The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-02

farmer, Tsubmit the following prop
ositions believe the facts abundant
ly substantiate: ..l tE
"First-That the tariff on farm
products has never been of any bene-
fit to the farmer and therefore it's
removal from such products in no
way Injuries him or discriminates
against him.
"Second-That the real and sub
stantial reduction of the tariff on
manufactured products, covering
practically everything the farmer has
to buy, directly benefits the farmer
by enabling him to purchase his
goods in a competitive market, rath-
err than in highly protected and
monopolistic one.
"Third-The enactment of the in
come tax law as part of the tariff
bill, shifts, in b large measure, the
burden of taxation from the backs
of the consuming public and places
it upon the accumulated wealth OF
the country
Going into the first of these propo-
sitions Mr.. Pepper said:
"The tariff has never been boon
to the American farmer. The great
agricultural staples of the United
States have never been, are not to-
day and probably never will be in
danger of effective competition from
the outside. Neither the farmers of
Europe or those of India or China, or
Australia have any surplus of pro-
ducts to dump upon our shores.
"How ridiculous it is to say that
it is a discrimination against farm
ers to free-list agricultural products,
when the facts on tariff history show
that taxes on agricultural imports
produced practically no revenue re-
turns and are therefore valueless as
revenue producers.
Mr. Pepper then produced a table
showing that the revenue from ten
leading agricultural products be-
tween 1910 and 1913 had ranged
only from $1,O55,O51 to $2,507,9S6,
while the total tariff revenue dur
| ing those four years has run from
2SO million to 1923 million. He then
shows in another table, using the
same ten products as a basis for
comparison, that in 1913 the United
States exported of these products a
total of 2S,OOO,O00. "Thus it will
be seem" he said, that while we ex-
ported but little over 2 million, we
exported 1928 Million TO empha-
size his point further he showed that
of the six billion bushels of wheat
raised, one-fourth was exported and
sold in competition with the world
at value that liked the price of the
three-fourths retained and sold for
home consumption. Corn's showing
was held to be even more illumlna-
| tive. The production during the
ten year period was 4,65 4 100000
bushels, the exports 946,OO0,OOO,
and the imports only $4,000 bush
els. "Our farmers" he said, can
not possibly receive any benefit from
tariff on corn. No tariff ever add
ed one cent to the price received by
the farmer. The came facts sub
stantially can be shown with relation
practically to every product coming
from the farm.
Discussing the second proposition
Mr.. Pepper said: ,..
1.-THE farmer has been forced to
buy all that he needed in a highly
protected market, while he sold his
surplus in competition with the
world" He produced table show
| ing the tariff on articles which the
| farmer has to buy, showing that ne
had to pay from so to 1876 per cent
on common necessities, such as table
ware, bedding, furniture, clothing,
tools, farm machinery, and as to all
the things he enumerated where ex-
orbitant tariff rates have been as
sessed, the rates on the Underwood
bill have been substantially reduced,
where the tariff has not been wholly
removed thus reducing the cost to
| the consumer.
Some agricultural products have
been placed on the free list" Mr..
Pepper continued, land still great
er number of manufactured products
have been placed upon the free list.
For every product of the farm placed
On the free list there have been six
or seven manufactured products
placed on the free list"
Continuing to discussion of the
third point raised in his speech, that
relating to the income tax, Mr.. Pep
per said:
For years there has been an over
whelming sentiment in this country
in favor of the income tax. The JUS
tice of such tax is so self evident
that few, if any, have been heard in
opposition to it's enactment. Its sue
cess in foreign countries has been
demonstrated for years. This pro-
vision of the Underwood bill when
enacted into law will place upon the
wealth of this country, in measure
at least, fair share of the burden
of sustaining the government. The
swollen fortunes accumulated as a
result of special privilege obtained
under former tariff legislation, will
now be compelled to contribute
portion of the income to help bear
governmental expenses
In conclusion Mr.. Pepper said:
"For the first time in the memory
of men now living we are to wit
ness the enactment of tariff law
written for the benefit of all the peo-
pie; a bill which carries out with
N~s EEL, Aho