The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-06
Pooling the Farmers.

The farmers are told that the Mckinley
tariff bill was framed in their interest, and
in proof of this they are referred to the
protection given them by the increased
duties on agricultural products. Let us see
how the claim will bear investigation.
The duty on corn has been increased from
10 cents to Is cents bushel in order to pro-
tect the farmer from the importation of
''pauper labor corn" The total amount of
corn imported for the fiscal year 1889 was
2,401 bushels. The exports for the same
time were 69,592, 1929 bushels. How thank
full the farmers ought to be for the in
creased protection against foreign corn!
On cornmeal the duty has been doubled,
the present rate, 10 cents per bushel, being
raised to 20 cents. The necessity of this
additional protection is evident when it is
known that 396 bushels of cornmeal were
imported last year against an export of 312,
1S6 barrels.
Oats are to be protected by an increase of
duty from 10 cents to Is cents per bushel.
The imports of oats were 22,51O bushels
and exports ga, 226 bushels.
Rye will remain with only 10 cents per
bushel protection. This is wrong. Sixteen
Du611cl6 u rye GAINS AubO VnlS COuuLEy ldSI
year against 1912 bushels sent out
There ought to be moro protection against
these sixteen bushels.
The duty on wheat has been increased
from 20 cents to % cents per bushel. The
farmers will be grateful for this. Last yeal
no less than 1868 bushels of foreign
wheat came in to compete with the home
product. of which 46.414,129 bushels were
exported.
| Wheat flour is to pay an ad-valorem
duty of 25 per cent instead of 20 per cent
The imports were 1,156 barrels and exports
1874 ,S03 barrels.
The American apple crop must be pro-
tected. There has been no duty on apples,
green, ripe, or dried, but the American or
chard is to have the protection of two cents
pound on dried apples. Last year We ex-
ported 9i2, 4O6 barrels of green apples and
%, loa $40 pounds of dried apples. We i'm.
ported not an apple nor a pound of dried
apples.
The duty on bacon and hams has been in
creased from two cents to five cents per
pound. The imports were 272. 100 pounds
and the exports 400, 224 GAG pounds.
On beef, pork and mutton the present
duty is one cent per pound; the proposed
duty is two cents. The imports were 2l5..
575 pounds and the exports 2s6, 99l ,l2l
pounds.
It is plain as pikestaff that the farmers
are suffering because of want of protection
on their corn, wheat, oats, rye, bacon, beef
pork. cornmeal, and apples. They ar.
burning their corn in Kansas because 2. 40
bushels imported last year ruined theil
home market; they are scattering thei
cornmeal on the ground because So
bushels of foreign meal found its way int.
the country; they blew themselves to pieces
with dried apples and water because the,
had no tariff fence to keep out the foreign
apples that had not sought admittance
They mortgaged their farms because ont
pound of bacon vas imported for ever,
l,5OO pounds exported. The McKinle,
tariff bill will save them from further
misery by increasing the protection against
agricultural products that have not anG
cannot come into competition with them il
, the home market. while compelling them tt
pay more for articles they have to buy
Cleveland Plain Dealer.