The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-07

unlimited quantities. They were brought
from Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Den
mark, Germany, Newfoundland and
other countries where farm laborcrs re-
ceive the merest pittance, in vessels
which could find no paying freight and
in hundreds OF instances as mere ballast.
The cost OF transportation was thus so
slight that foreign dealers found it prof
liable to send potatoes here, despite the
tariff Of fifteen cents, whenever the
wholesale pricein the market madet them
afford to raise potatoes at less than
forty cents a bushel. When it is re-
membered that no farmer, as a rule,
can afford to raise potatoes at less than
fifty cents bushel, the alarming char
acter OF this foreign competition is at
once apparent. This was realized by
the potato men some time ago, and they
set about to find some remedy. Natur-
ally, they looked towmd the Govern
ment for protection against such unfair
and ruinous competition, butwhen they
received the general free trade message
Of President Cleveland last fall they
came to the conclusion that they must
look elsewhere for assistance"
The farmers want the tariff raised to
% cents a bushel, and give the following
reasons for the demand:
The duty on potatoes and market gar
den products, which at times can be
brought hither in ballast in almost I'M
limited quantities, should be large
enough TO insure fair defence to farm
ers near the seaboard and border. The
farmer has to pay American, not foreign
workers, to pay capable and indepen-
dent workers and not mere slaves OF the
soil. Whenever there is n surplus in
any other land fronting on the Atlantic,
or when vessles coming to our ports find
no paying cargoes, the farmer is likely to
find his only markets gorged with for
eign supplies, thrust upon buyers at less
than the bare cost OF production here.
Even when he loads his products for
market, he cannot know that ship may
not arrive the same day with such guam
titles rs to glut the market for q week.
| In one month, last November, there
were imported 773,OO0 bushels OF po-
tatoes, averaging less than 81 cents per
bushel. In four days OF January the
imports ut New York alone were l40, 900
bushels, from Scotland 5000, from Hol-
land, Denmark and Germany $4,000, and
from other distant countries. Against
such killing competition it is no wonder
that American market gardeners do not
thrive, and supplies for Eastern cities
and manufacturing centcs are always
liable to be scarce and dear, while agri-.
culture is getting starved out OF seaboard
States. 1t is no wonder that the four
States of New York, Connecticut, New
jersey and Pennsylvania each raised
fewer potatoes than they did twenty
eight years ago: in 1859 their product
was 4,l39,700 bushels, in 1885 only 3d.
$40, 900, and in 1856 and 1887 about the
same.
This recommendation has received
the warmest approval OF the farmers re-
gardless OF politics. Petitions to Speaker
Carlisle urging the increase in the duty
suggested by the committee have been
forwarded to Washington from all parts
of the country, but whether they will
have any effect upon the reckless free
trade element in the House remains to
be seen. Should the duty not be in
creased the prospect for the potato
growers is anything but bright, and il
the tariff is removed entirely the Ameri-
can farmer may Us well give up the pO-
tato business ut once, for according to
the leading potato-dealers the crop
would not then bringover % or 30 cents
bushel to the farmer. Albert Stewart,
of Washington county, who Is said to be
the largest dealer in the United States,
declared yesterday that this would be
the inevitable result, reasoning about
the matter in this way:
The receipts in this market since last
October show that the foreign stock al
most equals the domestic, which was
about 2,5OO,0OO bushels. Now the fea-
ture OF this, and the worst feature OF
course, is that while importers are max.
ing money, dealers in home stock are
out of pocket. II the duty OF 10 cents
be taken off, then foreigners could fur
nish potatoes at so cents a barrel less
than ut present and make just rs much
money, while our people would be driven
out OF the business entirely. But ii, rs
is suggested, the duty be increased to %
cents, then our farmers are just in q po-
sition fairly to compete with the foreign
ers whose farms are titled by hordes
of poyerty-stricken women and chill
dren. Nothing is asked but what is just
and reasonable.
say frankly that if the duty remains
at 10 cents few dealers in domestic stock
after this year will be willing to pay 40
or so cents n bushel in the fall when lay
ing in their winter supply, no matter
how short the crop may be inthe United
States. But il potatoes are put on the
free list then % to 80 cents is the best
price our farmers can expect to realize
under the most favorable circumstances.
Do they desire to have such state of
things? Do our farm hands, who are
now earning so to $25 month, relish
the idea OF being placed in comparison
with men on the other side who are
willing to work for 20 to % cents day?
Yet these are the facts of the case and
they cannot be controverted, as the free
trade papers who have undertaken to
discuss the matter know perfectly well.
Why There Was no Milk.
BOSTON Courier.
A little girl was sent across the street
al nNI,n ,nE,. tt,1,iph