Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-10-28
PROTECTION FOR PRODUCTS OF
THE FARM.

The Record commends to its read.
ers the statement issued by Henry N.
Pope, president Of the Association of
State Farmers Union Presidents. de.
nouncing the Underwood tariff as a
rank discrimination against the
farmer.
Well may the head of the union
sound an alarm against free trade for
the farmer and protection for the
manufacturer, and had not the war
stopped the effect of this tariff there
would be a wailing and crashing OF
teeth among the farmers OF this coun.
try. We reproduce Mr.. Pope's state.
ment In part: '''r
The effect OF the Underwood tariff
act Is to protect capital and labor en-.
gagged in manufacturing and to expose
to world competition capital and labor
engaged in production. It is perhaps
the most antagonistic expression Con.
gress ever made toward the agricul-
tural interests OF this nation and had
not the European war arrested its op
Grafton, would have wrought disaster
to the farmers OF the country. The
tariff gives protection Of approximate.
1y $6,000,000000 per annum to capital
and labor engaged In manufacturing,
but gives no protection to the farm.
ers. When released from war influ.
ences this tariff will reduce the selling
price Of farm products approximately
$1,000, 100000 per annum. II brings
capital and labor employed on the
farm in direct competition with free
lands in primitive countries and com.
pels the farmers to compete with wild
men who live in trees and caves and !,
raise their children in nakedness and |
ignorance.
The only purpose and the only re.
suit OF taking agricultural products off
the protected and placing them on the
free list was TO reduce the price. The
act was. therefore, deliberately un.
unfriendly to the farmers OF the ma
ton. The next session OF Congress-
should revise the tariff and get back
TO the soil with protection. giving the
pillow the same friendly consideration
that Is now given to the factory.
There has always been a tariff on
farm products until the Democrats
went into office. when cattle. corn.
oats. wheat and all other agricultural
products were taken off the protected
and put on the free list. The object
sought was. OF course. to reduce the
price.
Just before the war broke out the ,
cry OF the high cost OF living reached .
Its height among the manufacturers
OF the North and East. The cause OF !
II was that many laborers on the farm ,
had quilt the farm and gone TO the fac.
tory to work and farm products Ind
become insufficient In quantity to sup. ,
port the people OF the United States. d.
Then when the Democrats went into u.
power they took the protection off the
farm products. which was all right for -,
the manufacturer OF the East but
ruined the farmer. or would have done u,
10. had not the war prevented II. II
put the American farmer into compc.
tion with the Canadian wheat grower ,
and the South American oats and corn
grower. and even eggs we're sent In
from China. On the day when the
tariff vas taken off products Of the
farm. a shipload Of eggs was waiting I,
outside the New York harbor from
China and the price OF eggs on the
New York market went down cents
per dozen before shutdown.
We had never been importers OF
farm products before the summer of In
1914. TO any great extent. and Jus, al \
the time protection was needed Il was Y
taken away. After the war IL over a
and agricultural countries begin to ,
compete with the American farmer.
his doom is sealed unless we return TO
protective tariff on farm products. c
The tariff Of the Democratic party d
vas framed too much in the interest c
u vote'getting In the East and North o
md not enough on behalf OF the farm. o
n and particularly the cotton farmer. d
The Farmers Union IL a powerful a
'rganiSation. capable OF tremendous a
nfluence In economic affairs and II @