The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-07-01

~. Republican Policy of Protection
IL Hostile to American
Producers.

~
,arty.'" says a prominent republican
ian. Prosperity. according TO the re-
snblican statesman upon whose obser-
f.,;ons il bases its remark. is all due to
,bsrepublican party. To speak more ex-
actly. the organs and the politicians
,bink they can make the farmers be-
I;eve that and thus induce them to vote
for the republican candidates.
The Chronicle is inclined to entertain
a higher opinion of the intelligence of
American farmers. 1t is inclined to
think that they know the difference be-
,,veen politics and weather so far as not
10 accept the theory of the republicans
that good crops in the United States
and scant crops elsewhere last year
were caused by ballot boxing in this
country alone in 1896.
Farmers can read, generally speak
ing. and in the same newspapers which
tell them that they are indebted to the
republican party for prosperity they
will read about the enormous exports
of last years crops and the high prices
obtained from foreigners for their
produce.
The very organ which declares that
the farmers will vote with prosperity s
party" contains the statement, based
on official reports, that agricultural ex-
ports for the fiscal year ending with
This month Twill be considerably in en-
cess of $500, 600, the total for the
year being likely to reach ss35,oo0,000.
Never before have the exports of agri-
cultural products reached the $500, 600,-
600 line and never but twice have they
been as much as 500, 900 O00"-in 1881
and 1892.
When the farmers read this very like
" they will fail to perceive any relation
between the election of a republican
president and congress in 1896 and the
abundant crops in the United States in
1897 and the extraordinary foreign de-
mand for them in 1897 and 1898.
They will not be able to see that the
casting of more votes for Mckinley than
for Bryan in 1896 caused our agricul-
tural exports to be $150, 600, 900 greater
in value this fiscal year than they were
last and S250,00o,G00 greater than in
1895. They will fail to discover causa-
tive relation between an American cleo
ton in 1896 and extraordinary exports
of American produce at high prices in
1897 and 1898. Failing in that they will
be very likely to conclude that the re-
publican politicians and their organs
are arrant humbugs. They are likely
10 conclude that men. who claim that
their political policy is the cause OF
abundant crops at home and short crops
abroad and high prices for agricultural
products the world over are not deserv-
ing of confidence.
If the farmers will consider the mat
ter they will perceive that the attitude
of the republican party toward foreign
trade is strongly hostile to the interests
of farmers. Whatever restricts imports
also tends to restrict exports. And a
tax on imports necessarily prevents the
producer an article of expor. from OBJ
tanning the full value of his products
The republican duties on woolens
averaging more than 100 per cent
hi'Nc ~ III ITosSlDi lot the farmer 10 Rel
half the quantity of wooden goods for
100 bushels of wheat that he could get
If such goods were admitted duty free
And the like is true of other dutablt
goods.
When the farmer sees that his pro.
duce may be sold abroad to the value
of $S00,0o0,OOO a year and that the re-
publican tariff prevents him from get
ting more than 20 per cent. of the for
eign goods in exchange for his produce
that he could get under free trade he
will understand that the republican
party. so far from promoting his pros
perity, is taking from his pockets S240,
ooO,0o0 year on his exported products
not to speak of the larger amounts il
takes for the benefit of protectees wher
he exchanges his produce for protected
homemade goods. He will see that
while the politicians cannot give hin
good crops, they can rob him of much
OF the value of his crop.-ChicagC
Chronicle.