Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1888 — TALKING TO FARMERS. [ARTICLE]

TALKING TO FARMERS.

Another 6reat Speech by Hon. L. D. Whiting, of Bureau County, lilioois. Tracing Cle*ly the Depression in the Agricultural Interests to Trusts, Pools, Ami Other Monopolies Fostered by Extortionate Custom-House Taxation. IDixon (HI.) cor. Chicago Herald.] The second day’s session of the Farmers’ Institute attracted a large number of people to this city. The Opera House was crowded both at the morning and evening sessions. The programme was strictly followed. The sensation of the day was the address of Senator L. D. Whiting on “The Decline of Agricultural Prosperity—lts Cause and Cure.” Mr. Whiting traced clearly the depression in the agricultural interest to trusts, pools and other monopolies fostered by exorbitant custom-house taxation. He spoke as follows: As tarmers perform tueir share of hard work and practice their portion of economy, it will be conceded that they ought to enjoy their proportion of prosperity. Add to tnis the fact that for the last twenty years agricultural products turned the balance of trade to our country and poured over the land golden showers, enriching ail interests except the one which produced it, the prosperity of the farmer may well be an object of national concern. Great cities have arisen like m&gio; great corporations have sprung into existence with imperial wealth and power; great manufacturing enterprises capable of supplying a continent if ran on full time; great individual fortun§§ giving as a class of American lords—except Alone the title.

Amid all this, our class, which mainly produced it, enjoy but a scanty share. Agriculture is suffering a blight ' The lands of Bureau County have declined in price more than #lO an acre, aggregating a loss to land owners in that county of over #5,000,000. It is within bounds to say that in the State at large the loss has been over $300,000,000. New England agriculture, except in special lines, is in ruin. The fine farming regions of Pennsylvania, New York, and Onto are marked by dilapidation. In that vast sweep from Kansas to Minnesota half the farms are under mortgage, drawing high rates of interest; and the time is near when these families struggling to save their homes will be outcasts, driven to despair. This picture is corroborated by the census. During the last iwo census decades the wealth of the nation increased from $16,000,000,000 to $44,000,000,000, being a net gain of $36,000,000,000. Of this great gain that half of the people who live on the farms received a little less than $5,000,000,000, while the other half secured $23,000,000,000. The $5,000,000,000 gained by the fanners was in the new farms on the public domain. The established farms declined in average value from $3,300 to $3,400. Governor Oglesby noticed this tendency in his inaugural address in 1873, as follows: “It is a pleasure to congratulate you that in that general sense in which all the interests of the people are considered it may be correctly said our affairs are in a satisfactory condition. In a more limited, and yet largely in a general sense, it is hardly so. All the products of the farm are ranging at pricee scarcely remunerative; the productions of other branches of industry are nearer the prices of more recent years. Corresponding changes have not, for some cause, affected other industries.” The Governor saw that agriculture was suffering a blight while other pursuits were prosperous. The causes of the decline, which he did not discuss, I propose here to consider to some extent L A world-wide competition with the cheapest of all cheap labor in Europe and Asia depresses prices. I know of no remedy for this, except, as we are compelled to sell cheap, we must buy cheap 2. The combinations known as pools and trusts are extending to all pursuits to subvert the laws of trade. “Competition” and “supply and demand” are now nearly obsolete. Lumber, sugar, coal, barbed wire, iron and Bteel, piows, and oil may be mentioned as a few of a multitude. 3. The extortion in charges of transportation companies, to pay large dividends on watered stock, and certain practices of stock yards aud grain elevators, to unduly increase their enormous profits. 4 The adulterations, false weight?, shams, and shoddies in things we buy, at rates which should procure the genuine and full weights and measures. 5. The high and exceptional rates of interest* which farmers pay on their loans. 6. The unjust provisions and workings of the State revenue law's, permitting large evasions, to bo made good by doubly loading the land. 7. The protective tariff system, which gives bounties to certain classes at the expense of others—the burden resting finally mostly on producers. Tbese are some of the suction-pumps, but probably not all. The operators of these suc-lion-pumps comfort us Dv stating that goods are now cheaper than formerly. No doubt this is true. There are now steam engines enough to more than double the power of every human being, and four-fifths of these have come into use during the past twentyfive years. During this period there have been such marvelous discoveries in iron and steel as to make them substitutes lor wood. Gas, coal, and inventions innumerable have ushered in a new era of manufacturing. These powers and processed of nature are not to be monopolized by one class of men. Like the air and tne sunlight, they are for all mankind. The suction-pump operators further tell us that farmers are better off than formerly—that we have painted houses in place of log cabins; that wo wear overcoats, ride in carriages, and on gala days can scarcely be distinguished from villagers! It may be well to give notice that farmers intend to duly share in the blessings and duties of civilization. One-half the value of Illinois is in land, the other half in railroads and other corporations, moneys and credi.s, and other personals. But laud pays 79 per cent, of the taxes, and the other hail 21 per cent. Incumbered real estate pays double. The debtor pays high interest on his mortgage, an dr then pays taxes on all, as though no mortgage existed. If the holder of the mortgage does not forget, he also pays taxes on his mortgage. Massachusetts has done away with this roobery by dividing this tax ratably between debtor and creditor. Tax evaders will not permit this just law to be enactedun Illinois. The overburdened debtor must continue to pay double, that they may wholly escape. So crushing burdens are borne till slrength fails and the home is lost The aggregate of valuation in Illinois has declined since 1873 about $500,000,000. The strange part is, that the chief decline was where property had most advanced Railroads were assessed in 1873 $123,928,479 Railroads were assessed in 1880 62,972,101 Corporations other than railroads were assessed in 1873 ,21,898,451 Since then our Secretary of State has ground out about three corporations a day, and these claimed a capital of more than yet new and old were assessed in 1886 $3,756,577, a decline of five-sixths. Cook County was assessed, just after Chicago emerged from the fire with 300,000 inhabitants. $306,208,660. Much of the time since she has got

off on half this amount; but now, with her great city doubled in wealth aad population, and with many suburban towns, her assessment is $203,625,883, or two-thibds as much as it was assessed fifteen vejfrs ago. It is believed that s4u0 1 000,00<For moneys and credits and other varaes evade all taxes. The raise of Be rate of Btate taxation from 27 cexits Qfx the SIOQ pj 33, comes in part from this decline In valuation, and part from large appropriations to new subjects. Lands mast bear the chief brunt National taxes have grown since 1863 more than five-fold. Now, $1110,000,000 annually and more can be dropped from this vast sum. This should be a boon to a tax-ridden people; bat strange doctrines are preached from high sources. Instead of cheaper sugar, lumber, clothing and other necessaries of life, relief is to be offered in cheap whisky and tobacco! This ludicrous proposition proves to be made in earnest, and unless vigorously opposed it may succeed. Manufacturers do not wish to panderto evil, but they seek to find some excuse and necessity to keep the high tar.ff intact throughout The breaking of one link in the grand tariff chain is feared, lest it may dissolve the tariff confederacy. Ihe new pretensions set up may best be seen by a brief historical reference. The first notable move for a protective tariff was after the war of 1812. That war had forced into existence manufacturing enterprises with small capital and less skill. Henry Clay led the move to give them temporary protection His own words are given in his late biography written by Carl Schurz. Mr. Clay made a aeries of speeches throughout the country just previous to his nomination for the Presidency in 1844 Of these utterances Mr. Sohurz writes: “He expressed himself sonorously upon all the ola Whig principles and measures, repeating his views of the protective tariff as a temporary arrangement which the infant industries, rapidly growing up to manhood, would not much longer require. ” 'lhe present high protective tariff had a patriotic beginning. The great demands of the Treasury in the late war led to imposing direct taxes on the goods of our own manufacturers. Simultaneously the present high tariff was imposed as a compensation. After the close of the war the direct taxes on manufactures were repealed, but the manufacturers were fortunate enough to retain the war tariff. This gives the Treasury more money than is needed. The lowering of national taxes should be a blessing. The removal of the extra war tariff is a natural sequence, and would greatly relieve consumers. But the original doctrine of protection tp infant industries is now to be superseded. Perpetual protection, and the higher the better, iB the new dogma. The iron and steel interests are the center of a vast tariff confederacy seeking the indorsement of the country to this doc trine. Its effect upon agriculture is already seen in the census statistics now given I will here give one more, bringing the facts nearer home. Before the enactment of the present high tariff the State of Illinois was fast gaining upon Massachusetts in wealth, as may well be supposed, from natural causes. Since the war tariff enactment the case is reversed.

Iu 1860 the per capita wealth of Massachusetts was $662. That of Illinois was $509. In 1880 Massachusetts bad increased her per capita to $1,568, while Illinois had reached but $1,005. While Illinois, with her great natural advantages, had doubled, Massachusetts, with her sterile soil and rocks, advanced 150 per cent. Massachusetts claims that Illinois shall pay for her good 3 sufficiently high to make up the difference of wages between this country and Europe. Let me inquire who is to pay to Illinois farmers the difference between farm wages here and farm wages in the old world? If we should grant the claim of Massachusetts to help her pay her laborers, 20 per cent tariff will amply cover the case, as that is about the amount that the cost of labor bears to the price of the manufactured goods. The other 20 and more per cant exacted by the present tariff is, perhaps, to furnish the money they send West and invest on mortgages on our farms. Our manufacturing friends are prolific in theories to persuade us to continue the system. Their politeness is most remarkable. It is said that “uniform politeness is a species of godliness. It may not make a man a saint, but it will make him a lovely sinner.” “Protection is for our good,” they tell us. “We want it also for the good of our workmen. ” “It makes goods higher, but then wo pay it in better wages. ” “It makes goods lower, so the farmer gets a benefit” “The foreigner pays the duty.” “If you do not wish to pay tho duty, buy goods made at home.” This jumble, when seen together, needs no reply. One matter may be ventilated. Let it be illustrated ou lumber. But a few tens of thousands go into the National Treasury on imported lumber, but millions go into the pockets of the lumber lords by being protected from Canadian competition. The power of the lumber lords was sapn in the rebuilding of Chicago after the lire. Though Chicago politics was “protection,” in practice she became a “free trader” for a year. Congress granted thoir request on all thing! except lumber—the thing, of all others, most needed and most just to be placed on the .free list The lumber kings were too much for Chicago, and so tlieir tariff exactions with their trust combinations remain tp tax the West millions and hurry the destruction of our forests. The shivering pioneers of Dakota and Minnesota, struggling with small means to shelter their wiwes and children from the fierce storms, must continue to pay tho bounty. Who knows how many of that thousand or more who sank in the snow for a winding-sheet were lost for want of supply of lumber, coal, blankets and clothing? Farmers must study public matters from their own standpoint. They must make them paramount to all other questions, long enough at least to arrest the downward slide. Duty, public interest, patriotism aud Christianity demand it Let agitation, education and organization proceed.