The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-08-27
ARE OUR FAMERS IDIOTS?


Fifty per cent of our population are
tillers of the ground. When our con-
temporaries of the press in their COM
ments upon the silver question and the
tariff address the farmers, they assume
that those who are engaged in agricl-
tural pursuits are credulous tools.
The advance in the price OF wheat il
attributed to the enactment of the
Dingley tariff law, 1t is also claimed
that this advance in the price of wheat
is a complete refutation of the argu-
ment made by the advocates of bimet-
alism, that the advance in the price of
wheat and other necessaries of life
were impossible under the single gold
standard. They exultingly ask the
advocates of bimetalism who have
claimed that the disfranchis sfnent Of
silver caused shrinkage in the com
mercial value of property to account
for the better prices Of their staple
products. Every candid person knows
that wheat growers are realizing bet
ter prices for their grain because of
the partial failure of the crop in for
eign countries, where usually there is
a surplus. Our supply is above the
average.
The claim that the new tariff sched-
ules had anything to do with giving
better prices for farm products is so
supremely absurd that every farmer
who has any Intelligence will feel in
suited by the attempt to impose upon
his credulty.
The protectionists have pretended
that the duties on farm products are
too low, and that justice to our
farmers demanded that they should be
raised high enough to shield them from
ruinous competition with the cheaper
labor of the old world. To carry out
the Z deception the Dingley law in
creases the tax upon staple farm pro-
ducts beyond all former precedent.
BY the Wilson bill the duties upon
wheat, corn, cornmeal, buckwheat,
oats, ETC., was 20 per cent ad valorem
To placate the complaining farmer and
make him believe that the republican
was his friend and protector they
changed the rate on corn from 20 per
cent to Is cents bushel. which is
nearly 100 per cent.
What magnificent benefaction.
While manufacturers o. ali kinds had
the shield of protection thrown around
them, encouraging the organization of
more than one hundred trusts, it was
but reasonable to suppose that they
should pretend to do something for
our poorly paid and lily protected
farmers. To show how the new law
will secure the home market to Amer
lean tillers of the soil and prevent
them being deluged by the products OF
cheap labor we will give an example
or two;
There was imported the last year
1854 worth of corn. This will benefit
a million corngrowers to the extent OF
S1S8.51 year under the Dingley tar
if! The importations of cornmeal last
year paid duty of 5000. Oats were
taxed in the Wilson bill 20 per cent
ad valorum. To crafty the farmers
and keep them from deserving the
grand old party the rate was changed
from 20 per cent to Is cents per bushel
The increased duty on oats will be
1912 year on the entire Importation!
The duty on the wheat last year
brought into the federal treasury S43.
To still furthur protect the farmers
the Dingley bill will furnish for dis
tributation $500 a year.
Oh, what q sham! What false
pretence! What an insult to an In
ielligent farmer!
Not a bushel more wonld be impor-
ted if these staples had been placed
on the free list. The farmer gets no
protection and is compelled to pay a
tariff tax upon every article he pun
chases.
To add insult to injury the gold
bugs are earnestly laboring to co: :
vince the farmer that he is indebi d
for the advance of his breadstuffs %
he adoption of the single gold stand
ard. Tney claim that the increased
price of wheat is complete refut;.t n
of the argument of Bryan and h 9
supporters that the disfranchisnent
of silver shrinks the commercial value
of land and the products of labor!
They know they lie, and expect to
palm off their falsehoods upon an ig-
norant and credulous people. Unfor-
tunately there are tens OF thousands
who clamor for a return of prosperity
who are appeased by temporary re-
lief. If from any cause wheat brings
a better price they are content to let
lhings drift. There are thousands of
workingmen out of employment who
complain of hard times today who, il
they can get work tomorrow, are sat
isfied with the situation. We hope