The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-05-12
What Is the Answer

party, ana out OF llh own mouth tA-
pose in It's nakedness It's false pre-
tense and deception, to which the
American farmer has been a patient
victim for the last third Of a century.
"On February 9, 1910, the Senate
under resolution, appointed a select
committee to investigate the prices of
commodities and the cause OF any in
crease in same. The Republican mem
bers were Senators Lodge OF Massa-
chusetts Galinger OF New Hamp-
shire. McCumber OF North Dakota
Smoot of Utah; and Crawford of
South Dakota. The Democratic mem
bers were Senators Clarke Of Arkan-
sas; Johnston OF Alabama; and Smith
of South Carolina. After mouths of
investigation report was made to the
Senate, the Republican members III.
ing the majority and the Democratic
members a minority report ! hold in
my hand both reports | call the at
tention of the House-and wish
every farmer in the country could hear
it-that this unanimous report of the
Republican senators, after full and
thorough investigation, expressly de-
clares that the tariff on wheat, corn
rye, barley oats, cattle and live stock
and the agricultural products has
nothing to do with their prices. II
further declares that the prices of
these products OF the farm are fixed
in the markets of the world and It con
tends and produces figures to show
that these products are higher in
London and Liverpool and the worlds
markets than they are here in high
protection United States.
But let me read from this remark
able report:
The tariff seems TO have been no
material factor in causing the advance
in prices the last decade. The great
est advances have been made in com
modities upon which the tariff has
little or no effect, and the absolute
removal of the tariff on many OF these
commodities could not afford any re-
! lief at the present time for the reason
that the prices of these commodities,
with few exceptions, were as high or
higher in other countries than in the
| United States
1T then mentions, as the articles
affect the principal farm grains
barley, corn, oats, rye and wheat
cattle and live stock.
81 have not time to quote more but
ii devotes page after page in proof
that the tariff does not and cannot
have any influence one way or the
other on their prices; that the prices
for them, both at home and abroad.
are fixed in the markets of the world
that these prices are as high, and in
many markets higher. than in the Uni
ted States. In other words it confess
es that this tariff is a fraud and false
pretense practiced on the farmer. As
! said, the Democratic senators on
that committee filed minority report
While there was much difference of
opinion as TO the effect OF the tariff
on other subjects, both reports. major
ity and minority, agreed on the fact
that the tariff on these products of
the farm had absolutely nothing to do
with their prices; that such a tariff
was purely bogus. commend this
report by Republican senators to the
reading of every Republican.
MIR, Chairman. this is not all,
shall now produce an authority which
should forever stop the Republican
party from again palming off on the
people. and especially the farmer, its
old, false and fraudulent argument
that the tariff on the farmers product
affects and increases its price. have
here the campaign book for 1910 OF
the Republican party, entitled Repub-
lican Textbook | am going to quote
from ii in order to nail forever the
bald admission by the Republican
party of its willful and persistent de-
ception of the American farmer Turn
TO page 144 and we read.
The present advance in prices is
as has been stated, primarily an ad
vance in farm products and food OF
domestic production. *The tar
in seems to have been no material fac
, tor in causing advance in prices dur
ing the past decade. The
advance in prices curing the last ten
years appears 10 have no relation
with tariff legislation
But more. From pages lac and 147
we read:
That the tariff is not the cause OF
the present advance is conclusiyely
SHOWN by the fact that the greatest
advance has been made in commodi
ties which are usually produced in
such quantities to furnish large
surplus to other countries.
"Of such products it mentions bar
ley, corn, oats, rye, wheat and live
stock, consisting of cattle, hogs, sheep
and so forth. 1t continues:
But the fact that exports OF pro
ducts OF the farm continue in such
large quantities indicates that the
price movement is due, not to the tar.
if but 10 a worldwide movement up.
ward in the prices of these commodl
ties.
But to emphasizesits past decep
ton and its present confession, it con
cludes
The course Of prices indicate
plainly that the world is demanding
our food supplies and that the prices
have advanced here, not by reason OF
the tariff, but with the general upward
movement
My friends, the Democratic party
has for % years in this capitol, on
the stump, through the press. denoun
ced this farmers product tariff as a
fraud and a sham, put on and kept on
by the Republicans for the purpose OF
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