The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-08-02

lHE SenUlnel, IN an editorial designed
to strengthen the faith of farmer who
lives in a republican community who are
inclined to divorce themselves from party
ties because of the inequalities of the
tariff and its discrimination against the
farmer, gives a table showing how the
tariff protects the farmer.
1t is incomprehensible how any man
of ordinary understanding can claim that
the tariff on cereals is protective. The
Mills bill which leaves the tariff at an
average Of 10 per cent. is denounced as a
free trade measure while the average
duty upon the cereal products of the
country, hardly reaching the average of
90 per cent. is denominated protection.
There is no protective tax on any agri-
cultural product of the northwest ex-
cept wool, and the wool industries of
Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois are rap
idly declining under the stimulus of a
protective tariff.
An examination of the tabulation pub
1ISLSo ny Lie hOculllltl Will SuON uO"
disingenuous it is in showing how agri-
cultural products are protected:
Imported wheat is now taxed 20 cents
per bushel; wheat -four 90 per cent
FSpm 1924 to 1916 the tariff on imported
wheat was % cents per bushel; on wheat
flour from 80 cents to 70 cents per cwt a
much heavier tariff than the present.
From 1916 to 1861, the free trade period,
the tax on wheat was just what it is now,
20 cents per bushel. Corn in 1912 was
taxed 10 cents per bushel, and in 1916
was changed to 20 per cent, and in 1861
to 10 cents, which was practically no
change at all. Thus corn to-day has the
duty imposed during the free trade"
period.
On oatmeal, oats, potatoes, hams and
bacon the tariff was never less than at
present and is that imposed for rev.
enue. On pork the tax is just one-half
what it was in free trade times. viii
any of the protected industries agree to
reduce the protection it enjoys to the
level of that on agricultural products?
In the matter of rice The Sentinel de-
hberately falsities. The duty on rice is
specific and the only way to determine
the per cent. of duty paid upon the value
of the article is to calculate it upon the
imports. The advalorem duty on rice
imported, according to the treasury re-
port for 1897, is Ga per cent. This is ex-
elusive of the rice admitted free of duty
which is nearly one-fifth of the whole I'M
portation and which would materially
reduce the advalorem rate of duty. The
Sentinel puts the duty at 113 per cent.
1t is all nonsense to talk of the tax on
wheat keeping out the product of India.
For the fiscal year ending June 8, 1887,
the United States exported wheat to the
value of S90,716,4S1 wheat -four, $751;
950,0S2; corn, S19,347, 361. Was not all
this brought into competition with the
cheap wheat of India and does any one
suppose that the wheat and -four export
to SOIt@ db ii IONcI Idlt llldu UIdj WHICH
found a market at home? Fudge for
such arguments which are utterly oppos-
ed to facts. In the year 1886 the United
States sent three times as much wheat
and wheat -four to the United Kingdom
OF Great Britain and Ireland as India
did, though the latter is colonial pos
of T. l.
as if the western farmer needed protec-
ton from the cheap wheat of India?-
What stuff and nonsense to preach.
Then as to the wonderful importations
of farm products from Europe and Can
ada. In 1887 the total value of vege-
tables imported was S22T6,304. One
fourth of this importation were potatoes.
of which there was an absolute scarcity
because of failure of the crop in the
United States. OF hay there was i'm
ported S791 $50 worth, fully one-half of
which was purchased by farmers to keep
their cattle from starving, owing to the
failure of the hay crop.
If the northern farmer needs protec-
ton on any cereal it is barley. OF the
1886, $50 worth of breadstuffs imported
in 1887, barley constituted S6,152, S25.-
The tariff on barley is only 1oc. per bush
el or about 16 per cent. advalorem. Very
heavy protection when tariff which
averages 40 per cent. is bitterly opposed
as being too light.
The farmer cannot be protected on a
vast majority of his products because he