New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-04
,oTI ro-cRoWERs AND THE MILLS BILL.
AN IMPORTANT FARM PRODUCT PRAcri0Ahhi
PUT ON THE FREE LIST

PUT ON THE FREE LIST.
ina Mills bill BY not mentioning POTATOES specin-
..,,v leaves II in the power of the secretary Vi
the Treasury TO classify them with Vegc'soics III
Their natural state in brine, which INC VII Pu'
ON the free list. The Republicans III inc muse,
when debating the bill, called attention 70 ms anu
asked that potatoes be mentioned specno"ns' 80 nv
s.,,a n. no ouest,on as TO the duty remaining on
,her, "Ohp said the Democrats, "that Is unneces-
sarv.s In thus disregarding the importance OF u's
,nterrst and attempting to deceive the farmers inc
democrats have lost thousands OF VOTES ihcir ro"'
DESIRE and attitude well known, as IN oo'h 'iio
Morrison bin Of 1885 and the originai NILS plh
POTATOES were openly put on the frcc isI INC Nh,
IN, now tries to accomplish by trckery what aid
mot succeed when openly attempted "hi'o "
tac,t,v refers potatoes back to the tarih OF 1885,
thcra "a nothing to prevent constructor OF inc
frcs vegetable clause as to include them
Tho potato crop is to a great many farmers moro
important than the wool crop rev iarm0''
near largo towns do not raise potatoes LOT marhc''
while In counties like Washington, Saratoga, Rensselaer,
and others in the centre Of the state TINS crop Is
the leading product ana is smPpeo i" e'0"' tN
tics to this city.
Foreign competition has already struck most
damagng blow at this interest. The receipts Oh Po
tatoes in this city from OUOber 1, 1887, 10 june
TO- 1885, were 500 ,OO1 barrels, of which l,oSS,oo'
barrels, or over 81 per cent, were imported ITO
dealers were
only 297 oes barrels imported out OF the total
rece,nts Of 574 40 barrels The result last season
as that nearly 800 900 barrels less Of domestic po
tatoes were used in the city, and both dealers anus
farmers lost money, many domestic potatoes rot'ns'
eitber in cellars or In canal boats, for want OF
remunerative market
since 1881 the business Of growing potatoes III
Germany and Great Britain has largely increaseo
Labor there is cheap, and the steamship iregh' Is
only 10 TO % cents pei barrel, while from points
IN this State the railroad fcights run from 20 10 90
cents per barrel 1t will be seen that the ou'y vi
Is cents per bushel does not protect Foreign pro-
ducers can deliver and sell potatoes here as low as
81 so per barrel. With labor ana lanu a' 'noii
present prices In this country farmers on average
tarms must have a market as high 81 a barrel or
lose money When freight, commission and other
EXPENSES are deducted from this, 1t leaves ABOUT
40 cents bushel as the price that shippers can
afford TO pay to farmers.
The reduction In the potato industry by no means
affects farmers alone 1t is the one large crop that
cannot be we'll handled by machinery II must DC
dug and picked up by hand, and consequently EN-.
ploys a large proportion of farm labor The loss OF
such employment drives many farm laborers TO COM
pctc for employment in towns and cities
Railroads canal boatmen and laborers in this city
also feel the effect of the foreign competition The
NevYork Central road carried less than 1000 car
loads last year. against 5000 in previous years
also decreased from $50 800 a year to less than
200 Each boatload less means loss OF several
hundred dollars 10 some boatman
In this city about dozen firms employing over
hundred shoveers statesmen, bookkccpers and drivers
do business at the West Thrtyfourth-s potato mar
ts; With perhaps ono two exceptions, every
dealer will vote for Harrison, and most OF thelr
men will do the samcs The other potato dealers at
tbe Erie and other stations feel the same way,
and hey reflect the feeling of the producers behind
them
The same state Of things is found In other large
markets such as Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore
while along the Northern border, Canada, Win Ter
Tile but cheap land and low labor, underseiis the
American producer in Buffalo, Detroit, chicago anu
other cities Nova Scotia Prince Edwards Island ana
Now Brunswick also send a great many potatoes 10
this CITY, At rate of duty which insures far
chance TO home competition, their potatoes would
be welcome as they usually of excellent quality.
This cannot be said of much OF tire transatlantic
import.
Both dealers and farmers want tariff OF 20 cents
q bushel on potatoes, but they know too much to
rypeet st from Democratic Congress AS LOT 'ne
'sspectacle of New-York City depending on Great
Britain. her provinces and Germany for one OF us
most important food supplies, IT can hardly strike
the city consumer with pleasure Eventualiy ne
vould get his potatoes no cheaper, donesuc coni,
pe;iiIon being once killed, while the market woud
be subject much more 10 ucuaon ana ca send
It's food products, including potatoes, 10 lans. M
ireland and other lands In need ior so long LA nde
N would be humiliatng 10 have IL go po'dlolcss Mnn
waiting fl a iCie,gi. steamer. Finally, In case OF
war or short abroad can we expect our foreign
friends to lock Cut fci MS before themselves VII
Great Britain send a seasons supply OF potatoes
and wool her kindly warning that she proposes 10
make war!