Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-10-28

department of agriculture has shown itself able
10 fill.
"We will teach the Asiatics better methods
OF producing" cries Secretary Wilson Is he
blind to the fact that the farmer here at home
is already concerned with the problem Of over
production or under rconsumption?-the effect
is the same, whichever term is employed. To
vastly stimulate tropical production must be in
evitablv at the expense of the American farmer.
The tropics will not buy CORRESPONDENCE
creased amount Of our cereals or dairy products.
Tropical colonies will buy very little more from
American; farms than the same people would
under foreign rule, but they will vastly increase
their shipments of cheaply-grown tropical pro-
duce to this country. Those people have ever
produced the bulk of what they needed to live
on, and surplus to export. Their imports
have been largely of manufactures.
Mr. Wilson IS ready to sacrifice agriculture
dent Mckinley was an outspoken opponent of
imperial colonization, would Secretary Wilson
talk as he now does? Certainly not. He is
talking for political effect, not TO promote
American agriculture. He was tie man who said
Hawaii could not increase her sugar product,
whereas, no sooner was annexation insured than
vast increase in sugar plantations began there
Mckinley, Wilson & Co. got into Office by
assuring the American farmer that he would be
protected in the home market from the $225,
600 900 worth OF sugar, wool, tobacco, rice,
fruits, ETC., now imported annually. No one
doubts this statement. 1t was the farmer vote
that decided the last presidential election, and
the farmer vote will decide the election Of 1000.
Now will the farmers consent to being buncoed?
Will they tanely consent to tropical competi-
ton, with no corresponding advantage? Will
they vote for a party that uses them simply as
a cats paw? In addition to all their present
burdens, will the farmers bend their backs still
more to lug the load that should be borne by
the trusts OF the tropics?
These questions answer themselves. Every
politician, whatever his party collar, knows
that the farmers will vote for their own inter-
est, because their interests also the best for
the whole country. That's why the various
parties arc to-day at sea, and the country is
drifting into the congressional elections next
month while awaiting the course of events.
Even Secretary Wilson intimates that con-
gree will give early attention to "statutes re-
earding sugar, tobacco and fruits" but farmers
can 10 longer trust him. They must look out
fer their own interests, which they are abundant
ly capable OF doing. This is plain talk, but
nothing less will meet the case. Wealth be-
vond the dreams of avarice awaits the syndi-
Gates that plan to monopolze the free importa-
ton Of tropical produce into this country aud
almost every dollar of these profits means SO
much less to the American farmer He has no
Of mllionaires at the national
capital to fight tor MS interests even his spokcs
man. Wilson, has gone back on him. The
only way for the American farmer to stop the
wauon sacrifice Of his interests to
colonial monopoly is to make protest uowsuf-
iciently loud to frighted off the conspirators
against agriculture. Even England compes
colonial tobacco, wine, ETC., to pay the same
luties as like produce from other countries.