The Penn's Grove record., 1899-09-15
The PENIS Grove Record
FRIDAY, AUGUST Is, 1899.
PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY.

PROTEOIlON AND
Salem County's Wealth has Shrunk a
Million Dollars in Seven Years.
The argument of the protectionists
for twenty years has been that a high
tariff was necessary in order to keep
the products of foreign pauper labor
out of the country in order that the
laborers In American cities may find
work. When home products are used
the laborers in the cities get higher
wages, are thus enabled to buy the pro
ducts of our farms at a higher price
thus making a home market for our
farm products, making the farmers
prosperous and the farms of some value,
because the value of a farm is regulat
ed by the profits of the farm.
We were once asked by a citizen OF
Wilmington, "What would Jersey
farms be worth if it were not for VII
mington2" We recalled a passage from
that great speech at Chicago, which
will be recited by the school children
of future generations. 81 tell you that
the great cities rest upon these broad
and fertile pairits. Burn down your
cities and leave our farms aud cities
will spring up again as ii by magic.
But destroy our farms aud the grass
will grow in the streets of every city
in this country"
The assessor goes around in every
May TO see what wealth the people have
accumulated npast years. In another
column we publish the rateables of the
Salem County Board of Assessors.
Does it show prosperity
, We tread in the daily newspapers
about the great prosperity in the west,
how the mortgages have been paid of.
Look at Salem county, When we com
pare the past years debts with this We
find that S212, 179 have been paid off.
Does not that show prosperity Look
closer at home. In Oldmans Township
debts have decreased S2l,jI0 the past
year. Surely that shows great pros
perity and both should show an in
crease in the net balance Of taxables il
the County and Townships. But among
the losses We see that Oldmans has lost
S41, 621 in taxable value and the whole
county s45,8G3.
If a protective tariff and admInIstra-
ton does what has been claimed for it
the past twenty years Salem county
should be increasing in taxable wealth
but the reports of the assessors for the
past several years show tie reverse.
During the past three years since the
election of Mckinley debts have de.
creased in Salem county .3G9S, s4G, but
the net taxable value Of property has
shrunk S767, 976. Is that growing in
wealth and prosperity under a protective
tariff aud a gold standard.
During the first three years of Clege-
lands administration, '92 to 80, the
assessors reports show a decrease in
debts of S4S5, 751 and a shTinkage in
values in the county of only S55, POI. Be-
tween 1892 and 1896. the decrease Of
debts was $500, 8G4, and shrinkage il
value $3.50, 36S.
Between 1892 and 1899, the decrease
in debts was 81, 100, 692, and the shrink
age in values in Salem county the euCr-
nous sum of $1,O14, GAG. In the past
seven years property on an average has
shrunk 7 per cent. Where has it gone;
Who has it?
What is the difference between Cleye-
free trade policy with a gold
standard and McKinley's protective
policy with a gold standard. A decrease
of wealth comes under both.
In Oldmans township last year there
we're eight or ten sheriff sales and each
farm sold for the amount of the m0Ttg.
age or less. Debts were paid off under
the Sheriff's hammer and that is how
they have been reduced all over the
country to a great extent. A property
sold for the amount of the mortgage or
less reduces the taxable value of al.
property.
These figures show that wealth is
away from the people Of this
country under a gold standard with a
high tariff as well as under free trade.
Is it a good sign when people are grow
ing poorer and the tax rate is ~iucTeas
ingr !
Are farm profits on an average any
better now under a high protection :
than under free trade? Ii not it
must be the gold standard hat is pinch I
ing the County. Only a change Of
money system will bring it.