The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-21
FALLACfaoFi A LAND AGENT.


FALI4ACffOFi A LAND AGENT.
To the west and northwest of these
cities lie immense tracts of arabic
land in its Mirgid state. No pillow has
turned the sod, no crops Of grain come
from the fertility hidden beneath, no
herds of cattle or flocks of sheep find
sustenance On it. no husbandmen till
it, no railway finds lucrative employ
ment In carrying it's produce, and the
merchants and manufacturers find
there no markets for their wares. A
large portion of this area lies within
the land grants of the railways that
cross it, and, they have made and are
making strenuous efforts to induce
men to take up these lands, open
farms, and thus supply the railways
with the freights out of which chiefly
earnings come. Related to this interest
of the railways is that of every citizen
OF the cities whose business, whatever
1T may be, rests at lasts upon the pro-
duetiveness of this great region, and
~
or diminished. Whatever aids the
movement Of settlers there is COM
mendable, and whatever retards or dis
courages it merits disapprobation
1t is with some surprise, therefore,
that we have read in the Inter Ocean
an interview with the general immi-
grafton agent of one Of the railways
crossing this great belt Of but partly
occupied land, in which he bewaiIs the
effect of the present tariff act on agri
| culture, and looks to the restoration of
former rates as the only course open
by which farming can be made prof.
table. In Illustration of his position he
says that the reduction of the tax on
butter has decreased the sale of West
ern butter in Eastern markets two
thirds, the rest needed to supply the
demand there coming from Canada
His facts are las unsound as his posi-
ton, for the trade reports show that
the imports of butter have fallen from
over 100000 pounds in 1891 to $4,000
pounds in 1885, and $1,000 pounds in
1895, while the exports of butter have
risen from oyer 10000 pounds in
1891 to over 100000 pounds in 1896.
But there are other and larger con-
siderations than those on which this
agent dwells Men go into agriculture
because they expect they can make
profit by it. Those profits come from
the productivity of the soil, from skill
In management, from the relation of
supply to demand If the soil is infer
tile, If the management is unskillful,
If the supply exceed the demand,
profits dwindle and vanish. They are
affected quite as much by the cost Of
production, which includes the prices
paid for labor, clothing, food, nipple
ments and the other material needed
in operating the farm If these, are in
creased, either naturally or artifcially.
it is at the expense of profit When we
trace the sources of demand for the
surplus produce, we find that it is
worldwide. After feeding the mouths
d
plus that must find market abroad.
There it meets similar produce. and its
value is fixed by a competition that
comes from every quarter of the world.
and Is unrestrained. More than that
the price OF the surplus, however small,
determines the price of that consumed
in the home markets, however large
that portion may be. In short. the
farmer sells in free trade markets. The
plainest, simplest principles of Justice
demand that the right to buy in mar
kets just as free be restored. When
they who make what he buys are shell
tered from competition, when more is
permitted to be charged for what the
farmer must have, to that extent the
cost of production is increased and the
profits OF his vocation diminished. And
STILL In the face of these incontrover-
tible facts, this s immigration agent
urges the continuance and increase of
the policy of restriction that dimin
ishes the profits of farming, while
urging people'to buy the, lands of his
company and go to farming.
What he really says is that the
profits of farming depend on taxation.
The higher that is the greater the
gains If this is true agriculture rests
on foundation SO insecure that no
prudent man would engage in it, for
experience shows that the basis Is
most unstable 1t is liable to be en-
tirely removed, and 1t is sure to be re-
moved whenever a majority of the vo-
tiers of the country get sufficiently in
telligent to see that it's effects are al
ways bad and never helpful. From
mere business point of view of land
agent this position is not sagacious
He does not serve his company we'll by
assuming it. But it Is not true. Taxa
ton is always a handicap, whatever
form it takes. 1t has been the heav-
lest burden the farmers of this coun-
try have had to carry. More than
drouths and frosts has it tended
to make their business un-
profitable But In spite of this
farmers in the West who brought
skill and thrift to their work
have found profit in it. This agent
might find instances In plenty to DEM
onstrate this. Even In this depression
there are farmers who make profit We
cannot but think that he would serve
the interests OF his company better did
he point to these instances as proof
that, in spite of the handicap Of pro-