The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1900-02-07
A Farmers View of the Boo
War.

\ Editor Register;
AS farmer and democrat, l teei
a growing apprehension over the
hostile attitude now being assumed
by large proportion among these
classes toward Great Britain, ard
as this sentiment may shortly aq
sumo material shape SO far as our
position to that country is con
cerned, it may be we'll for us g
pause and consider awhile as 70
whether we are right or not.
Our consideration ofthis subject
can properly be divided into tive
ports, viz: first, from the purely
business or selfish point of view
second, from the standpoint of sem
timent and morality.
In considering the first of these
propositions we will Imagine the
hostility of the Continental Ma
tions, encouraged by the recent
British disasters in South Afficaf
crystalizing into great coalition
against our cousins, and that the
combined fleets of these powers
have blockaded the ports of Eng
land and swept her merchant ma
rine from the seas.
What effect would this state of
affairs have on the prices of corn,
wheat, cattle, hogs, sheep, and all
the other products which go to
make up our agricultural exports?
In answering this question we will
remember that Great Britain alone
admits the produce of our farms
Except tobacco) free from duty
and uninoumbered from burden
some restrictions. All the remain
der oppose such importations in
greater or less degree, ranging from
the moderate good will with which
they are received in switzerland to
the we'll defined hostility of France.
WHO among our newspaper readers
are unacquaintedwith the irritating
and harmful way with which our
exports of meats and fruits are re-
ceived in Germany, or the almost!
complete bar which the Frenchi
have raised against the importation
into their country of our horses or
other live stock? In the period
from 1894 to 1898 the average an
nual value of the agricultural OK
ports from the United States was
S663, ,536,2O1 OF these enormous
exports about 90 per cent. found a
market in England or her various
dependencies. Great Britain alone
took more than one-half, the con-
signments credited to that country
forming about 55 per cent. of the
total shipments and hnvingRn aver
age annual value of $862 ,4O7, ,7O1.
Again, 1 ask what would be the
effect on the prices of our farm
products were more than half of
our exports in that line thrown
buck on our hands, and $362,OOO,-
600 in British gold shut out from
this country. The answer to this
question is easy. 1t spells ruin in
capital letters to our farmers. The
other classes must remember too
that all prosperity in this country
is bqsed on that of the farm, AS
an illustration we will remember
that while in the fiscal year ending
June Both, 1898, the manufacture
ers of the cities exported $290,697,-
354 worth of goods; the farmers of
the United States supplied the
world abroad with agricultural
products to the value of $853,683,-
| $40.
Turning to the second PROPOSE
ton l find that sentiment plays q
large part in this dislike to Great
Britain, feeling that we fought
her in the Revolution and 1872,
and that she is our hereditary
enemy. We must remember, how
ever, that England was not the free
country then that she is now, and
that those wars were waged by the
English King and his corrupt and
and hard headed ministers and not
by the people, great many OF
whom were opposed to both con-
ficts. Then, too, great many are
prejudiced by the form of the Brit
ish government. They remember
only that it is monarchy and for
get that the English people are
fewer and have more voice in theiI
government than any republic on
earth, not even excepting our own
France is republic, but did
Dreyfus find it free countryf