Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-08-03
FARMERS WAKING Up.
Discover That Tariff Is No Bene.
fit to Them 'o.s@G
TAX UNJUST AND UNFAIR

I'M OVJUOI ANU ,UNcAIn
"Let Us Have q Union Of All Those
Opposed to tho Monopoly Tariff to
Overthrow It," Says Master Of Wash
ington State Grange.
What Is there farmer sells which
he gets NOR" for and what is there q
farmer buys which he gets for less on
account Of high protective tariff?
This question. which was put to an
audience Of farmers at an Indiana po-
litical meeting some years ago, ad-
mits Of but one answer-not single
alizing. after mature reflection and ex-
perience. that the tariff on wheat, oats,
cattle and other farm products does
not benefit him, although it may bene-
fit the midulemen who speculate in
those products. We exported last year
imported less than half million BUSH
els Are the farmers, then. in danger
Of having foreign wheat dumped on
our shores If the tariff is taken off
Some few doubtless may harbor such
delusion. For instance, Mr.. Power
of North Dakota in his evidence be-
fore the senate investigation commit
tee on high prices shows that he needs
some little enlightenment on the point
The following dialogue took place:
Senator Clarke-1sn't the price of
wheat-the world price-fxed by the
| markets of the world?
Mr.. Power-A debatable question
that has puzzled me some.
Senator Clrrke-Why has it puzzled
you? 1t hasn't puzzled anybody else.
| Why would the people Of Canada. for
| instance, export any wheat into North
Dakota If there was five cent pre-
| MUM on it per bushel?
Mr.. Power--1 don't know.
! Senator Clarke-Do you know to
whom they would sell it after they got
it there?
Mr.. Power-I do not.
The fact is that the Aldriches.
Paynes and Lodges are secretly smil-
ing at the simplicity Of those farmers
who are wrapped up in the comforta-
BILE belief that they enjoy protection
under the tariff.
| All the farmers, however, are not so
easily hoodw linked as this witness was
or assumed to be. The national grange
at it's last session passed the following
resolution
| "That the so called revision of the
tariff as enacted at the special session
Of congress was in no sense along the
line outlined by the grange. nor was 1t
in conformity with the promises Of the
dominant party. and we, the national
| grange. representing the 100000
farmer population Of the United
States. denounce and condemn the tar.
if laws as enacted as unjust and un-
fair to the farmers of the United
States. and we respectfully and vigor.
ously urge such amendments be made
thereto as will be just and equitable to
the producing classes Of this country,
which industry underlies and sustains
all of the Industrial, transportation
and commercial interest of the grand.
est and nest glorious country the
world has ever known"
The master of the Washington state
grange. Mr.. G. B. Kegley. in his ad'
dress to the officers and members OF
his organization at the twenty-first an
nual session couple Of weeks age
strongly indorses this view. He says:
I'm a recent speech In congress 8
prominent New England manufac
turer. who was recently elected to con
gress on the tariff issue by an over
whelming majority, characterized thu
recent tariff revision as a deliberate
bunko game from start to finish ani
demanded an extra session Of congress!
to revise the tariff. I most hearth,
approve this and would suggest tina
resolutions be passed by you demand
ing an extra session for the revision
Of the tariff along grange lines. Fur
thermore, instead Of waiting for tar
if commission to be appointed by tn
government to make recommendation
to the president or allowing congress
to waste the time Of special session
in which the same bunko game nigh
be played. would suggest that tn
best thing to do would be for the farm
ers, independent manufacturers ant
labor organizations, as representing
the producing and wage earning class
to organize commission Of their owl
and determine on the changes in tn
tariff which they shall demand abso
lutely. This is the line on which
should like to see the matter Tough
out, and would like to see the Wash
ington state grange at least on recor'
> as ready to cooperate in this matte
on these broad lines. In union /
strength. Let us have union Of al
those opposed to the monopoly tarit
to overthrow It,"
Revision Downward.
Dear Mr.. Taft. have you forgot
Those promissory notes
OF which you issued quite lot
When you were seeking votes?
You told us that you would revise
| o~;fF fr1o k1n