Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-10-21
The Farmer and the Tariff;

No duty on cotton, grain, or meat can
benefit the farmer, because we export these.
The farmer Is supposed to get compensation
for the tariff taxes he pays in the better
markets the protective tariff gives him in
the better wages supposed to be paid opera
lives in factories and mines. Has he heard
the complaints of labor as to wages Of these
buyerst Did he read the reports Of the Con.
gressional committee appointed to investi'
gate conditions in the mining districtsS Does
he not know that very large per cent OF
these customers are now on striker Does he
know that the mills of Fall River, which
are supposed to furnish him q market, are
now lying idle, and the wages which are
supposed to pay for his goods have long
since ceased, while his customers are fed by
the Salvation Army, by charity, and from
their savingsH So much the tariff does for
him In this direction, but there Is no doubt
about what 1t costs him.
We know the tariff protected iron and
steel and implements are sold In Europe for
half their cost TO him; hats, caps, coats,
waistcoats, underwear, shirts, socks, stock
ings, gloves, and mittens are taxed A cents
per pound and 90 per cent In addition.
On wooden fabrics In the piece valued at
not more than 40 cents q pound, the duty Is
three times that imposed on unwashed wool
Of the first class; the manufacturer has three
times the protection accorded TO the farmer.
On fabrics valued above 40 cents and not
more than 70 cents per pound, the duty Is
four times that of unwashed wool; in addi-
ton, a tax of so per cent ad valorem on all
above. Now, clothing Is necessary-under
the Wilson bill clothing was free; II was
taxed under the Mckinley and Dingley
acts-solely to benefit the manufacturer, as
against the farmer, since these prices are
prohibitlve TO the farmer.
Republicans say wool Is taxed TO encour.
age its production it has been taxed for all
these years, and still we fail to supply our
own market, just as the farmer is taxed for
every pound OF sugar he consumes under the
plea Of beneflting him President Harrison
said cheap coat made cheap man; prac-
tically, Roosevelt holds the same view, when
he stands pat, and he might say the same
thing If Cortelyou would risk HIM on the
stump. Harrison was not elected after say
ing this. What will be done to Roosevelt
The story goes In Washington that Speaker
Cannon said he could not afford to pay more
than $40 for an overcoat, while the tailor
asked sos; his daughter gave the tailor $26
and told the tailor to charge her lather $40
and thus high protectionist got an over
coat The Speaker was right-the coat was
worth about $40, and the rest was taxation
pure and simple, but--does a cheap coat
make a cheap man OF Uncle JoeP He had
helped to pass laws TO make other people
pay more--he would not do 30 himself.
The farmers OF this country can have low
tariff whenever they grow tired OF con-
tributlng to the profits OF manufacturers
much richer than themselves; they will
have money to improve their farms and
roads, and make themselves comfortable
enough to keep the boys at home when
they make the factories stand on their OWL
bottoms. 1t might be we'll to begin next No
vember-delay makes the enemy stronger
Florida Times Union.