The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-20


pound it averages IS per cent. As
result of the increased duties on
cheaper cloths, cotton, wool and silk,
the material for women's and chill
dren's wear has nearly doubled in
price. Almost the same increase is
noticeable in ready-made clothing for
men. In mems clothing, however, the
increase in price is not as noticeable
as the deterioration in quality. 1t is
difficult to find an aIl-wooi garment
at price within the reach of the or
binary man.
| 1t has been a mystery to me for
years that the American people could
be induced to stand such an impoSi-
ton. but the matter has been very
cleverly managed. The two classes
| who hear the heaviest part of the
burden of the tax on clothing, for in
stance, are the wage earnerS and the
farmers. Each of these classes has
been made to believe that it is the
special beneficiary of the whole tariff
system. Now, however, laboring men
have generally come to understand
that the manufacturer does not pay
higher wages because he is licensed
by law to hold up the public. They
realize that the level of wages in
the protected industries is lower than
in the occupations which are not pro-
tected, as a rule, and that it would
be lower than it is were they not
protected by their organization.
AS to you farmers, l am little
fearful that some of you are still look
ing through fringe of standpat wool.
Some of you still believe that tariff
of 20 cents a bushel on wheat is the
cause of our good wheat prices. Let
us consider that question for a mo-
ment. Of the leading farm products
on the protected list, grain, corn, cot
ton and meats, we export immense
quantities every year. Let me ask
you my farmer friends, do you get
more for the bushel of wheat that is
consumed in New York than you do
for the bushel that goes to England?
Does the hog that is eaten in Boston
bring you a better price than the
one shipped to Germany? If not,
how does the tariff on these commodi-
ties help you? If we did not produce
enough grain to supply our domestic
demand the question would be differ
ent The tariff would then enable
you to hold up the consumers for a
higher price. Wool, so far as 1 know,
is the only agricultural product which
we do not produce in sufficient guam
titles for our needs. The tariff on
wool increases the price to the farmer.
But even if you own sheep, that slight
increase does not compensate you for
the general tariff burden you bear.
Why Prices Rise.
The increase in the price of farm
products is not the result of -ariffs,
but of worldwide economic changes.
Let me point out that to you briefly.
In the latter half of the last century
machinery commenced to be extensive
ly employed in farm production. This,
in connection with new lands opened
and made available by railroad de-
velopment in America and in Asia, al
most doubled the worlds output of
food products. With no more mouths
to feed and this sudden increase in
quantity of food, the European mar
kets as we'll as our own became glut-
ted. We were selling our surplus in
the worlds market then as now, and
we had to take the worlds price, as
we do today. Prices that had pre-
vailed for decades were cut in two.
From the early '70's to the end of
the century there was severe depres-
sion in farming the world over. This
accounts largely for the heavy emigra-
ton from the farming countries Of
Northern Europe during that period.
Here in America the emigrants got
virgin soil to rob-" which enabled
them to continue the losing fight of
going against glutted market. The
situation of our farmers Is or 20 years
ago was really alarming. The calling
which had been the mainstay of So
ciety since the dawn of civilization
seemed to be doomed.
The Outlook Was Dark.
The outlook was dark for young
men on the farm. The farmers call
ing seemed neither profitable nor
pleasant. The cities with their large
opportunities for lucrative employ
ment and for comforts beckoned them
to come-and come they did in great
numbers. Since 1890, down almost to
the present time, there has been a
veritable exodus from the country to
the cities, not only in America, but in
Europe. The great cities and indus
trial centers of the world have doubled
and trebled in population in the last
two decades. BY this movement Of
population the number of people en-
gagged in producing food has been
relatively decreased and the number
engaged in producing other neces-
saries and comforts of life has been
very greatly increased. I think that
on the whole, the redistribution of
population made necessary by the in
vention of machinery, has probably
been accomplished. AS result, work
on the farm has become substantially
as remunerative as it is in the indus
tries or in commerce. It is these
economic changes that have bettered
the condition of our farmers in the
last few years. The prices of farm
products have simply risen under the
operation of the general economic law