The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-08-30

ls increased from 20 per cent. all vaIO-
rem to So per head.
On hogs the duty is now 20 per cent.
al valOrem, which is increased by the
house and senate bills to 81 SO per
head.
On sheep the duty is now 90 per
cent. ad valorem, which Is also raised
by the house and senate bills to 81 80
per head.
Animals imported for breeding pur-
poses, which have been on the tree list :,
are required by the house and senate
bills TO be registered in the herd book
and this will practically exclude the
larger part OF the imports tor breeding
purposes.
The committee gravely informs us in
their remarkable notes that "this is u
large increase in duty made necessary
TO protect domestic growers
The explanation Is unfortunate.
In 1883 we imported free OF duty, for
breeding purposes, 6,76s cattle, 3O7
hogs, 1865 horses and IL. .S65 sheep.
In 1889 we imported 4 $40 cattle for
breeding purposes, 29S hogs, l0,4l7
horses and 1923 sheep.
In 1888 we imported of dutiable ami
mails 62,3SO cattle, 1886 hogs, So ,454
horses and 454.010 sheep.
In 1889 we imported 56,031 cattle,
,453 hogs, so l41 horses and 39S, ,906
sheep.
This shows not an increase of impOr-
tatiOn, bat an increase of apprehension
by the republican party as to the farm
er vote, which has even caused the
committee on finance TO make state
ment in direct contradiction Of the
official reports.
Ii there Is any one feature in the
pending bill which illustrates more
than another the fraudulent and decep
tive character of this proposed legisla-
ton in regard to farm products, it is
the increased duty upon cattle.
We imported in 1889 81 .551 cattle,
valued at $3.50, ,SS7, and exported 329.-
27l cattle, valued at 1875 ,673, 1866.
In other words, our cattle raisers
supplied the home market and export
ed besides the 329,27l cattle above
mentioned.
The senate has recently adopted a
resolution requesting the president to
inaugurate negotiations with the
authorities OF Great Britain for the pur-
pose of securing the removal of certain
regulations compelling the slaughter OF
American cattle at the British ports of
entry, and prohibiting their being
carried into the interior.
Mr.. Blaine, secretary of state, has
declared within q few days his anxiely y
to secure the removal of the restrictions
aud the increase OF our cattle trade
with Great Britain.
Every intelligent man in the country
knows that what our cattle raiser
need is more market, not more protec
tion, and yet the republican party
proposes 10 exclude the handful OF cat :
tie brought here principally tor breed
Ing purposes. oslensibly in the interest
OF our farmers.
1t is tie baldest and most disgusting
piece of humbug ever exhibited even III
politics.
The same pretense is seen in tho
increased duty on hogs.
In 1889 we imported for immediate
consumption ,453 hogs valued at $4,
770, and exported As, 1913 hogs valued
al 1856 ,96i, but the farmer is told thai
the exclusion of the l.453 hogs from
abroad will relieve him from present
conditions.
We imported in 1889 3S9, 1891 sheep
principally from Canada, and exported
'T2S, 1852; aud we also imported during
the same year IRON Canada and Mexico
AZ, ,769 horses and mules, and exported
only 6,72s; but no intelligent farmer
can be induced to believe that agricuI.
tural depression in the United State,
has been caused by these imports.
There were upon farms In 1889 o
horses 14,2i3.S3 mules 1881 ,027, anC
sheep Oh farms and ranges 1886 ,072
And it Is simply absurd to claim tina
the importation in year of 260,0O(
more sheep and AZ, 900 more horses anC
mules than we exported could hav,
seriously affected the price of tn,
l6 900 900 horses and mules and A :,
600 900 sheep In the United States. Thi
would not be claimed even by Col
Porter and MIR. Dodge.
Before leaving the question OF am
mails ain constrained to notice certain
statements in the official report of Mr.
Dodge, statistician OF the agriculture
department, for March, 1890.
The paper contains an argument il
favor of the present war tariff, and D
simply campaign document Tor tn
republican party. II has been sent fire.
through the mails as q goverumen
publication, but It should hav,
emansted, In common fairness, fron
the headquarters of the national repub
lican committee.
In discussing the causes OF agricul
tural depression Mr.. Dodge says:
"The agricultural depression O
Great Britain has been probably NOR
severe than that of any other nation
potent cause IN this case is the compe
tition from all parts OF the worl,
unrelieved by any taxation OF imports.
If free trade has brought sbou
agricultural depression in Great Britai
W hat has caused it In the United States
| Why has not the farmer in this countr
grown rich under war tariff levyin
an average duty of AZ per cent?
The advocates OF high tariff constant
ly point with pride to the immens
advance In wealth of the United State
under protective tariff. We are sur
feited with statistics and declamatio
showing the enormous increase Q
taxable property and the phenomena
resources OF our country all of which
they say, come from the tariff VIII
is there then agricultural depression
Why 10 the farmer complaining? VIII
does the Farmers Alliance confron
the dominant party with stern an
indignant inquiry as to present cOndi
tious?
1t is not strange that there should b
agricultural depression in Grea
Britain, for that kingdom has lam
upon the farmer in order TO enrich tn
| land owner. The landlords and priv
legged classes of that country are riding
the farmer TO death, like the old man O
the "Arabian Nights" and his untortu
nate victims
In this new and vigorous republic
where we boast of equal laws, free in
stitntions and cheap lands, with
diversity of climate and production
possessed by no other people, All,
under the beneticient influence of tn
highest tariff known to civilization, Ii,
is the farmer unhappy?
What | desire to notice, however
more especially, in MIR. DJdge's state
nent, is the following:
"The production of meat has alI
advanced faster than populations. Ii
1880 the cattle of all kinds were return
ed as 39,675 ,533 and the number a
now estimated, on farms and ranches
is so sol ,907. or 33 per cent. more. Tx
Guiding cows, the increase of olhe
cattle, which includes the becves,
equivalent TO abOnt 40 per cent
This ia sent out to the farmers t
convince them that the depression i
beet cattle comes from over pr0ductio
| n,,I nni ErnIn tho Iuanf NJ Inrni1r