Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-10-31
THE STORY OF A PLoW AND ITS
KIN.

he STORY OF A PlOW AND ITS
KIN.
Burlington Hawk Eye.-Last Sunday
the Hawk-Eye published 1.-The Story
of Burlington Wagon" in the vain
endeavor to locate that mysterious
tax which the farmers of Des
Moines county We're alleged by local
democratic paper to be paying home
industry for their benefit. The Or
chard City Wagon company, whose
president, Hon. John Zaiser, for sew
eral terms mayor of the city, is life
long democrat, was taken as an il
Illustrative object lesson. If that flour
ishing manufacturing industry is re-
ceiving a subsidy from the farmers
of Des Moines county, someone ought
to be aware, of the fact and to be able
to point it out to an observant public
II the factory is a burden" upon the
farmers in its neighborllood, some
farmer ought to be able to demon
strate it. In lieu of proof upon those
points it is only reasonable to assume
that the orchard City Wagon company
is neither a burden nor a tax; that,
on the contrary, the farmers of Des
Moines county are very glad to have
the factory, and all other manufac-
turing industries located SO close to
their farms. 1t is an accepted maxim
among political economists that when
manufactures are pliceu III proximity
to the farms, both interests are bene-
fitted. Let us see how it works in this
instance:
/. 1t increases the home market for
farm products. The employees must be
fed and clothed and housed and cared
for.
2. 1t builds up home competition
for farm wagons as against those
shipped to Burlington from other
points. The Des Moines county farm
er has larger stock and variety of
wagons to select from when he
buys.
8. If he buys of a home factory he
has responsible guarantee right at
home instead of five hundred or a
thousand miles away. If he finds
any defect in the wagon he can take
it to the home factory and have it
remedied.
4. Some of the farmers sons find
employment in the Orchard City Wa
! gon factory and in other manufacture
| ing plants in Burlington. Many sons
and daughters of the Des Moines
county farmers attend Elliott's Bust
ness college and afterwards obtain sit
uatiolas as bookkeepers, stenographers.
| clerks, travelling statesmen, etc, in
these home factories.
5. The wagons, as also many other
articles manufactured in Burlington,
are Shipped all over the western stat
es, some to more distant states, and
some to foreign countries; and the
| money from these sales comes to
Burlington to be reinNested here in
wages, salaries, enlargement of
plants and the acquisition of new
business.
6. The effect of these transactions
upon Burlington and Des Moines
county is to enhance the value of
property. Farm lands are worth more
near manufacturing sites than in a
country without home industries.
| From the foregoing facts it is a clear
case that the factories of Burlington
are 8 decided advantage and help to
the farmers of Des Moines county.
| Where, then, is the tax" that is a
! "burden?"
| BY the comparison of prices publish
/ ed lust Sunday it was established be-
! yonG controversy, and no one has pre-
/ tended to dispute the statement, that
! in the past quarter of a century, dur
| ing which the protective tariff system
has been the national policy, the prices
| of farm property have declined from
about $50 to $50. of twenty-five per
! cent. 1t is. the clear-cut contention of
the tariff for-revenue people, as Off
! cially declared by President Cleveland.
and reiterated in democratic national
/ llldl LIE VI IdIlll,
| or import duties, is added. not only to
| the article imported, but also to a sim
i liar article made at home, thus in
| creasing the cost to the consumer by
/ the amount of the tariff rate
! 1t doesn't seem to work that way in
/ the case of farm wagons. How is it
1 about the plow and other agricultural
implements?
This part of the story is soon told.
/ yoluminous details are not necessary.
Every piece of farm machinery, every
4 implement and tool, tell the same story
as the wagon. 1t is all one way Bet
ter machinery. better tools and less
cost to the farmer. Let the lists voice
their own eloquence. The following
figures are from the books and price
lists of the well known firm of j. l..
Kelley & Co., of this city:
/ -Price--
4 1881. 1903.
Mccormick mowers, Az
4 feet .................S 65.o0 43.0O
/ Mccormick mower 80. 1000 1890
4 Buckeye mower, Az. 1000 40.O0
/ Mccormick Irvine Bin