fruit. He might even pay more for the
labor he employs,-although he now pays
more than any other class of employers if all
conditions are considered and his income
would be largely increased. The forced
ldleness in the country hurts farmers more
than any other class except those who are
compelled to be idle. The latters' is their
capital and every idle day is to them an abb
solute loss.
The apologists for the present unhealthy
economic conditions tell US there is plenty
of monny in the cities seeking invest
ment." So there may be. II is not in the
country. 1t is not seeking investment in
labor. 1t is held for specializing, for ten
terprises," for the non. producing class who
turn the penny without soiling their hands.
Farmers cannot get that money and use it
in the cities the monopoly papers blow
about employs little or no labor. II has
been drawn from the hand OF labor by the
Spectator and caused a steady fall of prices
The spectators and exploiting class have
used up all of their kind of material in
sight, and are lying quietly waiting for
something TO come in sight, hence the idle
money in the cities. Interest and dividends
are the drag nets which have landed this
surplus money in the Giles that is seeking
investment" Investment in the sense here
used means some scheme by which labor
may be tempted to produce more wealth,
which in turn is to be drawn in by the
interest and dividend nets of these exploit
ing fishermen who inhabt the big cities and
stand behind bank counters and gravitate
between the bank vault, corporation Offices,
boards of trade, exchanges, etc. Follow
this snake and you will find he is the
anaconda that makes the trail over the
farmers pea patch and wheat field. and
what the serpent doesn't devour he destroys.
| 1t is not the increased tariff on tin which
destroys the farmers peas, though we are
not defending that and think il would have
been more sensible and honest to have given
the tin manufacturers bounty, if they
needed assistance to get started, as doubtless
they did, like the sugar raisers. Every
body would then have understood what il
cost the people to establish the tin industry.