The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-11-25
zDANGER TO FARMERS
IN HIGH TARIFF

4Mr- B. F. Mcleod, in News-Courier
To the Editor of The News ant
Courier: The high protective tariff
.party will be in complete control o.
every department of the. government
after March A. and it is probable the
high protective tariff legislation will.
he the first work of the new admin
iixtration. A high protective tariffs
ameans low price farm products in
any country whose products are in
excess of domestic consumption. That
condition will exist in exaggerated
form if there is any protective tariff
Legislation within the next two OF
three years, or, until the exchange is
restored to somewhere near the pre-,
war basis.
1t is true that the farmers manag-
ed to exist under a high tariff law.
Exist is the proper word to use be-
caHse they did not really live. But
the English pound was worth $4.85
instead of 1897; the German mark
Csc instead Of /, and the frank zoe
Instead Of &c. 1t is true also during
tthe high protective tariff period that
the production Of cotton and wheat
outside of the United States increas-
&c by leaps and bounds, especially
coaintries, especially the central pow
, ers, cannot buy our surplus cotton,
cetn. wheat, cattle, etc., unless they
can sell to us the products of their
sfactories approximately of equal val
aae- When we. build tariff wall
around the United States that cannot
2be surmounted by these countries,
Sfheg cannot buy our farm products
Anfn th e exchange reaches some
where near par.
:. AT the present value of the German
.mark cotton would cost Germany %
aaarks or $3.50 per pound delivered.
Wheat 200 marks or $4,000 bushel.
When this condition exists our sur
plus farm products will be surplus
indeed and the value of the surplus
XVIII he the price of the entire pro-,
which will be far below the
scQz OF production Then another ex-
zodns of farm labor to the cities and
industrial centers. This condition will
force European countries to buy cot
Ton, wheat, corn, cattle, etc., from the
countries to which they can sell the
GpKndncts of their factories. 1t will
foFce them to try to increase the pro- |
cnction of cotton, wheat, etc. in all |
nRUntries where they can be grown.
I'VE. can sell some of our surplus af-
ter the supply everywhere else has
tbeen exhausted. Trade moves along
,fhe, Lines of least resistance Build a
dam across the channel and it will
t9pw through other channels. This
condition will enable England to con-
Sinue to practically force the central
.psMers to buy her inferior low grade
fRlfian cotton at big profit. and en-
able her to increase the production.
VhAn what will become of our low
grade cotton?
IThe farmers and country merchants
and bankers, who deal directly with
tbes8Tmers, should begin at once to!
prepaee TO meet the situation. There
HEe- two ways to meet it and it will
rcQUreJ both to meet it successfully.
The first Is from the standpoint of the
c6ttonafarmer. Grow all the food that
Is needed on the farm, make all the!r
hunee efettilizer. possible, reduce the
cotton acreageCone-third to one-half !
fertilize 1t and cultivate it well,
vtfAdr WEI reduce the cost. Second,
6omnsers, merchants and bankers in
every agricultural section of the ceun-;; :
tBg, North, East, South and West
sno11d agree on a plan Of action.
This could be done through well Sc {
tsaasd committees from every section.
fftese committees could work out
ntfmite plans. They should have suf-
fScient funds to maintain lobby in
Washington when Congress is in ses-i
5iDn and carry on a campaign Of edu-
cation before and after Congress con-
xsassceudy until the proposed legisla-
tiongss disposed Of.
,TEhere is another side to the ques-
Hon. We cannot afford for our in
to be put out of business.
Manner can we afford to bankrupt
our.farmers and merchants. There is
a middle ground somewhere and II
seems 70 me we have enough brains
AMONG the farmers, business men
and manufacturer to find the middle
ground where all can stand. Will the
sit at table with the
business men and representatives OF
THE farmers and try to solve the prob
aem-s-solye it for the best interest OF
dhehentire country and not for the
favored few? doubt it.
with that idea in view urged the
South Carolina cotton manufacturers
10 stake memberships in the Ameri-
ran Cotton Association aggregating
$1,000, 900 which would give them
three members on the board OF di-
recaors and one member on the exc