32 The Tariff and the Fai^mer. 



be done to create a condition of scarcity, real or artificial. 

 By influence exerted on the general government cheap 

 supplies from abroad have been shut out. Taking ad- 

 vantage of a highly favorable trade position, by various 

 devices, competition among home producers has been 

 largely eliminated. The combined effect of political 

 action and associated effort has caused price to be lifted 

 to a high, artificial level. 



On such an unfair basis exchange has been carried on 

 for more than forty years. How could agriculture be 

 prosperous under such conditions? 



The Protective System 



is not only chief of the adverse trade conditions that has 

 caused the position, but to a great extent it 



commands the entire situation. 



The Eesult 



(a) Deplorable tenure of farm possession. 



(b) An almost imperceptible gain in total annual value 



of products, against most astonishing manufactur- 

 ing gains. 



(c) Under normal conditions, where there has been 



most rapid gain in non-agricultural wealth, there 

 has been a marked decline in the value of agricul- 

 tural property. 



(d) Labor, and capital invested, is paid about half what 



it receives in manufacture. 



Finally, 



the grreat monumental 



Eesult 



IS 



That while the business of our manufacturers, whose 



