Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-10-19
TWENTY BILLION REASONS,

Rec procity in Competitive Pro-
ducts is Tariff Reduction; Tariff
Reduction is Price Reduction,
Price Reduction is Wage Reduc-
ton; Therefore, Reciprocity in
Competitive Products is Wage
Reduction.
Fully ten billion dollars has been
added to the value of the farms of the
United States in the past ten years of
Republican Protection prosperity. Prac-
tically another ten billions has in these
ten years been added to the market
value of farm products These are as
founding figures, but they are borne out
by official statistics.
The increase in the value of farm
lands in the past five years. 1900-1905,
has been So 1871 100000
In report entitled Local Conditions
as Affecting Farm Values, 1900-1905,"
lately issued by the Bureau of Statistics
of the Department of Agriculture, we
find the following statement:
Increase in value for ten classes of
farms.-tor rice farms the increased
value of the farm real estate during the
five years is So 100000, after which are
the sugar farms, with an increase of
$50 1000, 900. The tobacco farms increased
$57 100000 the fruit farms 1914 900, 900,
and the vegetables farms Sl13,0 900.
The dairy farm increase of 1869, 100000
is exceeded by the increase of $3.50, 000,-
900 for cotton farms, and considerably
more by the increase for farms devoted
to general purposes, including a small
element of farms with minor specialties,
which was $768, 100000. The grand ag-
gregate of increase for all classes of farms
is So, 131 ,000, 900, more than two thirds of
which is contributed by the increase for
hay and grain farms, 81 1888, 900, 600, and
$2,263,0OO 900 for live stock farms.
The increase of more than six bill
lion dollars in the value of farm lands
in the five years ending with 1906 is in
striking contrast with what took place
in the four years of Democratic Tariff
making, 1893-1S97. In those lean years
lean for the wage earners and there
fore lean for the farmers-the decline
in values of farm products was est-
mated at between $4,000, 100000 and
s., 600, 100000 American labor was
earning less and eating less. In that
same lean period of Free-Trade Tariff
revision the depreciation of farm land
values was not less than IS 900 900, 900.
Total loss to the farmers of the United
States in four years of downward Tar
if revision, ten billion dollars.
All of this gigantic loss was recovered
in the four years of Protection prosper
ity following the election of President
Mckinley in 1896, In the next succeed
ing five years, ending with 1903, years
of Republican Protection prosperity,
there has been a further gain of more
than six billions in farm land value and
of probably four billion dollars in the
values of farm products.
Counting the money lost, 1893 1897
(Free-Irade period, Sl0,000,000 900,
and the money gained back again and
increased beyond that by the huge gains
in values of lands and of products since
1900, and we find that restored Protec-
ton to labor, to industry and to the
products of agriculture has been worth
twenty billion dollars to the farmers of
the United States
Says the report of the Agricultural
Department, lately issued:
Increase in value for five geographic
divisions. Nearly four-fifths of the ma
70 inn To- e e.
real estate during the five years is found
IN two groups of States-the North Cen
trail States, with more than half of the
total increase, or So, 572 900, 900, and the
South Central States, with one.fifth of
that increase, or 81 ,201 100000. The
South Atlantic and Western groups of
States have nearly the same increases
1914 900, 900 and $500, 900, 900, respective
ly. The smallest increase is left to the
North Atlantic Sthtes, where net gain
OF S344 100000 remains after deducting
some reported decreases in value.
Increases in farm land values have
been greatest in those sections where
the largest growth of manufacturing in
dustries has taken place-in the North
Central and South Central States. The
more factories, the better for the farm.
or; the nearer the factories to the farms,
the greater the demand for farm prod
ucts at highest prices.
Among the causes of increase in farm
land values given in the report under
consideration are the following
New or expanding manufacturing in
dustries in nearby markets. Results of
Protection.
Raising sugar beets for sugar factories.
Result of Protection.
Improved economic conditions; general
prosperity Almost wholly the result
of Protection.
Higher prices for products. rChiefiy
due to Protection.
Some details of these higher prices
are found interest, In 1896 Gree
Trade Tariff perio" n averaged 81 5