St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-23
aFFECTS THE FARNER.


Ben BUTTERwoRTH. the eX-Repub-
iican congressman from Cincinnati, who
voted for the MCKINLEY bill under
party cOnstraint, after he had spoken
against it, returns from his tour of Eu-
rope in the interest of the worlds fair,
more convinced than before that the
tariff is blunder and detrimental to
the interests of the country. He says
the movement of the world is toward
closer relations in sympathy and ma
terial interests, and the United States
must get in step with it," The Nc
KINLEY act would have been disastrous
to the farmer in curtalling the market
IN Europe for his surplus products, had
1t not been for the failure of crops over
there. But for this the demand
for foodstuffs would have been
less than usual, and the big
wheat crops that inspire eXulting festi-
walls to-day that would hardly be worth
harvesting. The tariff makers did all
III their power to defeat the prosperity
of the producers. They provoked the
buying nations to Stiffen the obstacles
to traffic and look in all other directions
rather than to this country Tor supplies.
But the great disaster came, and they
are forced to take the surplus so abun-
dant here. No credit Is due to the Nc
klNLEY system that there is an OPEN
ing for wheat and hogs in Europe The
past August the official figures show ex-
portationS of breadstuffs to Europe
in excess of any former year.
There has never been such a
record for any month. Those who
try to claim any of the credit for the
tariff are dishonest or deceived. The
people there were hungry and getting
more so, and nowhere else could they
buy for their needs. That is the only
reason for the profitable demand for
the surplus grain that is giving the ag-
ricultural sky such brightness. The
abundant crops would have been but an
aggrayation without buyers abroad for
them. By virtue of this failure of Euro
pean crops the expectations of SIC, 721,-
80 of breadstuffS in August, 1890, spring
up to S2S, S53, 80 in the past month.
The exports of other articles in the con-
trasted months show the effect of the
tariff and the drift OF the breadstuff
trade, but for the unusual conditions
Of failure of crops. The exports
of provisions in August, 1890, were
sl0.476, $40. In the same month
Of 1891 they fell to S9,214,94 a loss of
over Sl,200,000. The value of cattle and
hogs exported in August, 1891. was
more than half million. or nearly 20
per cent less than in the same month of
1890. Cotton exports fell off about
100000, and petroleum nearly as much
IN the month. The falling off of pro-
visions, cotton, cattle and hogs ana
petroleum in the month was s.. 49,. COO.
and but for the phenomenal conditions
in regard to breadstuffs, their expoFta-
lion would also have shown reduced
hgures. 1t cannot be anticipated that
these Will exist next year or in any
future time. 1t would be an absurdity
for the American producer to base his
calculations for coming years upon the
condition that now affords him his on
portunity. Under the circumstances
that must be presumed, the operation of
MckinleyiSm will tend to decrease the
foreign demand for breadstuffs. lust as
the August figures show that it has few
other leading articles of export. 1t is
evident that the prosperity of the
farmer requires the exchange of COM
mercial commodities with other coun-
tries instead of dwarfng and hampering
them as the protective system does,
The greater the commercial transac-
TONS the more demand there Will be
for farm nrO1uctS