Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-11
Protection to Agriculture.
Grimes IIerald.l

Although the Popocrat orators have
pretty generally lodged the tariff ques-
ton, occasional attacks upon the policy
OF protection. as promulgated in the st.
| Louis PLATFORM indicate a persistent
determination to indulge in the old
stereotyped phrases that appeal to
prejudice instead of sense. To char
acterize protection as a scheme for the
enrichment of manufacturers is a ia
Norlte device of the free traders for
preJudicing all who are not manufac-
turers against the economic policy
which Mr.. No kinley champions
That this contention is based upon
the Srosscst fallacy is evident to the
most superficial student of the ques-
ton That the agricultural classes are
among the chief beneficiaries Of protec-
ton and reciprocity is easily demon
strated by an examination of the facts
Even though no duties We're imposed
upon the products Of the soil, the
farmer would still be the chief henef-
ciary of protection Thirty years Of
protection in American have built IN
the greatest markets in the world for
the products Of the farm. BY planting
factories all over the land protection
has built up fourishiug cities and
towns, thereby constantly enlarcipa
the demand for that which the farmer
sells. According to the industrial cen
sus Of ls90 there We're 4.1l2.622 men
employed in the factories oi the United
states. 10 whom We're paid S2,2S3.2l6.-
~ IN wages. good portion of which
was spent for the necessaries of life.
which come mainly from the farm
The total wages paid hy manufacturers
IN 1850 was only $3.50, 1852 252 showing an
increase Of l3l per cent in 10 years
under the stimulus Of protection.
But protection does more for the
farmer than to supply him with a
nome market. 1t places an import
duty upon the principal products of the
farm. discrmina ting in favor of no
particular section. The Wilson tariff
reduced the Mckinley duties on cattle.
heep, eggs, hay, horses, potatoes. bar
ley butter. cheese. corn. wheat, oats.
h"pS ana many other minor products.
but raised the duty on Southern agri-
cultural products as follows: Rice, So
per cent; peanuts, - per cent: sugar, |
10 per cent. while the duty on cereals |
was liked at an average of % per cent. |
The total crop of sugar, rice and pea
nuts for 1899 was valued at SIS. 600 900 |
Michigan's cereal crop of 1893 was |
worth $53.S90.000. Under the Wilson |
hIll the Southern crop was increased |
III value 10y lS,200000 while the cereal |
cop of Michigan was increased in |
value by the same law only $40, 80, 900
The tariff act of 1894 was certainly a /
peanut tariff" so far as northern |
farmers are concerned
nder the reciprocity of the McKin- t
ley law our exports of -four to Cuba
increased from 14,44l barrels in 1891 to
6n2.24S barrels in 1894 The exports of
-Four to Puerto Rico increased from
1898 barrels in 1891 to POO. St3 barrels
III 1891. The loss to the merchant mill
crs of the country by the repeal of
leclprocity is estimated at SIG. O00, 900 a
Year If the millers lost sixteen mil
non year in decreased sales of flour.
what must the farmers have lost in de-
sales of wheat?
Roughly estimated, there are 5000 900
mere people engaged in agriculture in
The United States than are EMPLOYED i'm
The Mckinley law Of
1880 recognized the just claims of agri-
{ ulture for protection against the
products of the cheap farm labor of
Europe, and also opened new foreign
for his breadstuffs and live
stock
The canning factory at Fairfield
I