The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-03-24
A Farmer Replies.

ouuSc Joun Mcouane, leaulng
farmer of Howard county, Md, hay
ing fine landed estate near Eli
colt city, on the Baltimore and
Ohio r. r., has written to Senator
Mills, answering the clever questions
sent out by the Senate Finance Com.
mittee, to ascertai the effect of a
high tariff on agriculture. The
questions and answers take up more
space than we can spare, but we
give them below, those hearing di.
rectly upon the question at issue,
viz, the effect Of a high tariff upon
those engaged in agriculture, and
wage earners generally:
3. What would be the effect upou
your products of reduction of du-
ties on imports of all kinds2
Answer-A reduction of duties
would be great gain to the agricul
turist and worker because it would
protect them from the sharks who
have almost everything covered and
by combinations, and who are plum
dering over sixty million of our peo--
pie. They are too rich now and are
at this time menace to our liber-
ties. This is condition that would
not exist if it were not for our high
tariff law.
7. To what extent, in your opin-
ion, are the prices and character of
your products affected by the manu-
featuring interests of your State?
Answer.-To no extent whatever.
because from overproduction the
Mckinley home-market theory is a
fraud of the deepest dye upon the
agriculturist. Our "home'' market
is now the pauper market of the
world. In it we cannot get first cost
for our products. To prove this,
wheat is selling, in Kansas at rs to
30 cents in Chicago at So cents, here
in Maryland at 81 cents per bushel:
wool 5 to cents pound in Texas,
with other products in proportion.
1t cannot be otherwise under the
home market theory, for in it no
man except he be selfish, dare say
there could be any greater consump
ton or more people to consume what
is produced. The manufacturers, by
combines, have lessened production
in order to maintain high prices in
the home market Being few in num-
Der they can do so, but it is impossi
BILE for the farmers to combine. for
reasons well known to every person
of common sense. l have the proof
before me that | received $1.55 per
bushel for wheat in the winter of
1857 and it was a winter Of great
depression.
10. Do the present duties benefit
in any respect people engaged in
growing agricultural products and
staples, and if not, how can they be
modified so as to produce this result?
Answer.-The present duties are
positive injury to the agriculturist.
For many years past he has become
poorer and poorer, and is, in fact. 90
ing his way to the poor house. He
has been promised lower duties for
twenty eight years, but instead there
of they have been increased until he
can no longer make living at the
Oldest and greatest business known
to mankind business that is the
main spring of our nations prosper
ity. In order to modify duties, pass
the Wilson bill as it came from the
House of Representatives as quickly
as possible and it will surely benefit
him. The farmers of our land de-
manded tariff reform in 1890 and
1892 by large majorities, and by
their verdict they have demanded the
right to buy in the cheapest markets
of the world, because they have to
sell in the cheapest, viz, the home
pauper market. The majority in
the United States Senate is very
much blamed now for its cowardice
in not passing the Wilson bill with
out furthur delay and thereby put
ting an end to the terrible business
stagnation that exists. The said
stagnation / believe to be the result
of conspiracy to prevent it's pas
sage.
TINES will not be hard this sea.
son for great many of the mechan
les of Morgantown. There will be
more buildings erected here this
year than in any two years before.