The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-10-18

countries
Professor Wilson is telling the far
mers over and over again, that they
have never been protected-that they
do NOT need protection. Then in this
connection the professor adds: But
everything You use on the farm, ev
.erythng that you wear, and a great
deal Of what you eat. but do not pro-
duce yourself, including meats, bears
heavy duty, which brings abont the
interesting result that you are paying
for the wealth of the United States
and getting nothing, OF equivalent to
nothing, so cfar as the tariff is con-
,cerned. Now that hasn't just begun
to be true. 1T has always been true.
1t is not ttrue The protective tariff
does benefit the farmers. American
farmers know this fact, and by theh
votes have helped To maintain thu
policy OF Eprotection. Without their
votes the party OF protection could
not have won a single presidential
election ~ the last forty years. Have
the farmers been mistaken through
all theseyyears? They have not. Has
protection been OF no value to them?
1t certainly has.
All history and all fact dispute the
: academic free trade contention that
She farmer has no share in the bene-
fits Of protection. In every period of
industrial depression, resulting from
the destruction of the tariff duties be-
~ fpF he re
Of this country have been heavy
losers, because OF diminished demand
and lower prices for their products
Ia the most recent period Of Demo
cratic free trade legislation-1S94- 1877
the farmers of the United States lost
fully five billion dollars in reduced
prices OF farm products, and dimin-
ished values Of farm property. In
every period OF restored protection
the farmers have reaped the benefits
of a greater demand and increased
prices. There has been no exception
to the rule of prosperity Tor American
farmers, when American labor Is fully
employed
Here are some proofs OF that fact
In a recent statement by Senator
Smoot printed In the Congressional
Record OF August 20, 1912. IT is shown
that In December 1896, after two
years Of Tree trade tariff revision uL-
der the Wilson law OF 1s9z, the prics
Of corn was twenty-three cents
bushel. while in December, 1911, after
fourteen years of restored protection.
the price OF corn was sixtysnfne cents
a bushel; or an advance over 1896 of
200 per cent.
Using 1896 as the basis oc com
parison with December, 1911, it is
found that under a protective tzrif:
Corn advanced 200 per cent.
Wheat advanced 67 per cent.
Cotton advanced % per cent.
Oats advanced 1866 per cent.
Rye advanced 1877 per cent.
Barley advanced 3o3 per cent.
Hay advanced 1873 per cent.
Hops advanced 286 per cent.
Potatoes advanced 282 per cent
Fiaxseed advanced 149 per cent.
Fat cattle advanced 81 per cent
Fat hogs advanced SO per cent.
Dairy butter advanced 86 per cent
Eggs advanced 90 per cent.
While the price OF farm products
has increased, the price of articles
which the farmer purchases has not
Increased In proportion. He can buy
more today with the products OF his
farm than he could in 1895. For ex-
ample
Ten bushels Of corn In 1911 paid for
1925 pounds Of sugar, and only So
pounds In 1896.
yards Of b1eached sheetlng In 1911,
and only 10 yards In 1896.
Ten bushels Of corn In 1911 paid for
two pairs OF shoes, and only one pair
In 1896.
Professor Wilson and other Demo-
cratic speakers and writer's assert
what is absolutely untrue when they
say, that the protective tariff robs,
and in no way benefits the American
farmer AS a matter OF fact, there
Is probably no class of American pro-
ducers whose share In the benefits OF
protection In the past fifteen years,
has been so great as the share OF
the American farmer.
II the farmers rightly understand
their interests, they will vote against
the party OF free trade They will cast
six million votes for President Taft
and Vice President Sherman and
continuation OF the Republican policy
OF protection.
The votora will not spoil n fairly