Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1891-05-01


should, prevent needless expen-
diture of the public money by op-
posing the extra session.
The reciprocity treaty re-
Gently concluded between Spain
and the United States. will open a
market in Cuba for 100000
barrels of American flour. This
is an example of Blaine and bus
mess.
The Farmers Alliance of
Missouri seems determined to get
rid of q. S. Hall as the leader of
the organization in Missouri, and
the Journal of Agriculture as its
official organ. The step would be
good one for the organization.
When speaking of the Unit
ed States flag at Los Angeles,
President Harrison said: at has
glorious story on the sea" The
Republican party is pledged to re
store the stars and stripes to their
former proud position on ships of
war and commerce, and to renew
through the existence of a revived
mercantile marine and strong,
new navy that glorious story on
the sea-"
In 1875 the manufacture of
wire nails WAS begun lin the United
States. At that time they cost ten
cents a pound, and the duty was
only one cent pound. The duty
WIS not sufficient and in 1883 the
Tariff Commission put it up to
four cents a pound. From that
day the manufacture of wire nails
received a new impetus. The
price was a little higher at first,
but it soon dropped to a lower rate
than ever before, and tie produc-
tion increased 700 per cent in
eight years. As the product IN
creased the price decreased from
S.32 cents per pound in 1882 to
2.lO cents per pound in 1891. The
duty is now two cents a pound. If
the Democratic theory that "the
thrift is tax" be true, the pres-
ent duty if removed, would leave
the price of wire nails at ten cents
per keg of 100 pounds. Is the
tariff a tax?
--"If free sugar is a good
thing, why would it not be good
thing to have everything else
free? asks free trade organ. A
little thought and the reason is
plain why everything should
not be free. We cannot supply
ourselves with sugar. We have
tried it and failed. We now con-
sume annually 900 per cent more
sugar than we can produce under
high protective duty. Sugar is
therefore non-competltive article
and has been put on the free list
where all non-competitive articles
belong under the protective poll
cy. Clothing, hats, blankets, tin
ware, nails and many other things
to supply our needs can be manu-
factured at home. But to do this
a higher rate Of wages must be
paid to employees than is paid in
foreign countries. This the pro-
tectlve duty enables our manufac-
turers to do. AT the same time
inventive genius and competition
keep down the prices of such
commodities, and they can be
bought, grade for grade, as cheap
ly here as abroad. They are the
articles on which foreign competi-
ton would ruin our manufactur-
ers, but for protection.
The indications for 1891 are
decidedly promising for the farm
er. Prosperity in the field means
the same in the mill, factory and
workshop. As is the farmer SO is
the nation. Every business man
knows this, and hence the ear of
the nation is listening to catch
whatever there is to encourage the
husbandman. The prices of pro-
duce have been lifted far above
the losing point to the producer;
the scarcity of supplies ensures a
continuance of good prices, and
unless some unavoidable and gen.
eral calamity precipitates a catas-
trophe between this and harvest,
the outlook is, beyond a question,
of the most hopeful character.
The wheat CROP throughout the