Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1890 — ATTENTION, FARMERS. [ARTICLE]

ATTENTION, FARMERS.

The Narrowing of tho Farmers’ Foreign Markets. The London correspondent of the New York Times has sent to that paper a piece of information of the utmost importance to our farmers. He says: “For one thing, it has already made it certain that Europe will take no interest in the Chicago exhibition and will practi cally be unrepresented there. EVen more important is the impulse ft has given here to consolidate capital in an energetic effort to immediately push railways throughout tho Indian and Russian wheat belts and thus render the European market independent of American grain supplies. ” “It.” What is “it?” Why, tho McKinley bill. It is not necessary for European governments to pass retaliatory laws in order to show us how “McKinleyism” operates toward restricting the foreign markets of our farmers. The natural play of the laws of trado will of itself teach us that lesson. Many of those laws are as plain as AB C. Here is one that governs tho farmer in alibis buying and soiling: The farmer who sells his grain or live stock in Smithvillo is not likely to go to Jonesvillo to got his clothing and family supplies, and if ho goes there at all, it will only be because Jonesville offers him theso articles at lower prices. The same law rules in inter national trade. If we refuse to buy what the English offer us in the line Of manufactured products, the only thing left for England to do is to find another market in which to sell. Very good. She finds that market and her ships go there laden with what we have refused. What then? Are those ships going to sail empty to us in order to tako away our farm products and manufactures? By no means, unless we offer an extra inducement for them to do so. What inducement? There can be only ono—lower prices. It is as clear as day that only by underbidding the “pauper labor of the world” can our farmers hold their foreign market, provided McKinleyism is to hold sway This Is by no means an idle dream. It is a well-known fact that our farmers under the existing tariff laws are losing thoir foreign markets. Mr. Blaine himself has performed a valuable service to tho country in pointing out how tho market for agricultural products is growing narrower. The official figures of the Treasury Department are conclusive proof of tho fact., On page 55 of the Report on Commerce and Navigation for 1889 is a tablo which ought to bo seen and studied by every farmer. This tablo gives the relative quantity of wheat and flour bought by England from each country for a series of years. Comparing 1880 and 1878 we got very striking results. The total consumption of England in 1880 and 1888 was supplied principally by Russia, British India, and the United States in tho following proportions: 1880. 1888, Per ct. Per qt. Russia 4.33 29.22 British India 4.72 11.01 United States 65.42 36.69 These figures show what is going on now. It is certain that the McKinley bill will make them still more unfavorable to us.