Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1890 — FOR FARMERS’ THOUGHTS. [ARTICLE]

FOR FARMERS’ THOUGHTS.

They are Invited to Consider Briefly What the Republicans Have Done for Them in the Last 25 Years.

For the last 20 years with insigs nificant and isolated exceptions! the products of the land have been satisfactory in amount. God has sent the ‘early and latter rain,’ and blest the labors of the husbandman —farms and flocks have yield* ed their increase. For the past 20 years farms have steadily decrease ed in value, and the wheat and corn, barley, oats and other staple product.! have declined in price.Mortgage incumbrances have been increasing and the debts have become more burdensome in the ratio that the means of paymei t have been growing less. If the farmer owed a debt of $2,000 seen ed by mortgage, 20 years ago and by his selt-denial and hard labor has reduced the amount half, it will require more bushels of wheat or corn to pay the interest or the principal on the remaining $ 1,000 than it would have re* quired to pay the whole debt, principal and interest, when the am’t was twice what it now is. Of all trades, occupations and callings, there is not one iu which the toil* ers are more prudent, economical and provident than in the business of agriculture. All others base their calculations of prosperity and success upon the crop prospects. Assured of a fruitful sea* son and an abundant harvest, mer. chants, manufacturers, mechanics calculate upon a satisfactory reward for their industry and skill. That they have not mistaken the source of prosperity we need only refer to the vast accumulation of national wealth in the last score of years in the United States. We would beg the farmers to account for their depressed and forlorn condition. If. the statement is true that the half of your mortgage debt remaining unpaid will require more of your corn and wheat to liquidate than wo’d have paid the whole when contracted* there must be something wrong. Yoqr only means of payment is your crop—your grain is yonr only legal tender. Have you been de* hided by the idea that the debt paying power of your legal ten ter will be increased by the imposition of a duty by Government of ton or twenty or fifty per cent, on foreign grain? The pauper labor of foreign countries is not dumping down in your home market i.s farm produce to undersell you. You raise vastly more than supplies the home market, and must sell the surplus-to. the markets of Europe, and the price you tL a>. for the surplus determines the prke you must receive here to supply the demand. If you could organize a trust, limit production, pres vent cordp tition and fix prices, you might accomplish something. In such case we apprehend thdt John Sherman’s proposition to seiid you all to the penitentiory worild soon be placed on the statute book, or, at least, the tariff tax wo’d be repealed on farm products and foreign competition invited. Cheap food is so desirable that no legislation to increase its cost will be tolerated. Protection to farmers, even if desirable is impracticable. The farmer who supposes that government will or can protect him byjtariff laws is incapable of giving an intelligent vote.

If the farmers jould purchase all their needed supplies from 20 to 75 per cent, less than they now pay, it would be to some extent an offset for their cheap product, and they might save a little for the reduction of their mortgage iucuaibrance. Th »y must sell a the prices paid m the markets in Europe; they must buy at the prices theie charged with the addition of a tax of from 40 to 100 per cent. This tax is paid either for the support of Government or to enrich the home manufacturer. As to who receives it depends upo n

whether the articles purchased are of foreign or domestic production. To quiet the farmers and keep them in line with the party they are assured jthat clothing, boots and shoes and everything they purchase were never as cheap as now. That may be the fact, but would they not get them cheaper to the extent of the tax? it a suit of clothes cost S2O, and the tax is 45 per cent., the removal of the tax would bring the price paid for the suit to sll. The price paid for corn in Kansasjis 15 cents per bushel. It takes 1301 bushels of corn to pay for the S2O suit of clothes. If the tariff tax was off the farmer would pay for his clothes and have 60 bushels left in granary for other purposes. The farmer is assured that the tariff furnished him with a home market and a better price for his corn.— How can that be, when the price for his corn is fixed in the cheapest market in the world, and it is nothing to him whether the consumer is in Europe or America? There are just so many to be supplied with breadstuff's, and whether the consumer is an operative in a factory in O’d or N» w England the farmer gets the same price for his corn. Whoever may be enriched, or in the smallest measure benefitted, the tillers of the soil must be excepted. The Alliances and Granges are discussing these problems, and they will sooner or later arrive at the tru h. The wonderful revolution in lewa, which is pre-eminent-ly an agiiculturai State, is a clear indication of what may Pc expected in the future. They have been misled, deceived and imposed upon by their party leaders. They will not be conciliated by an increa e of duty on their cereals or live stock, their poultry and eggs. They will soon discover that the proposed reduction of taxes on the necessaries of life embraces only sugar and tobacco, while the duty on all other necessaries is either retained or increased. The committee of ways and means, with all the aids and influence of monopolies, com-* bines and trusts, will be advised that the farmers will not be as readily duped s they have been. A confidence game will not be played upon them as successfully as in the past. A Republican politician in lowa, well acquainted with the people and knowing their temper, being asked how lowa could be kept in the Republican column of States, said: “Put all the necessaries of life, including the common grades of woollen Mid cotton cloths, lumber, sugar, salt, and coal on the vrao list, largely reduce the tariff tax on glass,' earthen and tinware, and uch iron and steel’goods as enter into agricultural machinery, and agricultural implements or all kinds,” If this opinion is ‘reliable, the only way for the Republican party to hold lowa is to adopt the Democratic platform Cincinnati Erm quirer. Having purchased an entire line of a traveling man’s samples of fans, nt one-half price, enables us to show you some rare bargains from 2 cents to $2. Chicago Bargain Store.