The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1894-09-07
Farmers, Read this Plain Talk
From a Brother.
ear RIDGE, Ky,


the distress OF the agriculturist is
the result of unfair legislation by
the Rcpubhcan party. All that |
have said was said with a firm con-
yiction resulting from honest search
into musty facts which are matters
ofreeord aud history,
| have few notes OF record that
want to submit to my brothers in
fairness, and then ! shall ask OF
you, Mr. Editor, no further space
for the thoughts or efforts of Coal
Blast.
See what Mr. Wells, Special Com
missioner under President Grant TO
Investigate the practicability of re-
ducing taxes says, In his report
in speaking OF the farmer: ale
raises his wheat aud other product
ions under n tariff, which, without
alrordlng any sufficient compensa-
ton, unnecessarily increases the
costof his tools, his clothing, his
fuel, his fencing and his shelter y
So you, my Republican friends,
find your own commissioner plead
ing for a reduction OF taxes that We
may be fairly dealt with. See in
another part Of his report what he
SAYS, and to show you that these
words are the words of the much
known David A. Wells, refer you
to page 2OO6, Congressional Globe,
1869:
"Whoat produced under these cir
cumstances costs great deal more
than it does in countries free from
such embarrasSments, but it does
not sell4for more. On the contrary,
it has to compete in the market
with wheat produced by the so
called 'pauper labor Of Europe, and
returns to the farmer no more than
the price of real paupor labor in
America. Nor does ii cheer the
grower of wheat to reflect that
while he suffers from a deprecated
currency, and completes with the
stable conditions, metallic values,
cheap materials, and cheaper la
Dor OF other countries, contributing
at the same time his share TO the
public revenues, he also makes
much heavier contributions on his
clothing, iron, lumber, coal. salt,
and the like, not for revenue, but
Tor the profit of industries more fa.
vored than his own, that they may
be screened from the competition
to which he is forced to submit"
Notice if you please what that
great(?) and distinguished(?) Re
publican, Mr.. Blair, says in debate
in the L. 5. Senate on the question
OF increasing the taxes or reducing
them as Mr.. Wells had advised {:
"Nor is there anything new in all
this'. Mr.. Blair thus admits the
truth Of the allegation. Now, my
farming friends, if Nj. Wells has
told the truth in saying that our
products are sold in foreign coun-
try at price to compete with the
pauper labor of that country can it
be otherN Use than true that the
American farmer is getting nc
more for his labor than are the
"pauper labor OF Europe? In
other words, if our wheat must be
sold for the same price that theirs is
sold FOR, do we get any more fol
our labor than they do? Then is
not the American farmer working
for the same wages that are the sc
called pauper labor of Europe?
See what the Committee on FL
nance of the Fifty-frst Congress
says: "The competition in whea
growing has been developed in In
dia, South America, Austria, and il
the British possessions in Nortl
America is likely to make unproti
table the production Of this cerea
for expectation by our people
/ Why could not these artful dodgeri
have said Improbable to the Amer
lean farmer; as they as well as ev
cry one knows that the price of on
wheat at home is what tho SAM
wheat will bring abroad, adding tn,
price of transporting it,
Now, why isNit that we canno
produce wheat at profit? BE
cause the cost of producing on
wheat Is not, as is true of manu-
featured goods, the basis of the sell
ing price. The cot of farm prod
ucts, as ] said III n previous article
: does not govern the market 70
, said products; much less having
+. big protective tax TO assist in fore
b ing the marketup,
! Ny friends, please study littl
Y ttcso dazzling figures. We haC
g according to Mr.. Dodge, an al
!. tachee of tho Agricultural Depart
merit in 1880, nine million peopl
), employed upon the farms Of thl
il country. These 100000 farmer
are to-day supporting nation {
about 6j,000,O00 of people; and y,
according TO the Republican do,
trinc OF Il home market it woul
take something like as many MOI
= months to consume the amount
e our surplus wheat that has TO fin
T. ii foreign market, using as a has
4 bushels as did Mr.. Dodge.
Then can these artful dodgel
y longer blind the eyes of the Anne
ID lean farmer as thoy have heret
IN fore done, until with all our in
nrnt.b ,NaoI,;n.r,, 49,, aan,,,t $40.