Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-09-16

We never import any potatoes in
any quantity sufficient to affect the
prices of our domestic crop, or at
time when our farmers have any to
sell. The total average imports are
only 1 per cent. of our domestic pro-
duct, and are mainly of Bermuda
potatoes, which comes before ours are
ripe. and Nova Scotia potatoes, which
are mainly used for seed. The only
years when any considerable quantities
are imported are those when our
potato crop fails, when most of our
farmers have none to sell at any price
when the working people of our cities
suffer greatly from the scarcity of
potatoes, and the farmers themselves
have to buy imported potatoes to get
sound seed. The only possible effect
of tariff on potatoes, therefore, is to
tax those who can least afford it at
Just the times when the farmer cannot
be helped thereby. and in years when
short crops and scarcity of food ruin
farmers and pinch workingmen to
make the farmer pay more for seed
and add to the hardships of the latter.
As to hops, no tariff on hops can
help American hop-growers at all, for
the simple reason that we are mainly
a hop-exporting and not hop-import-
ing nation, and in average years de-
pend upon foreign markets for the
sale of at least one-fourth of our crop.
Our hop imports are of two classes
first, of the small amount of hops
from which beer is made, or favored
to so resemble beer which would other
wise be imported; or, second, of for
eign hops to make up deficiency
here in the rare occasion of a failure
of our crop. In the first case no tariff
could make any difference with the
American hop-growers' market, ex-
cept that if it was high enough it
would make it more profitable to i'm
port foreign beer than to initiate it
here, and hence cause loss in the de-
mand for American labor to make it.
In the second case, the result of
tariff is simply to raise the price of
hops to everyone in just the year when
the American growers cannot meet
the demand, and cannot, therefore,
get the benefit of high prices.
In regard to barley, until recently
New York, producing 100000 to
100000 bushels, was the main
barley district of the country, no other
approaching it. But others have de-
veloped very fast of late. California
now produces about twice as much,
and Minnesota and Wisconsin each
about as much as New York, while
Iowa and Nebraska each raise about
half as much, and Dakota is rapidly
coming forward. Canada barley is
imported, not in competition with
United States barley, but as a superior
article, for which the maltsters are
willing to pay an average of 10 or IL
cents more per bushel than for New
York State barley. Why they will
do this is also plain. Malt made
from it will sell for more than that
made from State barley. No one will
claim that we can make Canada malt
except from Canada barley. The
only effect of putting a higher duty
on barley will, therefore, be either (a)
to make the maltsiers, who will have
to import it in any case, pay more for
their supplies, or (b) to drive large
part Of the mailing business out of the
United States and into Canada, or (c)
if the duty on malt was raised as well
to send the brewing business to follow
it. How little this would help the
farmer can be seen when it is remem-
bered that domestic competition and
the use of corn instead, which is
rapidly increasing, keeps barley here
too low to make it profitable to raise
it in New York, and will henceforth
keep at nearly the price it is worth
for feed-about one.third of the total
crop being now so used.
On cotton goods duties have general
ly been raised in the cases where they
were not prohibitory before, the main
additions being on cotton thread,
warps and warp yarn, clothing ready
made (the duty on which has been
raised to 80 per cent?, hosiery (by
compromising duties aggregating 70
per cent. to 100 per cent }, underwear
(on which the rate is raised to from
60 per cent. to 100 per cent?.
In the flax, hemp and jute schedule
the results are highly picturesque.
The raw materials of both binding
Irvine and cotton bagging are put on
the free list, and the rate on binding
Irvine correspondingly reduced, still
leaving, however, ample protecti on to
the Irvine Trust; while on cotton bag
ging made Of the same material rates
have been increased. Uncle Sam
thus taking hand in furnishing the
southern farmers for their rebellion
against the Jute Trust. On laces, edg-