The morning call., 1893-12-20
AGRARlAN RUMBLlNGS.

The problem OF good government is to
distribute burdens and benefits so that
they shall be divided as equally as possible
among all classes If the people. In the
recent speech before the Reichstag which
raised Herbert Bismarck to place among
German political leaders, the orator said
that 100000 of the German people lived
by agriculture. and he therefore approved
OF the Roumanian treaty, which levied adj
ditional duties on Roumanian wheat. and
assented to corresponding increase in
Roumanian duties on German goods. He
thought well of extending the war Of tariff
10 Russia
Of the American people some 33,000.000.
or about half, live by agriculture. This
preponderance is marked in our foreign
commercial relations. In the fiscal year
1922 nearly 70 per cent of our exporta-
tlons. or. In round numbers, $500. 100000.
were products of agriculture, and in the
fiscal year 1928, when the crops of Europe
were more abundant, they amounted 10 rs
per cent of our total expectations, or 10 $685.
100000. Three-fOurths OF the merchandise
with which We pay our debts to the for
eign world are supplied by the farmers.
This national service is rendered by the
agricultural class In spite of the fact that
the sum realized by the growers Of wheat
and corn at the present time is from % TO
40 per cent less than they were in the habit
of getting during the last decade. while
the cotton-grower. in spite of short crops
is also receiving 20 10 % per cent less than
usual. This Is largely attributable TO the
demonstration of silver by European
powers, in which movement the United
States has recently joined tentatively un-
der the leadership of Mr.. Cleveland and
the rule of the Democratic majority.
The Democracy is now engaged in an
other attempt to injure the agricultural
interests of the United States by its tariff
legislation. Itexposes some important p gri-
cultural products to the free competition
of foreign producers working under more
favorable conditions for cheap production.
AT the same time it proposes TO surrender
advantages To be obtained from reciprocity
treaties by which we were able to obtain
admission for our agricultural and other
products. This is done under the pretext
of giving our farmers a chance ito buy in
the cheapest market" In fact, Ii tends TO
weaken their hold on foreign markets and
to make their home market less effective
OS OAiicI ldl i'll CuduEtS lSUQluk ~ UIlUK
down wages.
The contest between people OF cities and
people of rural districts ia as old as the
hills. AS rule victory has rested with
the former. in consequence of their super
ior facilities for combined action. The
utter overthrow of the agricultural inter-
est in England was partly due to its alli-
ance with the indefensible aTistocracy and
partly to conditions peculiar to that cOun-
try. In France influence centered al Paris,
Lyons. Marseiles and Bordeaux, and the
rural class was overmaiched. 1t was left
for Napoleon III to discover the strength
of the farming class. He allied himself
with them, and his Republican successors
adhered 10 his policy For thirty years
where conflicts have arisen between city
and country in France the latter has won.
Germany is now treaGiDg in the same foot
steps.
1t is we'll for Americans to keep watch
of these tendencies, for, though we are a
nation apart, fiourshing under conditions
which do not prevail elsewhere, human
nature and the drift of human exigencies
are the same all over the world. Each
class in society is entitled to have its own
particular interest given an equal chance.
The Office of craftsmanship is to bring
about this result between coutending in
terests so that none can complain of un-
just discrimination. This has been the
persistent and consistent aim of Republl-
can legislation. 1t was reserved for
Democracy TO reverse this policy. Its
course is illustrated in California by the
attempt to make Improbable the produc-
tion Of fruit. wine. wool. barley. sugar
beets and other agricultural products.