Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-06-01
The Mills BIZ and the Farmers.

Ii there Is n point more than another
concerning which the free traders have
progressed concern, 1t Is the u~nfortunete
condition of the American farmer. They
have represented him as staggering under
the burdens of a tariff which protected all
interests but his own, and greatly en-
HANGED for him all the expenses of living;
and they have exhausted the OF
their logic and invention In their en-.
deavors to arouse the agricultural against
the manufacturing interests. In view of
this touching solicitude Of the free traders
for the farmers, It is surprising to observe
how severely the provisions of the Mills
tariff bil bear upon the tillers Of the
soiL Potatoes arc an important crop
with Nesw York and New England farm
ers. They market their product in CON-
petition with Nova Scotia and Canada po-
tatoes, which are imported In considerable
quantities. In spite of the present duty Of
fifteen cents on the bushel. Last year
tho imports Of vegetables, which wers
largely made up Of potatoes, amounted to
over $2,250,O 900. The Mills tariff BILL puts
all vegetables on the free list. The Cana
dian farmer, therefore, under this bill,
could send his potatoes into our markets
without a tax. but he Is protected against
competition with American farmers in his
own markets by the Canadian duty of ten
cents per bushel IN potatoes, fifteen cents
on beans, ten cents on peas, thirty cents
tomatoes, and 20 per cent. I'D valorem on
all other vegetables.
Moreover, as we have already shown, by
an ingenious but hardly accidental omis-
sion of qualifying words which limited
the list in the present tariff, the Mills
tariff reformers open the way to the free
Importation of wheat, corn, oats, barley
and all other grains. The official text of
the bill enumerates among other articles
on the free list these:
All barlss, beans, berries, balsams,
buds, bulbs, bulbous roots and excres-
cences, such as nut gals, fruits, flowers,
dried tbers, grains, gums and gum resins,
herbs, leaves, lichens, MOSES, nuts, roots
and stems. vegetables, seeds and seeds Of
morbid growth, weeds, woods used ex-
pressly for dyeing and dried insects"
The corresponding section of the pres
snt tariff law is in these termss
drugs, barks, beans, berries, balsams,
buds, bulbs and dubious roots and excres~
cences, such as nut gals, fruits, flowers,
dried fbers; grains, gums and gum resin;
herbs, leaves, liehens, MOSES, nuts, roots
and stems; spices, vegetables, seeds aro-
matte and seeds of morbid growth; weeds,
woods used expressly for dyetng. and dried
insects-any of the foregoing which are
not edible and are In q crude state and not
advanced in value or condition by refining
or grinding, or by other process OF manu-
f~actnre, and not specially enumerated or
provided for in this act
The Mills bill will admit free grains of
every description. In q like sweeping man
ner the Mills bill admits free all meats,
games and poultry" although beef now
pays a duty of a cent a pound and prepared
meats pay q duty of 30 per cent. ad
valorem. Even pickles go on the free list,
In the clause which enumerates "vegeta-
bles IN their natural state OF in salt or
brine" As a token of their special affec-
ton for tho farmers the Mills tariff re-
formers give them whatf Free wool, free
lumber free grains, free meats, free pota-
toes and other vegetables. No other In
terests are SO harshly dealt with as those
Of the farmers. The perplexed and
harassed farmer migk. well address to
MI. Mills the pathetic remonstrance of tbs
poet:
You did right. perhaps, to assemble your love,
But why did YOU kick me down stairss