Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-10-09
FARMERS RIGHT
To Demand Equal Protection
With Other Producers
IN THE OoUNTRY's TARIFF LAW.


From Harrison Countrywide Terrible
Loss Of the Wool Growers of tho States
Under the Wilson Law--Protection For
This Great Industry Was Refused.
In an address delivered by Major Nc.
| Kinley to large delegation of farmers
from Harrison county who visited him
on Sept. IA he said: ,,cr,
1.-THE last three years have been years
of great trial, not only to the woolgrow.
ers Of your county, but to the entire
country. You have seen your crops dis.
appear and your feeces diminish in
value to an extent that previous to 1892
you would not have believed was posi-.
BILE. I remember In 1891 TO have deliv-
ered an address in the city of Cadiz to
the assembled farmers of Harrison coun.
ty, in which undertook to predict what
would happen if we had free wool in
the United States. There were few men
in thnt great audience who believed my
prediction then. What do you think of
it now, farmers of Harrison county!
[Cries of We think it all right']
I'm 1891 you had, according to your
pdahGlo GU hOAS tOOoyt lvC,tUO
sheep OF ali average value Of SIS per
head. In 1885 you have but 92, 900 sheep
worth only 81 90 per head. In 1891 you
received from 30 to S2 cents per pound
for your wool in 1896, for the same
grade Of wool from Id to l8 cents per
pound. This enormous loss to great
industry is truly astounding, and calls
for serious consideration and prompt
remedy, If one can be found, and the
only remedy we have in the United
States is by the ballot, and if it is pro-
lection you want, you know what party
carries the banner of protection. En-
thusiastic cheering and cries of What's
the matter with Mckinley? He's all
right.']
prior to the enactment of the Wilson
tariff law you had enjoyed, almost with
out interruption from the beginning of
the government, tariff on your PROF.
uct to protect you from the competition
of the cheaper lands and the cheaper
labor Of other countries. By that act
your product was made free and opened
up the unrestricted competition Of all
the wool of the world.
what makes that act more inde-
fensible is, first, that it was singing
out one Of the greatest industries Of the
country for immediate sacrifice, leaving
other industries having no greater claim
upon the consideration of the govern,
ment practically unharmed. [Cries of
"That's right"
GAS showing the Importance of your
industry, it is only necessary to say that
in 1899 there were 10000 woolgrowers
in the United States--7O0, 600 people
whose occupation was that Of wool.
growing. There were probably one
fourth as many more who were owners
OF small f1ocks of sheep in the United
States. This industry employed, be-
sides those who owned the focks, it is
estimated, at least 100000 laborers, rep
resenting, with those who were depend.
ent upon them, nearly 100000 people
There were 100000 farms, averaging 1850
acres each, devoted to this industry and
the mountainous regions and the vast
plains of the great west, which are not
adapted TO other kinds of farming, have
been utilized in this great industry and
made valuable. Every one Of these
farms, comprising 100 acres of land
1000, 600 acres in all-have been seri-
oously injured by placing wool upon the
free list
''In one of the agricultural papers of
the west have seen statement that
in Oregon, Utah, Washington, Idaho
and western Montana there were 6,71O,-
746 sheep, which were worth in 1899
$l3, ,421 900, and which in 1895 were
worth only S6,710,000. In 1899 we had
Al, ,273,553 sheep in the United States
valued at Sl25,000,00O In 1895 we had
3S, 99s,000 valued at $50, 200, 900; and
the total imports of wooden goods in |
1892, under the Republican protective
tariff law, was little above $751;, ZOO, 900. |
and in 1896, under the Wilson tariff |
law, these imports amounted to more |
than sec, 200, 900. [Cries of "Hurrah for
Mckinley and the Republican party."]. |
Defended the Farmers In Congress.
ION the second day Of April, 1888, in
the minority report in oppo.
sition to the Mills tariff bill in the ma.
tlonal house of representatives I said:
"'Wool on the free list is deadly |
assault upon o great agricultural inter. |
est. and will fall with terrible severity |
upon million people, their households |
and dependencies. It will destroy in. |
vested capital, unsettle established |
values, wrest from flock masters their |
life time earnings, bankrupt thousands |
OF our best and most industrious farmers |
and drive them into other branches |
of agriculture already overcrowded.
Cries of "That's what it has done."l |
II is q vicious and indefersible blow at |
the entire agricultural interests of the |
country [Cries of "You are right"
Alexander Hamilton, in his report |
upon manufacturers made to congress |
lO4 years ago, said: This idea of an |
extensive domestic market for the sur
plus produce of the soil, is of the first
Importance. 1t is, of all things, that
which most effectually conduces to a |
dourishing state of agriculture
"Thomas Jefferson said: Experience |
has taught me that manufacturers are |
as necessary to our independence as to
our comfort The duties we lay on all |
articles Of foreign manufacture which
prudence requires us to establish at
home, with the patriotic determination
Of every good citizen to use no foreign !
article which can be made at home, se-
cures us against relapse into foreign
dependency. My own idea is that we
should encourage home manufactures
to the extent OF our own consumption.
Applause
II have said that the home market is |
khn host rnt