Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-11-14
BiUNDERS OF MCKINLEY.


from Protection to Agriculture.
However, in anticipation OF free
wool, the farmer had been suffering
ever since the election OF 1892. he mas
been practically forced In all these
months to take the free trade price 10
the market at Liverpool"
Has not the farmer "been practlcailI
forced" ever since we had a surplus LOT
export "to take the Free Trade prices
in the market at LiverpoolP" Aud II
so. why emphasize 1892? II the farmer
was always forced TO take the Free
Trade price in in the market at Liver
poll" for his surplus, he was Tor the
same reason "forced" TO accept the
Free Trade Liverpool price al
home, and for the greater guam
tity sold for home con-
sumption. Nor did the farmer even
receive the Free Trade Liverpool
price, for there was deducted there
from the cost of transportation from
the place OF production TO Liverpool
not only from that which was exported
but from the much greater quantity
sold for home use. This was the mode
OF disposition up to 1892 Of every agrl'
cultural staple, the surplus OF when
was sold in the open market, and 1t Is
the mode to-day, and will continue TO
be so as long as we have surplus ana
sell it in the open market OF the world.
Further on Mr.. Mckinley says:
They promised the farmer better
prices for his wheat and wool when
they were seeking his vote. But when
they once obtained his suffrage their
economic policy began 10 force down
the prices daily until IL has now
reached the lowest point known for
nearly fifty years"
Mr.. Mckinley has forgotten TO show
TWO things in order TO sustain his asser-
ton and It's inference.
First: He had failed to show how the
opposition administration could have
raised or lowered the price OF agrIcutur-
al staples in our country as SOON as there
was surplus for export by any law
then or now 10 operation.
Second: He has failed to tell us how
he or his party could raise the price OF
export agricultural staples in our couu-
try under the operation OF protective
tariff, high or low.
Does not Mr. Mckinley know the
cause of the decline in agricultural
staples?
He ought to know. VIII not Mr.. Nc
Einley admit that 1t would make quite
a difference In the worlds price Of these
staples II the old mode Of tillaGe in
India, Egypt, Asia Minor, Russia and
South America could be restored? ln
1898, Argentine imported from
the United States and Great
Britain, over S., SO0,000 worth
OF agricultural machinery, and nearly
as much in 1892 Let Mr.. Mckinley
experiment for himself. and cultivate 4
half section in cotton or wheat by the
old Egyptian or Argentine system OF
cultivating and harvesting; then let
MIN try again with modern devices aud
he will be reminded forcl6ly by the diff
ferences between the two methods why
prices are lower AMI why they are like
lv 10 remain lower.
Mr.. Mckinley was, however, wise 10
this: he did not, like other politicians,
offer the farmers the advice 10 reduce
the area under cultivation OF staples,
and grow something else" He evil
IDENTIFY knew better. He knew that 10
DO so would diminish the commodities
which we use as an exchange with for
ejgn nations in payment for our i'm
ports and interest on foreign loans; that
inasmuch as protection TO manufacture
renders their export practicable, we
must pay in these agricultural staples,
aud as long as we do, we must sell at
home and abroad at the Liverpool price
less the cost OF transportation from
place OF production to Liverpool.