Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-09-03

come possible to land this wheat on
the Pacific coast of the United States
at less cost than it can be produc-
ed in the wheat districts of Californ-
la and Oregon. The Pacific Coast
may yet demand even higher duty
on wheat to protect its farmers
against the labor of India It is clear
that any quantity of wheat can be
had in India, and the only question
is the cost of carriage to the sea-
board. Every twenty miles of car
riage by bullock cart is said to add
twenty-five cents per quarter eight
bushels) to the cost of the wheat at
the coast: Railway transportation
costs more in India than in the Uni
ted States. Time will remedy this,
but even with government aid it will
take many years. The United States
with 55,000,000 population, has 120,
900 miles of railway. India, with
25O, 100000 population, has but TO-
600 miles of railroad.
The first cost of raising wheat in
India is less than in the United
States, but perhaps not SO much less
as represented. 1t has been recent
ly claimed by English authority that.
wheat can or could be grown in the
central provinces at from eighteen to
twenty7one cents per bushel. This
is denied by the Chief Commissioner
of the province, and the first cost in
districts near the railway is estimat-
ed at thirty-cents a bushel or $3.50
per quarter. 1t is safe to assume, in
view of these facts, that wheat can
be raised in India at a primary cost
so low. and in quantities so enor-
nous, that, given a moderate rate of
carriage to the coast, the Indian cul-
tivator, whose help costs him but a
few cents per day, will be able to
compete in Europe with the farmer
of America or Canada. High rates
of carriage may at first prove an OBJ
stacle, but this will in the end be
overcome These are, in brief, the |
facts about Indian wheat competi- |
ton.
The advocates of Free Trade are
deducing from these facts that the |
American farmer must soon compete |
with the Indian ryot in wheat grow
lnS, and that, by admitting foreign |
goods into this coun,
try free of duty, the American far
mers chances for this probable COM
petition VIII be improved. Like most |
Free Trade assumptions there is
in this imaginary danger,
To begin with, such proposition i.
not likely to be met with favor by /
our farmers. 1t first involves the.
admission into the United States,
free of duty, of all agriculturas pre-
ducts, including wheat, for food pro
ducts and necessities of life could not
dutiable and manufactured !
articles free. The market for 80 per
cent. of the agricultural products
raised by our farmers in the Western
and Northern States would thus be
open to foreign competition, and our
farmers would be liable to an attack |
in their strongestand most profitable
market.
On the other hand, the abandon
ment of the Protective system in
industries would alike
affect dISastrOusIy the American far !
mer's interests:
First, American laborers and arti-
sans and their families who now
make the manufactured goods in the
United Ststes purchase American
grain andAmerican provisions.
Secoud, German, or Belgian or
British laborers and artisans who
would, uHder Free Trade system,
make the manufactured articles for
the American farmer, may, and prob.
ably would, be supplied with this
cheaper food from India and other
lands
Third. The men thus banished |
from the mine, furnace or factory in
our own country are told by the
Free Traders to seek the land; in |
other words to increase the produc-
ton of wheat of which the supply is
superintendent, and in the
of which our farmers are
said, with some truth we have seen !
to be in danger of being compelled |
to compete with the cheapest labor
in the world.
The abandonment of Protection !
will in no way help the farmer as the
Free Traders claim. It viii stop |
and hence lessen the
ever-increasing demand for food at
home. while it will leave him in a
much worse position than he now is
in the matter of Indian or Russian
competition.-Ex-