The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-09-02
TRIBUTE TO TRUSTS
SYSTEMATIC LEVY MADE ON THE
FARMER.
Agriculturists Are Beginning to I'm.
derstand How They Are Being
Blcd in the interests Of
Eastern Trusts

Do the farmers know what the con.
grcs8ional cloakroom theory Is about
them and the new tarin law? Doubt
less few Of them do, but most Of
them may not have learned IT, Wen,
the clOakrOum theory theory In.
formally discussed and informally but
very generally adopted by the Rhode
Islanders Of congrcss-is something
like this:
We have kept up the duty on farm
products We are going to have big
crops. The farmers are going to be-
prosperous this fall The farmers viii
be made to understand that their pros.
perity has been brought about by the
new tariff law As a matter of fact.
so long as they are prosperous they
~! care very little about the tariff
or anything else They know good
prices on grain and live stock. which
thcy have 10 sell. They do not know
how much we get out Of them on the
things they have to buy"
And this theory Is not by any means
absurd for 1t Is entertained by high
protcctionists who have seen the same
theory work In the past and who are
so blind to changing conditions that
they believe II will work again lust
as well rs II ever did. But unless all
signs that may be read "un the
ground are misleading. the farmers
of this country and especially Of the
H..
than they ever know 1t before They
have been awakened and cnlaltencd
by those Republican leaders who have
stood by their party's platform and
by the presidents promises Those
leaders have exposed the corruption
that has entered into the protective
system, and their cxpositiuns have
been convincing because they have
been unanswered by those who have
been challenged and because they can
not be discounted by partisan consld.
erations.
If this cnlightcnmcnt-thc cnlight.
eminent Of the tariff revision campaign
OF last year and of the extra session
recently cndod-is all that II seems to
be, the farmers now understand some
things they never before. as a class /
understood in the same way. They
understand that the duties on farm |
products are an empty sop to the |
farmers, because the volume OF farm |
products II far greater than the do. |
nestle demand, and. Therefore il is |
bat
mines the prices of these products.
They know that even with all these
farm products on the free list. there |
would be no importations, for the rest
OF the world does not provide all of
these articles II needs and must con.
stantly draw on the United states
for supplies and could not, therefore,
send supplies TO the United States.
They know that In return for this
favor of duties on farm products the
farmers are made 20 pay enormous ex-
cesses in purchasing many other ar.
ticles of food that are either not pro-
duced in this country or are produced
in insufficient quantities to meet the
domestic demand.
They know that they are made TO
pay high tribute to the trusts in the
purchase of all kinds of clothing. all
kinds of farm implements, nearly all
kinds or household furnishings, paints.
leather goods and many other articles
of necessity.
They know that the net result of the
tariff. so far as they are concerned, is
extortion without compcn.
sation-a contlscation of n considcra.
bic portion of the profits that accrue
from tho farming business.
in short. they know that for taking
from them what they need and
have right to keep, the makers of
the tarlff have attempted to satisfy"
them by giving them son ething they
do not need and can not use.-Kansas
City Star.