St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-19

ieFleS lIS eXdctlOnS WIN the authority
of lord. [CheeIs.
In all this contest which ''prOtectiOn"
has made for the control of the govern
ment and the power of taxation, the
farmer has been lost sight of. The
truth is, that the farmers influence in
legislation has steadily decreased as
wealth and class legislation have in
creased.
The Tariff and Farmer.
Let us consider the farmers relation
to this protective policy. If we will
consult the census we will find that
about eight millions of MEN are engaged
in farming, and then, with their families
and dependents, constitute quite forty
millions of our people. So that farming
employs more American citiZenS than
any other pursuit. The interests of so
vast aud important body of our peO-
pie ought to be consulted in all legisla-
ton. SO far as governmental aid is con-
cerned they have practically "hOed their
own row." If by system of protection
through duties on imports other classes
are aided. the farmer is by the very con-
dition of things outside the pale of
assistance. Wheat, corn, cotton, pork
and the products of the farm can-
not he protected, for these and
other agric ultural products are our eX-
ports, and tariff for protection can
only act Oh our imports. So that it
must he perfectly apparent that when
Mr.. Mckinley comes forward with a
pretense that he intends to help the
farmer, or be of any possible use to him,
by his system OF projection, he is simply
telling that which is false, ami is using
his benevolent pretenSeS rs cloak, I'M
der cover Of which he enricheS his
lordly pets and pays Off his political
debts. tCheerS.l Agriculture. so far as
the tariff is concerned. stands upon its
own legs. But the aggravating injustice
of the system is that, receiving no bene-
fits from protection, it is yet taxed to
carry all the protected industries Oh Its
shoulders. As the farmers consume
more. they must pay more. For ninety
years the farmers of this nation have
been the patient Samsons who have paid
protective taxes to set up other people
in business and make other people rich.
With these industries nearly a century
old, agriculture calls loud halt to fur
Their tariff eXtortions. Cheers.
Special '.Sop'' to Farmers.
Now. as the Mckinley bill proposed
to raise the Tariff taxes on the long list
of articles the farmers consume still
be prOpitlated III some way, so they re-
sorted to the old fraud OF raising the
tariff on farmers products as sop"
Wheat was raised from 20 to 25 cents
per buShel; corn from 10 to Is cents;
oats from 10 to ID cents; potatoes from
Is to % cents; beef from l cent to 9
cents per pound, and so on. This prof
fered protection was an absolute sham.
and is an insult to the farmers inteii-
gence by attempting to bride him with
tariffs of no possible benefit, while they
rob him by series of new steals con-
cealed in the Mckinley bill.
Some Practical Experience.
A little practical experience in this
matter is good teacher, and opens our
eyes to the stupid sophism that protec-
ton helps the farmer. DID not the Re-
publican orators and newspapers tell
the farmer of the new and blessed tar
IFS introduced into the Mckinley bill
for his special benefit? And did they
not promise Immediate profits from this
new protection? Now, what are the re-
suits? We have had more than years
experience under the operation of the
Mckinley bill, and how stands the rec
ord? Wheat ranged from so to So cents
per buShel before the passage of that
measure, and 1t is now IS TO 62 cents
per bushel: flax averaged from Sill to
S1.30 per bushel, and is now but 80
cents; beef has gone lower than ever
before in its history. Horses have
fallen % per cent in value. and SO the
whole list of farm products have dropped
down under the operation OF this law.
The measure has utterly failed to real
iZe the promise OF its authors. The I'M
portation OF foreign farm products are
too petty to cut any figure.
High Wool Tariffs Give Low Prices
for Wool.
Wool is the most notable of all the eX-
ampleS of this false doctrine. In 1867
the price of wool averaged 81 cents per
pound; but under the operation OF the
extraordinary tariff of that wear wool
went down, till in 1870 we find it As
cents per pound. That year the tariff on
WOODS was slightly increased, and down
the price of wool continued to go. l
began farming in 1888, and became at
once wool producer. The next year
sold my fleeces at my own door for 81
cents per pound. In 1880 they again
the celebrated combine between the
wool-growerS of Ohio and the
manufacturers of wool, and down
went wool steadily to about %
cents per pound i'll 1889. And now.
in 1890, they give us the Mckinley bill
and tariff OF II cents d pound Oh wool,
the highest wool tariff ever known, and
this year, under the operation of that
bill, for the first time, not buyer WIS.,
ited my home, and L was compelled to
go to Mankato and beg for buyer, and
all he would give me for my wool was
II cents per pound! This is the per-
sonal knowledge of every sheep-rais-
ing farmer i'll this audience. A voice,
that's So" John Sherman admitted
on the floor of the senate i'll 1888 that
the effect of increased protection
to wool was to gradually re-
duce the price of that product.
Sheep have become more profitable be-
cause of their increased mutton value,
and not their fleece value. The Amer.
of the English people, and we are be-
coming mutton-eating nation. So
| thus il appears that in reviewing prices
| Of farm products within your own
everyday knowledge, tariffs on agri-
cultural products do not help you any.
No duty on farm products, as rufe.
can possibly make them higher. The
exceptions are too trifiIng TO note. The
man who offers to teach you different
philosophy simply insults your intelli-
| gence. The only relation you bear to
the tariff is that at all points
| your industry is subsidized to
| support and enrich certain lines of
| petted and panpered manufactures.
| Congress has given you farmers the
| legal right to collect and rob your cOun-
trymen of 25>cents per bushel on wheat,
and IL cents per pound on wool, and 2