The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-09-13


them. 1t was this fact, coupled with
the inability OF the states to control
trusts and monopolies. which led TO
the passage OF the federal statutes
known as the Sherman antitrust act
and the interstate commerce act: and
it is only through the exercise OF the
powers conferred by these acts. and
by the statutes OF the last congress
supplementing them, that the nation
al government acquires any Jurlsdic-
ton over the subject. To say that
action against trusts and mOnOpolics
should be limited to the application
q the common law is equivalent to
saying that the national government
should take no action whatever to
regulate them.
Agriculture is now, as it always
has been. the basis Of civilization. The
six million farms of the United
States, operated by men who. as a
class, are steadfast, single-minded,
and industrious, form the basis of all
the other achievements of the Ameri-
can people and are more fruitful than
all their other resources. The men
on those six million farms receive
from the protective tariff what they
most need, and that is the best of
all possible markets. All other
classes depend upon the farmer, but
the farmer in turn depends upon the
market they furnish him for his pro-
duce. The annual output of our ag-
ricultural products is nearly four
billions Of dollars. Their increase
in value has been prodigious, al
though agriculture has languished in
most other countries: and the main
factor III this increase is the corre-
spending increase in OUR manufact-
ur;1g industries. American farmers
have prospered because the growth
of their markets has kept pace with
the growth of their farms. The ad
ditional market continually furnishe ed
for agricultural products by domes-
tic manufacturers has been far in ex-
cess OF the outlets to other lands. An
expert trade in farm products is nee
essary' to dispose of our surplus; and
the export trade OF our farmers, both
in animal products and in plant pro-
ducts has very largely increased.
Without the enlarged home market
to keep this surplus down, we should
have to reduce production or else
feed the world at less than the cost
of production. In the forty years
ending in 1000 the total value Of
farm value increased twelve and a
half billions of dollars; the farmers
gaining even more during this ner-
iod than the manufacturer. Long
ago over-production would have
checked the marvellous development
of our national agriculture, but for
the steadily increasing demand for
American manufacturers for farm
products required as raw materials
for steadily expanding industries.
The farmer has become dependent
upon ths manufacturer to utilize that
portion Of his produce which does not
go directly to food supply. In 1000
hfty-two per cent. or little over
half, of the total value of the farm
products of the nation was consumed
in manufacturing industries as the
raw materials of the factories. Evi-
dently the manufacturer is the far
ner's best friend and most direct
customer Moreover, the American
manufacturer purchases his farm sup
plies almost exclusively in his own
country. Nine-tenths of all the raw
materials of every description con-
suned in American manufactures are
of American production. The manu-
featuring establishments tend steadily
to migrate into the heart Of the great
agricultural districts. The center
of the manufacturing industry in 1900
was near the middle of Ohio, and ii
is moving westward at the rate Of