The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-05-27
PAW PAW. MICH. MAY 81, 1896.
Protection and Farm Products.

III llS Stedu u thc uctioCIdtiC ldiiL
for deficit only"-which is but milo
tincture of the free trade poison-is
evidenced in all branches of trade, in
every department of industry, but
nowhere has the blow fallen with
more crushing effect than upon the
American farmer. Where the Me-
Kinley bill furnished protection &c
farm products, the Wilson bill gives
us practical free trade in agricultural
staples; where the Mckinley bill
furnished great home market for
the American farmer, the Wilson
bill brushes out American manufac-
turing and industrial enterprise,
drives capital out of sight, and rem
ders the independent workman OF
four years ago cringing medicant
seeking public support. Bond issuing
and the conducting of charitable soup
houses are the principal industries that
have fourished during the four years
of "Grover and clover"
There has been a steady decline IN
the prices of agricultural staples and
farm values ever since, in the land
slide elections of 1890, the people
manifested a determination to over
throw the protective system. 1t did
not need the enactment of a free
trade law to begin the downward
movement of prices. The certainty
that the law was coming was mani
tested in the overwhelming election
of democratic majority of the house
of representatives. in 1890, followed
by the election of democratic sem
ate and democratic president.
The NoRTHERNER does not ask
you to accept these statement with
out authority-good democratic au-
thority, if you please. The recent
report Of Secretary of Agriculture
Morton shows to what an extent the
the farmers of this country have felt
the blow, and how the prices have
been affected. Since 1890, the value
of the wheat, corn and oats produced
in the United States has fallen from
$1,311, 100000 to $967,0O0,0O0, de-
crease in these three staples alone of
1914, 100000. The decline since
1892, when the fear of democratic
legislation became reality, has
been greater than in the two preced-
ing years and amounts to the surpris-
ing sum of S206,000,00O, with the
downward tendency still continuing
While the marvellous decline in
value is fact, it is because of lower
prices alone, as there is no decrease
in production.
The decline in the price of horses
has been partly brought about by
other causes and cannot be laid entire
ly at the door of tariff legislation, but
the prices of all other farm animals
have shared in the general decline.
The prices of farm lands have likewise
shown depreciation of about 20 per
cent.
Why this decline in agriculture
"What good did a tariff do the
farmer" say our democratic friends,
"when we export farm products in
stead of importing them them?" The
law of supply and demand does regu-
late prices TO great extent, even
as the democrats contend, AND THE
NEARER THE DEMAND Is TO THE SUP
PLY, THE MORE POTENT ITS EFFECTS
ON PRICES. The fall in prices has
not been because of over-supply; on
the contrary, the result has, as nat
ural consequence, followed from the
fact that all other industries have
been SO seriously affected that the
purchasing power at home has been
largely reduced and the strictest
economy is necessary. The foreign
markets promised us when we threw
open our markets to all the world
have not materialized, and we have
found markets abroad for less of our
agricultural products instead of more,
while anything that with cheap labor
could be produced at as low price
as we are selling has come into COM
petition with us. The foreign
markets, that were demanding our
products under the reciprocity ar
rangement of Secretary Blaine, have