The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-11
DEMAND BOUNTY
ON FREE TRADE
The State Grange Seeks q Remedy for
Existing Evils.
PLANS TO BETTER THE FARMER
The State Grange Patrons Of lIus.
bandry Pass Resolutions Condemn.
ing the Tariff Which Benefits Manu-.
facturcrs OnIy.. They Desire Free
Trade or BOnnty on Exports.

Husbandry, opened at 8 o'clock.
The first hour was consumed by Hon.
Frank Moore, of Bradford county. spe-
| cial agent of the dairy and food CONF
mission, in a practical and highly in
stIuctive address on adulteration Of
foods.
In closing he made a strong plea in
favor of pure food and more stringent
laws for the protection of the public.
Senator Gerard G. Brown. of York,
chairman of the Legislative committed
presented a supplemental report to the
report made yesterday. The report of
the committee on resolutions was read
and that of the finance committees, the
report of the latter showing balance
of $4,000 in the treasurer'S hands. a
number of resolutions were received
and referred to proper committees.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolution, presented
by the legislative committee, were
unanimously adopted by the grange:
Your committee, in view of the con-
tinued depression in the prices of asri-
cultural staples, which, in the price of
wheat, is only partially ana temporarily
relieved by the demand for export caused
by the accident of Il shortage in the crops
Of our principal competitors. have given
attention to the proposed policy of II
bounty on agricultural exports which has
been so forcibly advocated by David lu-
bin, of California, and we accept as ,S-
tablished these facts: =
That the price of agricultural products,
as Il whole and particularly of the great
staples, are so reduced AS to be often below
cost of production, and that in no case do
they offer guarantee of prOiit.
That this situation is not confined to
this country, although intensified here by
the more liberal mode and higher cost of
living of our people: in short by their
progress in education and advancement
in civilization.
That, unless remedied, this condition
must inevitably graNitate downward until
the level of the lower and debaSed agricul-
tural population Of the world is reached;
Il condition Incompatible with the mainte-
nance OF our higher civilization, and even
the perpetuity of our Institutions and our
self government.
That we recognize n new "world-conli-
ton" arising from the wonderful facli-
ties of transportation by land and sea
which now bring together las in Il SCROLL
the very ends of the earth: which out
strips even time itself is disseminating in
telligence through all the marts of trad.
That we realize that by the introduction
of modern automatic machinery the SUI
perior efficiency of intelligent agricultur-
lists Is in great degree discounted and
the educated farmers of our land are
brought into sharper competition with
those who hut for the advantage given by
their use Of such machinery could never
have become objects of our concern as
rivals.
MENACE IN RUSSIA.
That We are aware of the additional
menace which threatens us from the ap-
preaching completion of the Siberian rail
road and the opening by Russia. as the bid
der against the world, the most enormous
CONTIGUOUS arabic tract on the planet,
which, when stocked with the latest farm
machinery now manufactured in conti-
nenta! Europe will ultimately crowd all
cereals and STABLES to point lower than
ever yet reached.
That we cannot deceive ourselves with
the idea that any measure of protection to
our industries offered by tariff on i'm
ports can avail in the slightest degree TO
benefit the grower of those crops, of which
he produces a surplus for export and
whose prices are necessarily made in the
worlds market, where they are disposed
of.
We have a right to demand that the
same proportion of advantage shall be
given to the agricultural interests thcr"
that is accorded by law to any other in
this broad land.
That, while protecting countries which
are importers of agricultural product;
may in measure remedy the evil of low
prices by increasing the duties Of agri-
cultural imports. ii Is manifestly impossi-
bic for those which produce a surplus for
export to give the least particle of relief
tariff on these products.
Thatthe lessening of productions of
these farm staples, so as to bring 1t with
in the limit of our own home consumption
is no remedy. as it is an economic impos-
sblity. and in any event could only injure
by lessenng the opportunities of employ
ment to our people and reducing their ac
tual resources and wealth of our country.
PROTECTION NO RELIEF.
Again, that diversiication of our pro-
lection can afford no certain nor perma-
nent relief, as experience has proved that
largely increased production, such as dairy
f,s,,it
tends to eventually lower these things. az
well as the staples below the profit point.
At a time when the American farmer
had almost world monopoly in the pro-
duction of staples. when with cheaper
lands he was the almost exclusive user of
improved agricultural machinery, he was
then able to pay the ultimate net cost of
high protective tariff and still live: but.
when. as now, the worlds prices are down
to one-half their former rates, in the face
of this to attempt to even maintain, let
alone still raise higher the protective
tariff would be economic suicide. What.
then, is the remedy? 1t is clear that we
must either lower the price of the things
which the agricultural producer must buy
tn the world level of value. through free
trade, or artificialy enhance in the home
market the price of his products to the
protection level by Il genuine and real pro-
lection policy.
This, we have seen, 1t is utterly impossi-
BILE to effect by any tariff no matter how
bounty on exports could not rall to s-1isc
the price of such products in the home
markets to the extent Of that export boun-
ty.
This would be securing to the American
producer o. these staples directly and
to all farmers of this country indirectly
the same measure of protection or ad-
vantage that the high tariff now gives to
manufacturers, and just as long as our
manufacturers are protected on their pro-
ductions by a tariff on imports. every con-
sideratiOn of justice, equity and expedi III
cy demands as at Offset an equal protec-
tiun to agriculture By Il bounty on exports.
At this evenings session after four
ballots had been taken the following
were declared elected state officers for
the ensuing year: Worthy Master,
Leonard Rhone, Centre Hall: overseer,
a. G. Barrett, Bradford county: lee
turer, w. +. Hill. Bradford county:
secretary, jerome II. Altman. Juniata
county: treasurer. S. r. Niver. of Ches-
ter; steward. T.. p. Whipple. of Tioga
county: assistant steward, y. II. Tut
tie, Montgomery county; gate keeper
Wallace Chase, Fall Brook: chaplain
w. +. Everson. Erie: finance commit
teeman. S. b. Blyholder, of Armstrong
county: ceres, Mrs. Helen S. Johnson;
pomona. Mrs. Ida Logan.
All other business Of the grange will
be cleared up tomorrow and an aI-
journment will be reached i'm the after
noon.
WayIaid by n FOOtpad.