Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-02-24
AN APPEAL
For the Protection and Prosper.
ity of Agriculture
BY PATRONS OF HUsBANDRY.
Address of the Legislative Committee
of the National Grange.

| To the Senators and Representatives. as
sem6led in the Congress Of the Lnied
States.
GENTLEMEN: We, the undersigned,
have been appointed committee OF
the National Grange of the Patrons OF
Husbandry to urge before your honor
able body such legislation as is deem
ed by our Order essential to the pros
perity of the agricultural interests OF
our country, and in attempting to dis
charge this duty we find it necessary
to empha ically object to some of the
changes proposed in the agricultural
schedule blythe so-called Wilson Tariff
bill, and in so doing we have nothing
to say for or against protection as a
policy of the Government; but as a
revenue measure every American cit
izen is interested.
We deem it the true policy of the
National Government to collect its rev.
enues, as much as possible, from duties
on imports, as being system of tax
alton more equitable and less burden
some when justly distributed than di-
rect taxation upon the industries and
property of our people, thus leaving
this class of subjects to the States for
taxation for the collection of their rev.
enues, as they cannot levy an import
tax under the Constitution of the Cen
eral Government. Another reason
why foreign trade should pay import
duties is that our Government must
maintain wharves and warehouses for
the accommodation of their trade, and
this trade should justly pay for this
privilege out of which it is proposed
to gain a livelihood
The members ofour Order, of course,
differ in their views upon the details
of equitable tariff legislation. 1t is
not the duty of the Order to interfere
with the free exercise of the rights of
our members as citizens.
When the people at the ballot box
decide any issue raised by the politi-
cal parties on general principles our
Order cheerfully accepts the situation,
and only insists that the policy thus
Endorsed shall be fairly carried into eff
feet without any discrimination against
the farmer, or any class or interest in
our country.
When the people decided for the
protective policy at the polls we ask
ed Congress that in the proposed tariff
revision agriculture should receive the
same consideration as did other inter
ests. Our demands were respectfully
and fully considered and, with one ex-
ception, all that we asked was incor-
porated in the tariff laws of our coun-
try, and the farmers were largely Incl
dentally protected in the American
markets, and as result realized bet
ter prices for hay, barley, vegetables,
potatoes, beans, live stock, poultry,
eggs, tobacco, fruits, and many other
products, which were not oppressive
to those engaged in other vacations.
In the change of the political situa-
ton of our country our farmers had
reason to believe that in the revision
of the tariff, placing it on a new basis,
that it would be SO adjusted that duties
would be imposed largely on luxuries
and such products as might be import
ed that would directly come in compe-
tition with American agricultural
productions and American manufac-
lures, which were essential to give
employment to American labor and
capital. In fact, this was guaranteed
in the Chicago platform of the pres
ent party.
The Legislative Comnittee OF the
National Grange, at the special ses sion
of Congress, advised the Committee OF
Ways and Means of the Importance of
taking care of the agricultural interests
in drafting a revised tariff bill.
Had the committee reported a bill
i'll strict conformity with the decision
of the people at the polls we should
have nothing to say against it, but
because the proposed legislation is
very unjust, in so far as it pertains to
the farmers, and unfairly diScriminates
against the interests of agriculture by
virtually abandoning the New Eng
land New York. and coast trade to Can
ada and other foreign countries, by
reason of proximity and cheap water
transportation, which in effect bring
the producers in foreign countries
closer to these markets than our
American farmers in the interior, who
must transport by the more costly
method of rail-
The great bulk of agricultural pro-
ducts imported into the United States
from Canada and countries beyond
the sea are consumed in our seaboard
cities and great manufacturing centers
OF the East, which should be preserv-
ed as a market for the products of the
farmers of the United States.
Your petitioners respectfully main
tain that the difference in the cost of
agricultural productions in the United
States and in foreign countries should
be regarded as Just measure of the
duties which may be laid upon the
products of foreign agriculture for the
protection of the American farmers.
The cost Of agricultural productions,
including the transportation in the
Uuited States, exceeds the cost Of such
productions in Canada, including the
transportation, by a per cent, owing
to the price of labor. This is at least
10 per cent in excess of the 'uties now
imposed by law upon the products OF
foreign agriculture, and the cost of ag-
!