The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-10-31
The FARMERS FRIEND
A Comparison Between the Policy
Of the Republican and
Democratic Parties.
LEGISLATED FOR AGRICULTURE
John M. StahI Tells Why the Farmer
Should Stand by His
Friends.

John NJ Stahl. a practical Illinois
farmer, and a land owner in Missouri.
Kansas and Nebraska, who is the editor
of the Farmers Can, Quincy, and also
secretary Of the Farmers National Con
gress, is a man who has made his way
from poverty to aftluence, by the use
of his own head and hands. His promi-
hence 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 views on all public ques-
tons of value.
In a recent interview he discusses the
relation of the American 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 the credit of the
farmers of the United States that they
have never asked for more at the hands
of Congress or lesser legislative bodies
than they were ready 10 have granted
to others, or for legislation that they
did not believe would be of benefit 10
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 a
tariff act. The bill was introduced and
discussed before Gen. Washington was
inaugurated President and the bill wa
enacted into law two months before the
passage of the law CTea ting a treasury
department. Tariff for protection and
tariff for revenue, ad yalorem 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
did not engage the lively attention OF
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
Ommeud to the favorable consideration
of legislative bodies such measures as
are deemed worthy of that recommended
ton Such a body is the Farmers Ma
tiOnal Congress and at its last annual
meeting il adopted the following reSO-
luton:
Whereas. it Is an established principle
with both OF the great political parties that
a tariff on imported goods adequate to meet
levied. therefore,
Resolved. that we demand the same meas
ure of protection for agricultural Industries
that is given to other Industries.
At the meeting referred to there were
delegates from states in which are more
than four-tifthS of the farmers of the
country. from California to Florida and
from North Dakota to Texas. The reso-
luton was adopted without one dissent
ing vote. As the hOnora BILE gentleman
100 hoo Of \1+s -,l
Grange for eight years past and many
other prominent officials of the Grange
were present as delegates. the resOlu-
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, it is non
political and bipartisan. II could not con
Sistently say more. Similar resolutions
have been adopted a 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
lev. 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 just
and satisfactory protection: and thus the
Mckinley law met the proper wishes and
the lust 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 II gives 10
other industries Wool i striking ex-
ample Of this. The Mckinley law gave
it proper protection. and while that law
was il effect only very short time, it