Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1891 — Tariff Shot. [ARTICLE]

Tariff Shot.

The tariff on steel rails Is kept there solely in the interest of the steel rail trust. How this trust makes use of it is shown below. Whenever an era of railroad building sets in the trust raises the price of rails, and thus forecloses its tariff mortgage. The last foreclosure was in 188(5 and 1887. The. trust expects to repeat the process next year. Average of new mileage of railroad built in the United States in 1884 and 1885, 3,766% miles. Average or new mileage in 1886 and 1887, 11,035 miles. Average price of steel rails at mills in 1884 and 1885, $29.62 per ton. Average price of steel rails at mills in 1886 Tariff Prices for Farmers to Consider. A bushel of wheat in 1855 would buy twenty-one and one-half yards of heavy brown sheeting and shirting. To-day it will buy twelve and one,-half yards of the same quality of cloth. Has the farmer profited by “protection”? * * # In 1855 a bushel of wheat would buy eighteen and three-quarters yards of good calico. To-day it will buy fifteen and one-half yards of calico of the same grade. How much has the farmer profited by “protection? * # ■» Thirty-one years ago the farmer exchanged his wool for cloth, and had a home factory. To-day ho exchanges more wool for the same quantity of cloth—but how about the cloth? * * * Thirty-five years ago a bushel of wheat would pay taxes on S2OO. In 1891 it takes three bushels and a half of wheat to pay taxes on S2OO. Then one bushel paid taxes on ten acres of average land; now one bushel pays on but little over two acres. What does the farmer think of this method of “progressing?” —Rockville (Ind ) Tribune.