Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-15
WHERE THE IOWA FARMER STANDS.

the sentiment of the Iowa farmer is
| fixed and unalterable against tariff
revision and reciprocity, the people of
| the state have been surprised by agri-
cultural societies or associations Of one
kind, or another passing strong resolu-
tons favoring the very policies they
are reported to oppose. The latest as
sembly of agriculturalists to place it
self on record is the Farmers Institute
and the agricultural department OF the
state fair at Des Moines yesterday.
by these bodies Of agrculturalists are
plain and unmistakable, regarding 1t
as the imperative duty Of congress to
revive the principles of reciprocity as
enumerated in section 4 of the Dingley
bill as necessary for the welfare of the
agricultural and some of the man
featuring interests of the country.
They claimed such action as an act OF
good faith on the part of congress and
enunciated their belief in the doctrine
promulgated by Mckinley in his Buff
falo speech. They asked for the en-
actment of law based on the prin-
ciples of section 4 of the Dingley act
believing such a law would "consti-
tute maximum and minimum tariff,
which should be put into force by the
executive without further legislation"
and requested Iowa's representation in
congress ito act promptly before ire
trievable damage is done in this di-
rection; to the end that we may re-
tain the markets that we now have for
all our agricultural and meat pro-
ducts, and extend the same thruout
continental Europe"
Now. who are to be believed, the
farmers, meat producers, agricultural
associations, which have almost, ii
not entirely without exception, gone on
record for reciprocity and tariff revis-
ion, or the denials of the syndicated
and corporations controlled press. In
the face of the unanimity of this
movement, what is the use of falsify-
ing about it? BY resolution, by vote
and in convention, the masses have
over and over again made 1T clear be-
yond cavil that Iowa is for tariff
reform. The Iowa farmer is for reci-
procity or he doesn't know his own
mind
There are as many reasons for these
resolutions by farmers societies as
there are surplus hogs and cattle.
Outside of Great Britain retaliatory
measures against our tariff policy have
cost the American producer his for
eign market for live stock. OF our
total exports Of fresh beef in 1904
Great Britain took 99k per cent, II
per cent of our exported canned beef,
80 per cent of our exports of bacon
and SO per cent of the hams shipped
out of this country. She is good
customer. but she bought more of New
Zealand, Argentina and Canada than
of us in 1908. In seven years Argen-
tina has raised her fresh beef exports
to Great Britain $10,000,000. Canada
Australia, New Zealand and all the
other meat producing countries are
after our customer, and we haven't
another in continental Europe, unless
we except Germany, which is build
ing her tariff wall against American
live stock into an impossible barrier
Last year we sent Germany $17,600,000
in meat products, decrease Of % per
cent Great Britain took 1872 millions
To that human hive, Belgium, but $4,-
100000, a decrease of nearly one-ffth
To France we exported a miserable
SS60,OO0 worth. Our policy of buying
little while demanding an unlimited
market, is closing continental Europe
to our meat products. The decrease
of exports is the result of duties adj
vanced, restrictions enacted and bar
riers multiplied against our food pro-
ducts. 1t is the price the farmers and
meat producers of America are paying
for the special privileges given GER
tain manufacturing interests. Every
farmer who raises a surplus of corn
or the products of corn, has reason to
urge his representative toward new
and squarer deal We raise so per
cent of all the corn grown in the world
and peddle our Christmas cattle at
Sc, while live cattle are selling In Ber-
lin at 5000 a hundredweight. The
farmer is selling his hogs to the local
buyer at 81 when hogs are scarce, while
the German consumer is paying from
s15.47 to $16.66 per hundred for hogs
on the hoof. What is the matter with
this market? Can't we afford to trade
at least 20 per cent off the schedules
that smack Of monopoly, for a chance
at Germany's meat demand? Is
tariff war worth while to the German
consumer and the American producer?
Would it not be a good plan to bring
the hungry man and his money to-
ward the American farmer with hogs
to sell and a mortgage to lift?
A Fearful Fate.
It is a fearful fate to have to endure
the terrible torture OF piles. II can