Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-10-31
THE FARMERS FRIEND
A Comparison Between the Policy
of the Republican and
Democratic Parties.
LEGISLATED FOR AGRICULTURE
John M. Stahl Tells Why the Farmer
Should Stand by His
Friends.

John NJ Stahf- a practical Illinois
farmer, and a land owner in Missouri.
Kansas and Nebraska, who is the editor
of the Farmers Call, Quincy. and also
SECRETARY of the Farmers National Con-
gress- is man whss has made his way
from poverty to affiiIence, by the use
of his own head and hands His promi-
nence in the Grange; Farmers insti-
tutes and all movements calculated to
better the condition of American agri-
culture, gives weight to his Judgment
and makes his VI VS. IN. all public ques-
tons of value.
In recent interview he discusses the
relation of the Americans farmer to the
two great political PARTIES and points
out the fact that in legislation the Re
publican party has always kept the in
terests of agriculture in view He saws:
1T must be said to tile credit of the
farmers of the United States that thew
have never asked for mere at the hands
of Congress or lesser legislative bodies
than they were ready to- have granted
to others, for legislation that they
did not believe would be of benefit to
all the people. No exception to this is
furnished by the tariff, which has been
the most persistent political question in
our history. No other QUESTION has been
an important issue in. SO many cam
paigns. The second act passed by the
Congress of the United States was n
tariff act. The bill was introduced and
discussed before Gen. Washington was
inaugurated President aud the bill was
enacted into law two months before the
passage of the law creat ting a treasury
department. Tariff for protection and
tariff for revenue, ad valorem duties
and specific duties, etc.,. were thorough
ly discussed while the. first tariff bill
was pending; and there have been few
years since in which these questions
no .Iv
the American people. 1t was inevitable
therefore, that the tariff should have
the frequent consideration of a repre-
sentative agricultural body meeting to
discuss proposed legislation and to rec
ommend to the favorable consideration
of legislative bodies such measures as
are deemed worthy of that recommenda-
ton. Such a body is the Farmers Ma
tional Congress and at it's last annual
meeting it adopted the following reso-
luton:
with both of the great political parties that
a tariff on imported goods adequate to meet
the expenses of the government should be
Resolved. that we demand the same meas
that is given TO other Industries
At the meeting referred to there were
delegates from states in which more
from California to Florida and
from North Dakota to Texas The reso-
luton was adopted without one dissent
Ing VOTE AS the nOnOra Die gentleman
who has been master of the National
Grange for eight years past and MANY
other prominent officials of the Grange
were present delegates the res0lu-
ton may justly be taken as expressing |
the sentiments of the Grange also. Ger.
tainly the Farmers National congress.
being composed of farmers. should not !
have demanded less: and. as it is non |
political and bipartisan. it could not con-
say more Similar resolutions
have been adopted at previous meetings |
Protection Under Mckinley Law !
The Mckinley law gave to agricultural |
industries the same measure of protec- |
ton that it gave to other industries |
Horses, hay, potatoes, onions. eggs, bar |
ley, fruits, wool and other products of |
our farms, the producers of which de- |
rive a direct benefit from a protective |
duty on those articles, were given inst /
and satisfactory protection: and thus tbe, |
Mckinley law met the proper wishes and /
the just and reasonable demands of the
farmers. As soon as they had the power, /
the Democrats fastened to remove the
duties on farm products or to remove |
them altogether, and the Wilson law does /
not give the same measure of protection
to agricultural industries that it gives to
other industries Wool is a striking ex- |
ample of this. The Mckinley law gave
it proper protection, and while that law
was in effect only very short time. it /
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