The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-09

and transmit to Congress, or to the Tribune
for forwarding
PETITION ron MoREhsiEcrUAL PROTECTION
OF AGRICULTURE.
To the Speaker Of the House Of Representatives
The undersigned respectfully pray that
agriculture may be more effectually pro-
tected by preventing fraudulent importa-
tons OF cattle on pretense that they are
for breeding only; by duty Of 20 cents
per bushel on barley with proportionate
increase OF duty on malt; by duties OF %
cents per bushel on potatoes and onions,
" per 100 on cabbages, So per ton on hay,
10 cents per pound on hops, 20 per
cent. on beans and peas, cents
per dozen on eggs, 30 per cent. on fowls
and poultry and ON vegetables in their
natural state or in salt or brine, not other
wise provided for, with no removal or
reduction Of duties on market garden pro-
ducts not dutiable; by such increased du-
ties on flax and ON linen goods as will eff
lectually, encourage the preparation Of
hber and manufacture OF goods; by abol-
ishing all duties on sugar, with bounty
to home producers; by preventing imports
oil leaf tobacco suitable for wrappers at the
duty imposed on other leaf tobacco, and
repeating all internal taxes on tobacco;
by restoring TO wool growing the sub
stantial protection enjoyed under the tar
Ill of 1887, 30 modified as 10 meet the
later form OF foreign competition and Of
evasion.
The report, proper, is quite long, giving
the statistics OF farm and manufacturing
growth In the United States during the
past fifteen years, 10 show that protection
has brought immigration and with II a
homo market for agricultural products,
which permitted vast farm development,
etc The following excerpts give the spirit
OF what the committee found in the letters:
THE great majority Of these letters ex-
press the conviction that the tariff, not
withstanding defects and omissions, has
contributed powerfully to the growth and
welfare OF agriculture. Few are hostile or
indifferent. With scarcely an exception
the letters received point out that the
tariff should have directly defended
the industry OF farmers in ways in
which II has not. IL should
shield them as completely as any branch
OF manufacture from the spamodic and
industrial competition which the cheap
ness and degradation Of labor in some
other lands permit. But the barrier
around farming industry, at all points
relatively low, has many gaps, partly from
early oversight and partly from mistaken
revision within the past two years. Even
Mt this hour some important products OF
American farms are undersold in many OF
our cities and towns by the products
Of ill-paid or unpaid labor. Onions
from Spain and Egypt appear in markets
as far west as Chicago. Tobacco raised
| L.. al. II -.
can growers. Wool clipped by slaves,
conyicts, or creatures scarcely less de-
graded, stops wool growing by an army OF
American farmers, and sends 100000
sheep 10 the slaughterer. Potatoes and
cabbages by the kargo, from places where
women work daily n the fields, come
hither as ballast, with eggs by the ship
load from Holland and cattle from Canada.
"The fraudulent Importation OF cattle
| for slaughter, across northern and south
ern boundaries proicssedly that they are
for breeding purposes only, and by law
free OF duty, should be eflectually pre-
vented. It's quite enough that $1,000
head were last year imported ut duty OF
only 20 per cent, which would be thought
scanty protection for any other industry.
hut 1900 head were brought in from
Mexico proiessedly for breeding and
many more from Canada, though Amer
lean producers have for years
The collapse sss S sp puis.
tons in cattle and ranches CAUSED
great number Of cattle 10 be sacrificed OF
low prices, and, though consumers gained
relatively little, one OF the chief industries
Of the country was rendered almost wholly
improbable. The greatest danger will
come II similar speculations arise in Mex.
leo or Canada. <; their collapse Immense
numbers OF cattle may again be forced
upon our market, in spite Of the
low duty, which will then prove
no protection. But the fraudu.
lent evasion Of the law already increases,
and can be indefinitely extended.
'The duty ON barley should be raised q
equal that on wheat, viz, 20 cents PEI
bushel, with n proportionate increase or
the duty on barley malt. Over 10000, OOl
bushels OF harley were imported during
the last fiscal year, and probably over Is,
10000 during the last calendar year, while
In 1886 the home production was 80, O00,.
600 bushels. The rcgons in which II may
be most prohtably grown have theft
prices fixed in great markets which
Canadian producers can reach by
water, while most OF our own producer
cannot. The duty onpotatoes and market
garden products, which AZ times can b,
brought hiihcr In ballast in almost un'
limited quantities, should be large enough
TO insure n fair defense 10 farmers near IN,
seaboard and border"
Here follows thcs,atislics OF imports Of
potatoes and production on the middle At
Ianiic coast, showing that New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Pcnnsylvanii
produce fewer potatoes than they did
twenty-cight years ago. The report con
tinucs.
"Morc than i,0ooO 900 tons Of fax straw
goes 10 waste, or "a burned In western
States, worth, II prepared, so, 900, 900
while we pay $4,000, 900 TO foreign maker
for linen goods, besides duties amounting
TO g., 500, 900, which the government doe'
not want
"No lees than 2Teoi the 100 farmers VIII,
refer nj all 10 the duties on sugar ask IN,
abolition Of those duties.
'The producers OF tobacco do not asl
any increase OF duties, hut they earncstl,
desire that the fraudulent importation o
coolie-grown tobacco, by which their In
duptry has been rendered improbable
may be stopped by more precise Language
in defining tho Glasses 10 which existing
duties were meant to apply"
The report then gives the statistics o
The wool industry Of the country, a. AZ
fecicd by the tariff, and continues ''Thl
wool growers who appeal 20 other farmer
. | - A.. ....us..s A..