Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-07-02

would be found. He argued that the
way to bring prosperity was to open the
mills and make market, not to make a
market and open the mills. He built on
a reversal of sound economic docJrine,
built on the idea that the producing of
manufactures would make a market for
the goods, that by starting up our mills
we could make buyers for the products.
But now comes the President and tells
us we cannot make prosperity by start.
ing up the mills, that we must find buy
ers for manufactured products before we
open our factories. In other words, we
must wait for an increased market before
opening our idle mills, that it is folly to
look to a starting up Of the mills with a
view of making market. Thus. the
advice Of President Mckinley is different
from that of Mr.. Mckinley. Mckinley
said the need Of the country was to open
the mills. that by SO doing we could make
an increased demand for the products OF
labor, restore the lost market for manu-.
factured goods caused by the impoverish.
'ment of our farmers, and thus pave the
way to return of prosperity. But
President Mckinley speaks differently.
1t is no longer start up the mills and
make market for manufactured goods
by employing labor to produce that
with which the market is overslocked;
something that no sane business man
would do. 1t is now, my fellow citizens,
there is no use OF making a product if
you cannot find somebody to take it.
You will not employ labor to make a
product unless you can find buyer for
that product after you have made it. y
Thus spoke Mckinley at the banquet
given IN Philadelphia last week 10 the
Pam Americans assembled to do honor to
the opening OF the Philadelphia Muse.
ums.
So the President tells US that it is folly
to make product If there is no market
for it, folly t. employ labor to produce
an article for which there is no demand,
folly to increase the output Of our mills
when our farmers are so impoverished as
to be unable to buy the increased pro-
duct, folly for manufacturers to employ
labor when they cannot dispose OF the
products of that labor to reimburse
themselves for their outlay in wages and
other costs of production And it is
folly, why? Because the market for
manufactured, goods is not to be made
by starting up the mills. but by better
Ing the condition of our farmers and
planters. 1t is because an increase OF
incomes to our agricultural classes. an
increased return realized from their crops,
and the putting of more money into their
purses for expenditure in the purchase OF
manufactured goods must precede an
increased demafd for the products Of
mills and factory, must precede manu-
featuring revival and prosperity.
And what promise of the bettering Of
the conditions Of our agricultural classes
without which no prosperity can come
has the President to give us? he has
none other to give than he gave during
the last campaign. And that promise is
wrapt up in a protective tariff. 1t IS a
promise that cannot be fulfilled, for un.
der no tariff can our farmers prosper
while they are obliged to sell their sur
plus products in the European markets,
in competition with producers enjoying
a bounty OF 100 per cent. 1t is the re.
moval Of this bounty. enjoyed by our
competitors. which we ourselves have
had our part IN building up to our own
infinite detriment. bounty reared up by
demonetizing silver, that must be re.
moved before our farmers and planters
can prosper. And as this bounty can be
removed by the opening Of our miEts to
free silver coinage, but can be removed
in no other way, the opening Of our
mints must precede the return of pros.
perity not alone to our agricultural
but to our manufacturing
and mining population whose success is
dependent upon the prosperity Of our
farmers and planters. The placing of
tariff duties on wheat and corn, cattle
and swine, and their products, is a mere
circumference of our statute books with
dead letter laws for tariff duty placed
on articles we do not import to any
appreciable extent, but export largely,
must be imperative. Such tariff duty
can extend no protection, for the compe-
tition felt by our farmers and planters
has to be met in the European markets,
and against such competition no tariff
duties can protect.
The promise of prosperity made by Mr.
Mckinley is, therefore. futile one. A
combination of abnormal circumstances
may bring, temporarily, a measure of
prosperity to our agricultural and retiexly
to our manufacturing population. But
there can come no lasting prosperity
while we adhere to the gold standard and
our competitors continue to enjoy
bounty on production in the shape of a
premium on gold. Large crops here and
crop failures in other parts OF the globe