Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-04-04
THE FARMERS LARGE SHARE.
Remarkable Rise in Value of Agricul.
tural Products in Ten Years.

Believers in the policy of protection
have long had to combat the absurd
but obstinate assumption that the
farmers of the country are benefited
in purely inconsequential way by
the imposition of tariffs on foreign
manufactures and produce. 1t is sim
gular that even to this day, in the
face of such conclusive proof to the
contrary, there should be found those
ready to take the affirmative side of
this free trade proposition, made ridic-
ulous as it has been by the history
of our own times. True, less is heard
of it than in former years, but so
long as prejudice and ignorance en-
dure it's abandonment may not be
looked for.
The department of agriculture has
recently thrown some light on the
level of prices obtaining under tarin
designed "for revenue only and
genuinely protective tariff. For the
purpose of making comparison
which will be valuable for illustrative
purposes, The Capital takes the fig
ures just issued by the department
and puts them side by side with the
Orange Judd Farmer live stock CEN
| sus of decade ago. The results are
startling. For instance:
January /, 1897 (under the Wilson
| German Democratic tariff the average
value of horses in the United States
was 1885 per head. To-day, If the
department of agriculture Is rightly
informed, that value is $83.51. Under
the Dingley tariff the American horse
has more than doubled in value.
Isn't this worth something to the
| farmer, especially when it is cons'd-
cred that there are nearly 2O,OOO,0O0
horses in the country, worth almost
two billions Of dollars?
Secretary Wilson's boys say that
the value of the American milch COW
has increased during the past ten or
IL years 80 per cent. The average
heifer sold for $21 and $22 head un-
der our last tariff tinkering expert
ment. Now the average price is S3l
per head. and the milch COWS of the
| country are worth a hundred millions
of dollars more than those we had
during low tariff times. Does this in
crease mean anything to the farmer,
or is it a purely benevolent supposi'
ton?
Again, in January, 1896, in the very
heyday of Wilson-Gorman, sheep were
going begging at SLIGO a head. Now
under a protective tariff which does
not benefit the farmer" the average
price of sheep is 1884. At least that
is what the agricultural department
SAYS. If anybody wants to quarrel
with the figures as indicative of toe
great prosperity for the farmers whc
are being numerically robbed by the
tariff, let him go to headquarters.
The contrast in the price of hogs
for 1897 and 1907 makes mighty inter
esting reading for the tariff student
too. January !, 1897, the average
porker sold for Sab. Secretary vii
son says that the average price or
the first of last January was S7.62
and it is higher to-day than it was
; Il month and a half ago. In the pas
ten years the American hog has al
lllOSJ uOuDlGu III value. 1 ut lIlII It10'
has come under protection and as ;
direct result of protection. 1t means
millions to the farmer. 1t means col
lege educations, pianos and furnace!
and tWo-seated Surveys and gasoline
engines and electric lights and no
and cold water and bath rooms
every convenience and comfort AM
luxury for the farmer and his family
All this under the Dingley law, whicl
Operates to enrich the few AM
makes the farmer pay tribute to tn
monopolist." Bah!
The farmer who keeps his milk ant
butter checks and his hog and stee
receipts is not fooled. A ten-yea
: memory is q good thing to have abou
: the place, too.-Des Moines Capital.
. WOULD BE A HEAVY HANDICAP