Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-24

Danes possess il. Do Nou wonder that
thei English tariH corninission recon-
mends Il duty on butter and cheese?
How German Farmers Escaped
Troubles.
.ts we turn from England and her
sad picture, We find another story in
Germany and France. where statesmen
ana people united to preserve the oqui--
lihlium of the home market. ] will
quote again from Mr.. james j. Hllfs
book because MIR. Hill. one of the
worlds great captains of industry. IS
an unrivalCd observer of economic
facts. ] wish that at this juncture his
farm was bigger than his railroad,
for where a mans treasure is there ~
his heart also. Laughter) Mr.. Hill J
says.
How to meet German competition Is tdS
day the study of every intelligent leader
of industry and every cabinet on the
Continent of Europe 1t will be found
that a large share of her world-Wld.
success is due to symmetrical national
development Agricultural industry has
hot been slighted. Behold contrast that
throws light upon the idle host of Eng
lands unemployed marching despondently
through streets whose shop windows are
crowded with wares of German make,
269l IN acres which We're under cereals
and 100. 255 acres which We're under green
crops went out of cultivation. In Ger
many, during the same period, the Guilt
waited area grew from 22,S40,950 to 2391l,-
5I3 hectares, an increase of D per cent.
The German farmer owes his proud
position largely to the wisdom of Bis
narct. a statesman of that school Who
investigate first and then act. instead
Of acting first and investigating after
wards. (Applaus2D He had been a
free trader, but facts converted him,
and in May, 1879, he bore this testi-
mony in the Reichstag:
Is not the moment approaching when
our agriculture VIII no longer be abie
to exist because corn is pressed dowh To
a price at which 1t can not be remuner-
atiyelV produced in Germany, TAXATION,
the cost of living. an. the cost OF iand
bong as they are? When that moment
comes, then not only agriculture but the
lrussian State and the German Enlpra
VIII go to ruin as well
Md then and there the tariff duties
of Germany on agricultural products
We're established. and the trend of ncr
policy has been to raise them and not
lover them.
Happy Position Of the French Farmer.
In France We lind the same lesson,
vet France WAS menaced The
trouble in France. as elsewhere,
writes Meredith, on English authority.
"cent"red iii the persistent faIi IN the
prices OF agricultural produce. due i'll
part to the general appreciation Of
gold, but due principally 10 the cheap
ening OF transp0r; and the appearance
on the hoiRc market OF transocoan!c
cereals and meat The result Was the
increased protection "f agricultural
products in 1880 and lSN. and tire tar
iii of 1892.
Mr. Hill. who is inclined To free
trade. does not in lis book notice the
protective legislation of France and
Germany. but the prosperity of
Frances agriculture today he paints
IN III. most brilliant colors.
Ii seems Ia me proven beyond
doubt that the opening OF large areas
of new lands tends to destroy agricul-
ture in the old lands, and that the
Wisest craftsmanship OF IT," world for
feni5 this calamity by protective tar
ifs
When trouble comes 10 nanufacNr-
| crs. eyer"on"-the statesman inefs
knows il. The great capitalists are
in these halls; idle workmen are ON
the streets: outgoing steamers arr
crowded with foreign labororS return
. ing hUne; other faborers search new
| employment. Hing minds study
remedies. for the smoke no longer
rises from the tall chimneys. the chan
neis of trade dry w. and all know that
times are hard. 1t is a sad thing
| when manufacturers are in trouble,
When tie long dearth comes to the
farmer there are no spectacular ac-
compartments. He finds one day that
his market has dropped below the line
of profit He Grives home sadly.
searching in his mind in vain for Il
cause that may lie at the end Of Il
railroad thousand miles away. or
10000 miles away across tao oceans
As prices continue loH, lie goes quiet
~ to the local Pharoah, and soon the
farmer holds the title and pays the
taxes willie the Pharoah holds the
mortgage and gets what little income
there is. although there is not much
in Il for even the Pharoah And So
the long struggle goes on. When the
farmers arm fails, the children take
up the battle-the son or the daughter
When the trouble comes to the fac
ioit 8, tlIc machinery stops ana lhf
smoke ceases to roll from the tall
chimney. The SMOKE does rot fail in
the farmhouse chimney, for on tho
hearth burns the oldest altar fire Of
the race. The farm goes on through
the long dearth. but the hardship is
more or less great.
Should Be Careful inquiry.
1t is because of the insidious ills that
| come With the destruction of equili5-
rum in the farmers markets that leg
islativS interference should be taken
only after careful inquiry. Those bull
warks which you today are proposing
to tear down without inquiry worthy
OF the name We're last established by
the labors Of three great men--Wii-
| liam Mckinley. President; Thomas B,
Reed, Speaker; and Nelson Dingley,
Chairman OF Ways and Means. In
modest capacity / lad the fortune to
sit in their councils many times during
their seven years battle With the
greatest care and the utmost caution