310 BOAED OF AGKICULTUEE. 



The report was accepted, limiting Mr. Chamberlain's time 

 to fifteen minutes. 



Mr. Joseph Story Fay read his essay on " The Value of a 

 Protective Tariff to the Farmer," which was laid on the table. 



THE VALUE OF A PROTECTIVE TARIFF TO THE FARMER. 



Gentlemen of the State Board of Agriculture of Massachusetts : 



As delegate from the Barnstable Agricultural Society I 

 thank you for the honor you have done me in appointing me 

 to address you on the value of a protective tariff to the 

 farmer. I approach the subject with some diffidence as to 

 my own power of treating the subject to the best advantage, 

 but with not the least doubt as to the soundness of the nega- 

 tive position I shall take, and I ask your indulgent atten- 

 tion. I do not propose to detain you with an elal)orate 

 essay. I shall only submit to you a few facts and consider- 

 ations that the busiest may have time to think about, and 

 those the least familiar with the subject can understand. 

 We know that all articles raised by the farmer, or coming 

 from the soil, have a ready sale for casJi, and that the pro- 

 ducer can at once realize the results of his labor. There 

 are manifold uncertainties in his business, but after all the 

 vicissitudes, beyond those of any other worker in any 

 branch of business in these United States, such as the changes 

 of weather, wet or dry, cold or hot, wind or storm, and 

 worm or blight, the tiller of the soil knows that what he 

 secures will bring him its value in money. His profits, 

 however, even in the best of seasons, and with the largest 

 of croj)S, are not so great, that it is not desirable that what 

 he receives may avail him to the utmost. The effect of taxa- 

 tion upon him, therefore, is important : first, as it may affect 

 the cost of what he has raised ; and, second in making the pro- 

 ceeds go as far as possible in supplying his wants or in adding 

 to his small savings and capital. As things are at present, 

 the fact is, that though he sells for casJi, he has to rebate 

 to somebody^ at least thirty, if not forty or fifty per cent. 

 of what he receives. I will now proceed to give you a few 



