The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-23
! ls9S.199,7OIl s6S
Total aVarapa

Sugar imported free under the Hawaiian treaty.
80 255 351; at S204 per cent, 81, ,592.9S9
All the foregoing figures are for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1887,
The principal items in this list are sugar,
and hemp, jute, manila, and sisal grass col
lectiveIy. The limit of sugar production is
circumseribed by nature, and under any kind
Of fair protective duty no more than one-ninth
to one e-eighth of all the sugar consumed by
our people could be made at home. As to
hemp, jute. manila and sisal grass, from which
our grain binding twine is made, it is all, with
the possible exception of trihe of hemp,
raised abroad Practically, then, as to $685.
2s3, ,233, the bill does no real violence to So
called protective principles. And it seems to
me our farmers need cheap twine, and all puF
people cheap sugar, rather than cheap tobacco
and Notifications. The great food staples of
the people are bread, meat, coffee, tea and
sugar. All of these except sugar are unaf-
fected by any tariff taxes, and why should not
sugar be, with an overhowing treasury?
Next to the sugar tax there is in this list
no tax that so vitality affects our Northwestern
farmer, especially now when wheat is so low,
as the tax on jute, manila and sisal grass, and
the twine made therefrom.
The effect of this tax is truly set forth in a
recent article in the Chicago Tribune, which
beg leave to quote, and which is as follows ::
One of the stupidest taxes in the tariff list is that
on manila and sisal materials needed in the man
uacture of the cheap binder twine used in harvest
ing machines ever since wire was discarded Wire
proved failure in the self binders because it caused
an injury to threshing machines and mills that
ground the grain and was too dear but inventive
ggei4f ae 4his ss & o% ssd extsnsivey through
but the western portions Of the country. Being a
cheap wns only needed & 70 hGid shssyes @ t0ge.neT
used in Its manufacture, and the substitutes, sisal
and manila. are found satisfactory. The duties on
these materials last year QSs6 amounted to 81 lSs.
2S2 and the incidence of the tax or the profits et
manufacturers and middlemen on the tariff TAX, to
nearly as much more.
nue. and i an injury to every farmer it touches.
The theory in taxing these substitutes was that such
levy was necessary to protect the hemp growers al
Kentucky and Missouri, but ip faet nothihg Of the
sort is done: Hemp Is 100 eesTy for binder twine,
and it is cheaper ID pse ssal and manila with the
eS. eooa ans IS Wholly levy on hun
dreds Of thousands Of farmers Of the West Unless
he ax s iPcEessed r PI1hSsSon and made to
rate TO compel the use Of hemp In making binder
twins for farmers, Why notrepeal 1t outright? tits
seCed by y n To retain It is only to hold out brbe
for the organization OF another trust 10 push up
prices and bleed the farmers still harder.
The following letter from Mr.. Brown, a
leading Republican, prominent farmer and
banker of Crookston, the metropolis of the
Red River Valley in Minnesota, shows the
cost of such tVIne, and hearin mind that when
the letter was written wheat was worth only
60 cents per bGshe at Crookston. Here is
the letter:
DEAR SIR Your valued favor 3rd instant was
duly received for which please accept many thanks
From the mostreliable information obtainable find
binding twine has cost the consumers for the last
six years on an average is cents per pound sna
making 1t cost about two cents per bushel for the
bands, This is very large tax on wheat raising
forded We could enumerate many other things
which we think should be free from duty. but we
have confidence that you Will do all that you can to
remove these burdens. However we must not ex
pect immediate relief 1t will take time and agita.
tion. Very truly yours, de-. ,-
Hon. Knute Nelson, Washington, D. G.
But will enter into no further details re.
specting the items in my bill. To show that
fairly represent in my bill the Republican
tariff sentiment of my state, and as an offset
to all the clippings from English newspapers
indulged in by those who are opposed to all
tariff tax reduction, and who can see nothing
else to relieve from taxes than spirits and
tobacco, beg leave to quote the following
from one of our leading Republican papers il
Minnesota, the home organ of ex-senator
Window, the Winona Republican, of Wed
nesday evening, February %, 1888;