The St. Johns herald., 1896-10-03
FARMERS OF OHIO.
Realize that the Tariff does not Raise
 the Price of Wool.

COLUMBUS, O., Sept. 28.-Major Nc Kinley's pet theme, the tariff, received black eye from an unexpected source yesterday, At the thirty-third annual meeting of the Ohio Wool Growers Association, held on the state fair ground, Hon. J. c. Stevens of Kenton advocated the principle of free silver and spoke favorably to free trade in 8 masterly address, which was loudly cheered.
 MT. Stevens is farmer and an ex- banker. For eleven years he was na- tional president of the Wool Growers Association of the United States. Be- sides this, he is an ex-member of the State Board of Agrlculture. and is prob- ably the best posted man ill the state on questions of interest to the wool grower and agriculturist.
 He said among other things, that all his life he had been an advocate of 8 high protective tariff on wool. He had advocated this, not because he thought the principle was fundamentally right but because the wool grower was enti- tied to as much consideration as the manufacturer. But he had been forced to the conclusion that the wool grow CTS of the country had been the victims of great iraud in the shape of protec- tive legislation. They had been led to believe that they were to receive equal protection with the manufacturer, but the latter always got the best of 1t. How was it forty years ago. when there was little or nc pretense Of protecting the wool grower, and, Tn fact, high tariff such as is now advocated in cer- tam quarters was not dreamed otI The speaker always received from 40 to 50 cents pound for his wool in those "free trade" times. But how had it been under protection during the peri cd between 1873 and 1894, when the wool tariff had been the highest on record?
 There had been a gradual decrease in the price of wool until the climax was reached under the Mckinley law, when wool dropped to it's present price. There is an object lesson in this. It must mean that the tariff had but lit tie, if anything, to do with governing the price of wool. The cause of the decline and the means of restoring prosperity to the wool grower must be looked for elsewhere.
 There was another great issue, the only one now before the American peo- pie which promised the farmer relief. That issue was the restoration of silver to the position it occupied when the farmer and everybody else in this coun- try enjoyed prosperity.
 There was some applause at this juncture, and the republican politi- clans, including ex-congressman Taylor of Guernsey, and Senator Hogg, looked scared.
 ''How are you going to vote free sil- yer without voting for free wool? one of them asked.
 "How are you going to vote for tar if without voting for the gold stand ard ? was the answer. He sad that when even John sherman admits that the price of farm products will go up under the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold it is about time the far mers were getting their eyes open.
 Mir. Stevens spoke few minutes longer on the money question, espous- Ing the cause of free silver, and con- cluding by recommending that other questions than that of the tariff be dis cussed by the members of the Associa- tion.
 The President adroitly headed of this suggestion by saying he favored It, but not at this session .-Albuquarque Democrat.