Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-07-21
TRYING TO FOOL THE FARMERS.
Figures That Show That Some Legislators
Are Ignorant or Dishonest.

Figures That Show That Some Legislators
Are Ignorant or Dishonest.
The farmers are told that the McKin-
lev tariff bill was framed in their inter-
est, and in proof Of this they are referred
to the protection given them by the in
creased duties on agricultural products.
Let us see how the claim will bear in
vestigation.
The duty on corn has been increased
from 10 cents to 10 cents per bushel in
order to protect the farmer from the i'm
portation 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 60, 1884,
929 bushels How thankful the farmers
ought to be for the increased protection
against foreign corn!
On corn meal the duty has been
doubled the present rate of 10 cents per
bushel being raised to 20 cents The
necessity of this additional protection is
evident when it is known that 1876 bush
els of corn meal were imported last
wear, against an export of 812, 1856 bar
rels.
Oats are to be protected by an increase
of duty from 10 cents to Is cents per
bushel The imports of oats were 22,31O
bushels, and exports 624 ,226 bushels.
Rye will remain with only 10 cents per
bushel protection. This is wrong. Six
teen bushels Of rye came into this coun-
try last year, against 2S7 1859 bushels sent
out There ought to be more protection
against these 16 bushels.
The duty on wheat has been increased
from 80 cents to 25 cents per bushel. The
farmers will be grateful for this. Last
year no less than 130,649 bushels of
foreign wheat came in to compete with
the home product, Of which as, Ala, 1879
bushels were exported.
Wheat flour is to pay an ad valorem
duty of % per cent. instead OF ~ per
cent. The imports were l, 1866 barrels,
and exports 1874, 1903 barrels.
The American apple crop must be pro-
tected. There has been no duty on
apples, green, ripe or dried, but the
American orchard is to have the prOtec-
ton of Q cents pound on dried apples.
Last year we exported 942, 406 barrels of
green apples and 90, 102,579 pounds OF
dried apples. We imported not an apple
nor pound of dried apples.
The duty on bacon and hams has been
increased from two to five cents per
pound. The imports were 212, 1870 pounds
and exports 400, 224 ,646 pounds.
On beef, pork and mutton the present
duty is one cent per pound; the proposed
duty is two cents. The imports were
215,575 pounds and the exports 1856, 991,-
121 pounds.
It is as plain as a pikestaff that the
farmers are suffering because of want of
protection on their corn, wheat, oats,
rye, bacon, beef, pork, corn meal and
apples. They are burning their corn in
Kansas because 2,401 bushels imported
last year ruined their home market.
They are scattering their corn meal on
the ground because 800 bushels of foreign
meal found it's way into the country;
they blew themselves to pieces with
dried apples and water because they had
no tariff fence to keep out the foreign
apples that had not sought admittance.
They mortgaged their farms because
one pound of bacon was imported for
every 500 pounds exported. Cleveland
Plain Dealer.