The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-17

WILSON DEFENDS
new TARIFF BILL
Secretary Of Agriculture Says a
Further Reduction Would
Hit Iaborcr First.
HURT FARMERS ALSO
Speech of Opening of Ohio Cam
paign Proves Farmer Jim
a Stand Patter.
HURT FARMERS ALSO

kENToN. O., Sept 1.-THE Re-
publican State campaign was opened
here formally here to-day by the gath
ering of voters and politicians from
every quarter of the State to hear the
first pronouncement of Warren @
Harding. who is to oppose Governor
Judson Harmon, for reelection. Sec
rotary OF Agriculture James Wilson di-
vided honors, with Harding as the
principal speaker.
Mr.. Wilson spoke in part as fol-
lows:
While We were building up our
manufacturing system. the public
lands were being given to the peo-
pie. which resulted in very cheap food
for many years. not very profitable to
the farmers. The farmers of the
country had low prices for their crops
while free land was to be had for
taking up. The farmer endured high
prices for factory products. while
these industries were being developed
and the West was being settled. II
now costs him more than it did before
Is he now to be put In the same class
as farmers in new adjacent countries
and sell his goods in an open marke,
in competition with pioneers of other
lands? We had experience between
1898 and 1907 along that line, The
factory lost its customers because
goods made cheaper abroad came in
The farmer lost his market because
idle factory people could not buy.
The new schedules average lower
than the Dingley law. Many articles
that have been reduced have risen In
price because of increased demand
and some without increased demand
Bread and meat are dear, owing Ia
heavy demand for them, and because
of population growing faster than
crop productions. High prices will
encourage production, better cultiva.
ton, better animals, tile granting and
better production with better meth.
DDS. These will enable the farmer,
to meet the demands of growing popu.
lation in reasonable time, without
making farm labor the exception wher
others are protected.
"A further reduction of tariff would
hit the working people first. Europe
has lower wages than the United
States and would promptly take ad.
vantage of lower duties. The farmer
would lose his customers and prices
for both factory and farm goods would
come down.
Praises President.
Secretary Wilson praised Presiden,
Taft and his administration and spoke
in the highest terms of the work oil
Congress. The tariff law would be
changed, he said, jf the researches
of the tariff board showed amend
ments TO be desirable. He made spe.
eial mention of the railroad and pos
tai savings laws and the creation of 3
commission by Congress to investigate
the question of employers liability
/ Then he continues:
Congress at it's last session gave
the President authority to conserve
the interests of the people with re.
gard to the public lands, water pow.
ers on pubic lands, minerals, such as
coal, gas, phosphates, oil. etc. Conser-
walton OF our national resources IL
being looked after. The most i'm.
portant feature Of farm conservation
however. is the soil. The farmer pros
pers while the soil yields good crops
as the result of his work He cease.
TO do well when the soil refuses to
respond to his labor.
Secretary Wilson told how improved
methods in farming had increased the
yield. per acre of corn. wheat, tobac-
co. cotton, potatoes and hay. He
urged as matter of the highest i'm.
portance the renewal of the fertility
of farm soil. The secretary closed
with a recital of the disaster that oc.
Cured in the wool industry when WOO
was placed on the free list in the vii.
son bill