The Farmer And The Tariff

The following expressiona are taken from an interview with Mr. Q. C. Willis, a merchant of Champaign, Illa., which recently appeared in The Chicago Herald: I can't see the benefit in the policy of taxing farmers purely for the benefit of the manufacturera. That is the effect of the new tariff. It will increaae the cost of all imported gooda, and the prices on all domestic goods which come in competition will go up in sympathy. Take, for inatance, this pieos of "P. P." cashmere. It is made in thia country. The manufacturer, since the new tariff went into effect, asks me 2fr cents per yard advance on the goods. Why? Not because it costs him any more to make it taan it did six months ago; not beca use he has increased the wages of his employés in his milis, for he hasn't, bat because the foreign made goods which compete with thia hare been advanced in price by the new tariff, and he takes advantage of that risa. That $ cents is pare blood money wrang from the conlumer by the tariff. I have a Urge trade with the farmen in tais section. The farmers' wives and danghters buy the same grade of dress jood;, as the townspeople - that ia, lerges, caahmeres. Henriettas- all classes of wool goods. The McKinley tariff law has had the effect of advancing the prices of all these goods. Serges now worth 75 cents per yard maat be sold hereafter for 85 cents; cashmeres now sold for 50 cents will be worth 65 cents, and Henriettas worth now 95 cents will go to $1. 15. Prices are still unsettled, and we reoeire letters daily from jobbers in all kinds of goods withdrawing former qnotations. Plosh goods have gone away up. That catches the farmer. He can't afford to buy his wife a sealskin jacket or sacque, to she gets the next best thing - a ploah garment. We retailers are not hurt fin&ncially by the rise in prices. We pay more for our goods, we sflll them for more, and the farmers pay the fiddler. But it will eventually hurt us. When the repeal of the McKinley law comes- and it is bound to come - the drop in prices which will f olio w will result in fliqaitfr to mercantilO circles.