Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-30
The New Tariff Law Rapidly Grow
ing in Favor With Western
Farmers.
Democratic Misrepresentation
Certain to Bear Fruit in Repubh-
can Cams.
Home Markets For Agricultural
Products Plead ElOqueptly For
the Measure.

Confidential letters from The western
states of IA mos. encouraging character are
pouring into the republican headquarters
in Washington. They all tell practically
the same story--that as the new tariff law
becomes understood by the farmers. 1T is
seen to be generally and vastly to their In
terst. The wool schedules and the pro-
vision relating to binding Irvine are
especially commended. Much is said, too,
of the largely increased duties imposed on
foreign agricultural products and of the
abolition of the sugar duty. These sec
tions of the new law are appreciated In the
west. It's mere matter of arithmetic to
see how greatly the farmer is helped by a
law which reduces his expenses in all
directions and increases his earnings in
all directions, also.
1t Is especially gratifying to the COM
mittee that these hopeful letters come from
Just those sections of the country to which
the democrats have imputed discomfort
with the new tariff At no time since
the campaign began has the committee
observed more than two sources of serious
danger to the republican cause. These are
First, the tifty-one seats which the demo
Gratis have arranged TO steal outright by
ballot box crimes in the south and by ger
rymanders in other states; and second,
misrepresentation of the Mckinley bill. 1t
has all along been eviden6 that If the con-
science of the country could ~ awakened
to these democratic methods, and If the
farmers, especially, could be induced to ex-
anime the new tariff nothing would
avail to prevent the return of a republican
house.
These objects have been secured and
| largely as the result of democratic folly.
| " hen the bottom dropped out of their con-
spiracy to cause a general rise of prices,
! lhe people began to see that colossal
| fraud was being perpetrated under cover
of the new tariff, and they began to study
the law for themselves. The republican
managers here assert positively that that
conspiracy had its origin in the demo
cratic congressional committee headquar-
ters, and that 1t was recently stimulated
! by secret circular sent out to the demo
cratic campaign committee in all the
doubtful districts. Its failure was due tC
| the fact that the honest manufacturers and
reputable merchants of the country would
not be drawn into what was sheer robbery
In causing general scrutiny of the Nc
Kinley bill, however it has served the re-
publican party most effectualiy. The far
mer observed, in the first place that upon
an importation OF one thousand pounds OF
! binding Irvine, which lately cost him so
/ in g.. les and under the democratic Mills
JtlI would have cost him SIS, he now pays
| ly 81 The substantial reduction IN &
| western farmers expenses Is likely tC
rem lcr him insensible to the democratic
cry that the republican party should be
defeated because it has increased the du'
ties on rich velvets and fine laces. BY the
repeal of the sugar duties, too, the expense
Of every household in the land is directly
touched and an average saving is effected
of cents on every pound of sugar bought
at retail. This is a remission to the peo'
pie of SIC 000,0 900 of annual taxes.
The revision of the wool schedules was
directly caused by the demonstrated fact
that our farmers required more protection
The cheap woods of Australia and the Rio
Plata country were rapidly driving oul
wool shut out and our manufacturers COM
PEELED to depend on the American farmer
for their raw material it was clear that a
general increase of wooden duties was in
evitable. An average increase of about lC
| per CeHU. WAS lulpOstu. hTtduy tue ucHc
fetal influence of this act is to be seen. A
dozen new mills have been arranged for
C eating greater demand fol-
the farmer to supply and giving EN-.
ployment to thousands of persons who
would otherwise be thrown into agriculture
for a means of livelihood.
In addition to these provisions, so great
ley inuring to the benefit of the farmers, il
is to be remembered that one of the avow-
ed purposes of the McKinly bill is to shut
out foreign agricultural products. 1t would
not be putting it too strongly to say that
the republican majority on ways and NEAR {
committee accepted as correct the farmers
own statement of the causes of their de-
pressed condition and accepted as wise
their own proposed remedy. The agricul'
tural schedules were made up accoring to
the requests of the farmers themselves, and
their demand that they should be enabled
to supply the home market fully and com
! pletely was acceded to. The 1856, 900, 0OC
worth of imported farm products which
came into this country last year will now
stay at home and the American farmer will
be left to supply the home markets ex-
tremest requirements. The republican
managers rely on the fact that the McKin-
ley bill is a farmers bill in every section
and in every line, and that no agricultur-
| ist can examine its provisions without
voting to return republican congress.