The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-10-21
THE FARMER AND THE
TARIFF.

The following practical and forcible
article, from the Florida Times Union, is
worthy of careful perusal:
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 bett er markets the protective tariff
gives him in the better wages supposed
to be paid operatives in factories and
mines. Has he heard the complaints OF
labor as to the wages of these buyers?
Did he read the reports of the Congress
sional committee appointed to investigate
con ditions in the mining districts? Does
he not know that a very large per cent.
of these customers are now on strike!
Does he know that the mills OF Fall
River, which are supposed to furnish him
market, are now lying idle, and the
wages which are supposed to pay for his
goods have long since ceased, while his
custom ers are fed by the Salvation Army,
by charity, and from their savings? So
much the tariff does for him in this direc-
ton. but there is no doubt about what it
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, stockings. gloves, and mittens are
taxed A cents per pound and 60 per cent
in addition.
On wooden fabrics in the piece valued
at not more than 40 cents pound, the
duty is three times that imposed on un'
washed wool of the first class; the manu-
ia cturer has three times the protection
accorded to the farmer. On fabrics valu-
ed above 40 cents and not more than 70
cents per pound, the duty is four times
that of unwashed wool; in addition, a tax
of SO per cent ad valorum on all above.
Now, clothing is necessary-under the
Wilson bill clothing was free; it was
taxed under the Mckinley and Dingley
acts-solely to benefit the manufacturer,
as gainst the farmer, since these prices
are prohibitive to the farmer.
Republicans say wool is taxed to en-
cou1age it's production; it has been taxed
for all these years, and still we fail to
supply our own market, just as the farm
er is taxed for every pound of sugar he
consumes under the plea of benefting
him! President Harrison said = cheap
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
saything this. What will be done to
Roosevelt?
The story goes in Washington that
Speaker Cannon said he could not afford
to pay more $40 for an overcoat, while
the tailor asked sos; his daughter gave
the tailor $25 and told the tailor to charge
her father $40, and thus high protec-
zionist got an overcoat. The Speaker
was right-the coat was worth about
$40. and the rest was taxation, pure and
simple, but--does cheap coat make a
cheap man of Uucle Joe? He had help
ed to pass laws to make other people pay
more-he would not do so himself.
The farmers of this county can have
the tariff whenever they grow tired OF
contributing to the profits of manufac-
turers much richer than themselves; they
will have money to improve their farms
and roads, and make themselves COM
Portable enough to keep the boys at home
when they make the factories stand on
their own bottoms. 1t might be well to
begin next November-delay makes the
enemy stronger.
The great battle in Manchuria is over,