New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-04
POTATO GROWERS IN ARMS.
DEMANDING BETTER PROTECTION.


EFFECT OF PLACING POTATOES ON THE FREE
LIST-COGENT STATEMENTS BY LARGE
GROWER
The craft continues encounter snags OF the
most distressing character cropping up everywhere and In
the most unexpected places Examples OF this have null
tped since the introduction OF Mills BILL but perhaps
one Oh the most striking illustrations OF the fact Is that al
foded by the general uprising OF the farmers In Northern
NewYork and elsewhere against the proposed abolition
OF the tariff on potatoes which present is fifteen cents
busheL As is generally known the great potato district
of the country is located in this State It includes par.
cuary three counties Washington, Saratoga and Rensse
ae and from these three which produce much as any
other single STATE this city its main supply Almost
every farmer there is engaged in potato-growng The
soil is especially adapted this crop and fit for little else
The business has always been considered fairly pront
abe as 1t has In other parts Of the Unon until the last
year or two when the here began to be gutted
with foreign fmportatons In such way to give the
farmers practical and unpleasant idea Of Just what
free trade really means These foreign products came In
almost unlimited quantities. They were brought from
Ireland Scotland Holland Denmark, Germany Newfound
land and other countries where farm aborers receive the
mercs pttance vessels which could find paying freight
and In hundreds Of instances ballast. The cost
OF transportation thus slight that foreign dealers
found profitable 10 send potatoes here despite the tarin
Of fifteen cents whenever the wholesale price In the mar
ford to raise potatoes than forty cents bushe
When it is remembered that farmer as rule, can az
ford to raise potatoes than fifty cents bushe
tho alarming character OF this foreign composition II ~
once apparent. This realized by the potato men
some time ago. and they set about TO find some remedy
Naturally they looked toward the Government for pro-
lection against such unfair and runous competition but
when they received the general freerade message OF
President Cleveland last fall they to the conclusion
that they must look elsewhere for assistance strong
appeal was made to the press by hundreds Of them
WHY TARIFF INCREASE IS DEMANDED.
So strong a did they present that when the men,
ters Of the Committee Farmers Letters to The Trb'
une considered the potato question they unanimously de-
cded in favor Of recommending increase OF the tariff
to twenty-five bushel. the following reasons
for the proposed CHANGE
The duty garden products, which
at times be brought hher in ballast In almost unli
tied quantities. should be large enough to insure fair de-
fence to farmers the seaboard and border The farmer
has to pay American foreign workers employ capa
BILE and independent workers and slaves OF the
SOIL Whenever there Is surplus in other land 'front.'
ing tho Atlantic when vessels coming TO ports
find paying cargoes the farmer is likely find his only
markets gorged with foreign supplies, thrust buyers
a 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 day with such quantities as
TO gut the market for week. In month"; last No
vember imported 7730Oo bushels potatoes,
averaging less than 81 cents per buhe In four days OF
January the imports at New-York alone 100000
bushels from Scotland 6s 0O0 from Holland Denmark and
Germany 3000 and from other distant countries Against
such killing competition is wonder that American mar
ket gardeners do not thrive and supplies for Eastern cities
and manufacturing always liable to be scarce
and dear while agriculture is getting starved out OF sea-
board States 1t is wonder that the four States of
New-York, Connecticut New-Jersey and Pennsylvania
each raised fewer potatoes than they did twentyeight
years in 1859 their product a. 7c0 bushels
1885 only 00o and In 1885 and 1887 about the
This recommendation has received tho warmest approval
Of regardless OF politics Petitions Speaker
Carlisle urging the increase in the duty suggested by tho
committee been forwarded Washington from all
parts Of the country but whether they will have any eff
feet upon the reckless eerade element In the House re-
mains to be Should the duty not DO increased
the prospect for the anything but bright
and II the tariff is removed entirely the American farmer
well give up the potato business at once for ac-
codng to the leading poatodeaers the crop would not
then bring % 80 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 almost equals the domestic, which was
about 900 bushels Now the feature OF this and the
feature OF course is that while importers max
Ing dealers in home stock out Of pocket II the
duty Is TO taken or then foreigners could furnish
potatoes so cents barrel less than at present and make
Just much money while people would be driven out
the business entirely IT, is suggested the duty
DO increased to % cents then farmers arc Just In
position fairly compete with the foreigners whose farms
titled by hordes OF poverty stricken women and children
Nothing asked tut what is just and reasonable.
say frankly that II the duty remains at Is cents few
dealers in domestic stock after this year will be willing to
pay 40 or so cents bushel fall when laying in their
winter supply how short the crop may be IN
the United States But potatoes are put on the free
list % 30 cents is the best price our farmers can
expect realize under the favorable circumstances
DO theD desire to have such state of thngsl Do our
farm hands, who are earning $50 to s25 month";
relish the idea Of being placed in competition with men
the other side who willing work for 20 to 20 cents
dayl Yet the facts Of the and they can
controverted the feerade papers who have un
dertaken to discuss the matter know perfectly well.
COLOR BLIND CHILDREN.
In. lac