The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-08-23

list. The principal imports from India
amount to 81 ,0O0, 900 for iute and jute
goods, 81, ,635 900 for tin. II ,OO0, 900 for
spices, and 81 ,432 600 tor indigo.
III there is any competition between
these articles aud the products of the
American farmer, il would be well for
the secretary OF agriculture to indicate
where il is.
Returning, now. to the tables OF Col.
Porter and Mr.. Dodge, | propose To
anaiyzc their statements In the first
! place, no intelligent man will claim
that imported sugar cOmpetes with the
farm products OF this country. There
| are a few sugar plantations in Louisi-
ana which produce about one tenth OF
| the sugar consumed in the United
States, but the farmers proper OF the
| whole country are consumers, not pro-
| duccrs.
II we take from their estimates, then.
the article or sugar, there is eliminated
twO.fifths of the entire so-called agri-
| cultural imports of these officials
ANIMALS AND PRODUCTS, EXCEPT WOOL
We imported in 1889 of dutiabIe AMI
mails Tor consumption, including all
kinds, $3,9l7 .O3l "a.
| OF animal products we imported. OF
bristles for consumption, 81 ,3lO,354 81
provisions, comprising meat amt dairy
products, for consumption, $l,769,-
592 l6; making, in all. Of animals an,l
their products dutiable, $6, ,996,978 81
instead of $41 900 900, as estimated by
Col. Porter, and $40, O,419 ,5O2, as es.i.
mated by Mr.. Dodge.
| III we add TO importation of animals
and their products those imported foi
breeding purposes. $3,0lS, ,4s3, and
hides, $l7 ,433, ,349, both of which arc
exempt from duty under the present.
tariff, the imports would be increased
$20, ,45l 1882. ! assume, however, thai
neither Col. Porter nor Mr.. Dodge
anxious as they are 10 prejudice tie
farmers against the democratic party
would claim that the importation o
animals for breedings purposes is in
furious TO domestic breeders, or tha
the democrats are responsible for hides
being Oh the free list. Hides are KEEP,
on the free list by the pending bill, ani
registered animals are also admitted
free OF duty.
1t Is also TO be observed that in tn,
aggregate of dairy products, is includ
,
143 % for 1889, the larger portion o
which does not compete with tn,
domestic article by reason Of the fac
that 1t is entirely dissimilar, nothing o.
the kind being made In this country.
FIBREs, ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE.
| Col. Porter does not include wool il
his estimate Of fibres, animal and vege
table, for he Gays: with snch an ARA,
of important products protected, TO Say
nothing of wool, of hops, of hay, o
eggs, of vegetables, of seeds, and OF
score of minor products, is il likely TIN
American farmer will give up the tarit
because the free trade shOuters are
loudly proclailning against the iron ant
wOOllen barOns?"
Without inclading wool he states tn
amount of "tibres, animal and vegeta
ble," imported in 1859 at $50, ,000, 900
while Mr.. Dodge states the amount t
be $59, ,453,9 1886.
. The official list OF imports for 1888
shows the total amount of flax. hemp
; jute and other textile grasses, ,includin
MANILA, sun, sisal, and all others, {
be. OF the manufactured articles 10
consumption, S1S ,467 1922. Where th
balance of the 500 900 900 estimated b
Col. Porter aud MIR. Dodge can h
found is matter OF conjecture.
OF the $lS,467 1922, the importstio
D uf flax for 1889, unInanuiactured, Ia
consumption, amounted TO So ,060, ,664
and OF hemp and its substitutes, un
! manufactured, 81 ,s34.64O.
Col. Porter and Mr.. Dodge bot
: knew very well that hemp is not GU
> Il a; s,, ha TT,,tt
q States except In some parts of Kei
tucky, the whole area not exceedin
"a 900 acres, and the principal rcaso
, for this fact is the want of compulsor
9 labor. II being Impossible to secure FIRE
|, labor for the culture on account of tt
= nature of the work. This has been tll
experience OF hemp growers in Nil
q souri,, where hemp raising has virtual
disappeared.
These gentlemen also know that fla
Is not cultivated, except In q few local
. lies, for its fibre, but only for the sect
q and the pretence that the impOrtatlO
] of 2,000, 900 worth prevents its cultul
= here ia absurd.
. The other products included undt
= the head OF fhres, animal and vegets
3 BILE, do not come in competition wit
4 the product of any American farmer
= and no duty upon them can help him
Il any extent. Raw silk, for instance, ~
Y importation of hich Tor 1888 amoun
q | to SIS, 1888 .229, is included IN the tabl,
# OF Col. Porter and MIR. Dodge, bni Il
@ silk il produced by American farmer
FRUITS.
ii The next estimate OF Col. Porter al
Mr.. Dodge is that of fruits, $l9 ,O00. .0(
!, and $lS.746,4l7.
The official list of dutiable impor
for 1889 shows the values of fruits al
nuts for consumption to be ST., ,902 ,S2
q but cOnceding the estimate of the
a officials 10 be correct, we would
greatly obliged to them tor an elucid
iiOn of the problem how the impoI I,
4 ton OF Zante currants, dates, tig
4 lemons, grapes, bananas, orange
lines, pruues and foreign nuts ca
affect the farmers.
1t is true that some of these fruits a
raised in California aud Florida, b
the depression in agriculture viii,
these officials are explaining il amor
4 the farmers, mot the fruit-growers.
- MIR. Dodge also includes in his esi
n mate. $7,706,772 of imported wines. %
tor the reasons l have given it
ridiculous to assign the importation
n foreign wines as all explanation
"a agricultural depression. No amount
n duty will give the American crap
~ grower immunity from cOmpeiItit
@ 3 with foreign wines. There are varieti
Il of soil ,climate and fruit peculiar to ce
70 tain parts OF France which are ~
q found in this country, and while q
e California wines are gradually impro
"a ing and their market being annual
n enlarged d,cOnnOisseurs and wine drinl
ers generally demand the Frent
. wines.
Ii is enough to state, however, tn
h the farmers of the United States W
:, be amused at the solicitude of NJ
~ Dodge in their behalf on the wi,
n question. What they want is not Il
: exclusion OF French and German win
r but the opening and enlargement
% foreign markets for their surplus whei
4 corn, cattle aud pork, and the decrea
of tariff duties on clothing, hardwaI
:, TIN and other necessary articles OF dai
q and incessant use by the farmer al
- his family.
q BARLEY AND CEREALS.
l. Col. Porter places the value of II
g. ported barley and other cereals in Is
At at $4,000, 900, and MIR. Dodge plac
8, the amount at 81, 81 1872. In the offic
e report OF imports Tor 1889 the value
,r breadstuffs Tor consumption, includi
barley, bran, bread, bucKw heat, cor
n cornmeal, maize, oats, oatmeal, rye, r
ii flour, wheat and wheat flour, is plac