The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-04
PROTECTION AND BoUNT1Es.
A Letter From a Prominent Wisconsin
Farmer.
RuRLINGToN. Wis. March

BURLINGTON, Wis, March %.
" NJ Murdcck. ESD. Editor Daily Eagle. Wichita,
kan:
DEAR SIR,-Some friend has sent me
a copy of your paper for March 16, mark
ing your comments on gambling in grain,
and | read with pleasure your denuncia-
ton of the spectators who are working
untold harm to the farming interest.
I enclose a copy of some remarks made
by myself at the meeting of the National
Farmers congress at Montgomery, Ala,
last November, in which I touched upon
this question of the home manufacture of
-four as effecting prices. Ny attention
was called to it some years since when
the mill owners near here desired me to
purchase wheat for them in the north
west. | found the enormous milling
capacity In Minnesota and Wisconsin
had increased the average price of all the
best grades of wheat tributary TO these
mills fully 10 cents a bushel. The mills
or Minneapolis alone now have capac-
ity OF 1000 bushels per year, and it is
plain that they won't let any No. 1 hard
wheat get away from them if they can
help it-certainly not till they are sup
piled. | find that No. northern usually
brings as much in Minneapolis as its cor
responding grade, No. , spring, in Chi
cagO, and if our mills want it they must
pay Minneapolis prices plus the freight
to get it. In fact one of our mills that
makes a speciality of patent flour has
been paying a bonus of late OF is cents
per bushel for No. hard. But little Is
said in the papers about this wonderful
revolution IN the milling business, which
has brought incalculable benefit to our
farmers, simply because England cannot
make flour to compete with us.
If India wheat was equal to ours,
England, with her advantage in silver
exchange with India. often equalling
33t per cent, could take our
new roller machinery and with
her cheaper wheat could make IL
very lively for American millers The
free trade papers would, of course, take
1t up, and we should have the same argu-
ments urged for letting England make
our flour that are now applied to wool,
wOolens and iron. We should then know
all about the western milling industry,
and of course should be asked to wipe it
out, Just as they now ask us to close out
our iron and wooden mills and replace
American with Australian and Argentine
wool. Were it not for the grain
gamblers, not bushel of wheat would
be raised at a loss within 800 miles of
Minneapolis.
And, by the way, this milling business
gives US the simple and only solution of
the great farming cOnundrum that IS
now CONFUSING the nation. 4 million
farmers. mostly without capital. have
scattered over million square miles in
the west, and it is no wonder that they
have raised more grain than the world
can consume. Andrew JacksOn's rem
edY is the only one: Set enough of YOUR
people to manufacturing, so that you
will not be obliged to export raw pro-
ducts for a living. Exclusive grain rails
ing will run out any country in fifteen
years, while there is literally no limit to
the wealth our lands can give with a di-
versified industry.
| know of no other northwestern state
that has diversified her industries as com
pletely as we have in Wisconsin, and. as
a result. our farmers have been growing
rich, while those who have followed the
free traders advice and farmed for 1.-The
markets of the world. have grown poor /
We make more money from potatoes and !
clover seed on our sandy lands than the /
richest soils yield away from good mar
kets. | have lived in Wisconsin for
twenty-five years and am satisfied that
for the capital invested and ability re-
IUired, farming has paid better than
any other branch of business and does at
The present time. | see plenty of farm
ers worth from $1,000 to 100000 each, /
who began without a dollar, and if the
tree trade nation savers can do any bet /
-er in other lines of business. / shall be
pleased to correspond with them and get
4 few points.
If Kansas will grind all the wheat she /
raises and will see that she has her pro-
portion of the 100000. 900 sheep that we
ought to have in the United States, her /
farmers will neither be obliged TO borrow /.
lor 10 beg.
| read with great interest of the pro- I
yress Of the sugnr industry in your state /
md we should not forget that the beet /
sugar which Napoleon the Great literally
treated by bounties and duties. has long .
since closed the refineries of England ,
md now controls the markets of the .
world. | cannot help thinking that if .
We would use a little of the vigorous /
sense Of such men as Napoleon /
md Andrew jackson in diyersifying our +
Industries. farmers and every one else /
night prosper. Yours truly,
+. b. NORTON. /