The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-10-18
Every Farmer Is Protected.

per cannot see how the tariff protects |
the farmer. He is very probably hon.
est in his position, though he Is put
ting charity to somewhat of strain |
when he declares that farmer can be
a Republican is one of the curioslties
Of the political situation"
That a farmer who votes in accord
ance with his own so-called class inter
ests can be anything but Republican
would be still more curious. There are
lots of farmers who are Democrats, and
so, but we venture the asser-
ton that their political creed is not
based upon careful study OF their
own interests. They are Democrats for
other reasons
1t Is argued tLat "the prices OF near
Iy all the necessities he buys are pro-
tected at the average rate OF W per
cent. while the prices of the commodi-
ties he produces are made in competi-
ton with the world"
Those who argue that way are not
fools. But in our opinion they are
most eggregiously mistaken. III the
farmers who are directly protected by
the tariff against Mexican cattle, or
those who are directly protected
against Canadian wheat, should sud-
denly find the bars let down, those
farmers at least would soon see where
they are protected. hut this is only
very small degree of the protection
which the farmer receives.
The greatest degree of protection Is
that which he receives indirectly Inc
tariff provides him with a market for
his products at home by quitting wages
into the pockets of workingmen and by
enabling the vast and varied CONNER
cial enterprises of the country to Hour
ish. 1t is superficial to say that Liver
pool fixes the price of the American
farmers wheat and corn. 1t must not
be forgotten that the farmer more than
any other producer is the victim OF the
speculative market, with which the
tariff has nothing whatever 10 do. But
aside from this disturbing and extrane-
ous influence. which is itself intimately
affected by fiuctuating crops, the price
which the farmer receives for his prod
net is determined entirely by supply
and demand The supply may be limit
ed by poor crops and the demand may
be increased by prosperous times. Con-
yersely the supply may be abundant
and the demand small in times Oh COM
mercial depression
As a producer of hard times nothing
has ever been so successfully tried in
this country as a substantial reduction
in the tariff. When the factories are
idle and commercial industries lam
grisb. the farmer finds his most profit
able and extensive market cut on The
severest blow which the agricultural
interests could sustain would be the
enactmant Of legislation at all ap-
preaching free trade
In protecting industries which fur
nish buyers for what the farmer raises
protection protects every farmer IN the
land. The farmers real competitor Is
not the grower of wheat in Canada OF
Siberia or Argentina, 1t is not the
raiser of cattle and hogs in Mexico OF
South America 1t is the mlanufac
turer across the sea. whose product;
are excluded by tariffs that keep Amer
lean factories running and furnish
American workingmen and allied con
sumers with the means of buying wha
the farmer has to sell.-Kansas Cit
Journal.
The Trusts and the Democracy.
The Herald is much exercised owe
the trusts, charges them all to tn
tariff. even Standard Oil, and close
with a dire threat or prediction tina
the Republican party, which made tn
trusts possible. will be hurled from
power by an outraged people. Incl
dentalIy 1t delivers panegyric on MI
Lincoln, the only trouble being tina
the great man was obliged to die be
fore any Democrat discovered eithe
greatness or common honesty in th
glorified man.
But the writer in the Herald forge
one thing. When the people ovel
throw the Republican party. into wha
hands will IL commit the destinies G
the country VIII 1t be the Demos
racv? That is rather a momentou
question. Will the 1892 trick be trie
again? In that year the Democrat
nut in its plank furious arraignmer
of the Republican party's trust re
ord. demanded that 1t should be ute
" overthrown, and then the trus
clipped i'm and elected their Presidei
and both houses of Congress.
The results were somewhat disa
po:nting. The traditional bull In Il
china shop was but sucking calf
comparison
The country had four years of 1t, al
when it had run course, had trus
been for sale at two-bits apiece. thu
would have gone begging; there w
no money left in the land to make Il
purchases.
Since then the people have fought
little shy of putting their trust in
DdrIy SO ullt0 WIN PAoiAiioe' f>fO
election. so impotent in performanc
after election. The Republicans hi
passed an antitrust law just prior
the great Democratic victory. but n
CIeveland's attorney general could S
nothing In 1t. The trusts were mil
readers that year. They knew in a
vance that, no matter who Mr.. Cle'
land might appoint attorney general,
would be color blind and would s
nothing compelling in the laws
Lake City Telegram
sisyphus I'm Cuba.
.eIn re-establishing the Cuban g
eminent" said Senator Beveridge
hes Noines. 'all the world knows ii
we are doing the work or Slsyphus
- hi ~