The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1891-04-15
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY.

Why = Duty - Paced On Farm Imple- |
ments-Nos Mentioned In the Tariff Bill |
No ''fasn Tools'' Inported-We Export |
Them - An the World.
The question has been asked why
duty Of IS per cent Is kept on
agricultural machinery If. as protec-
tiOnists contend. there is no danger OF
competition BY foreign manufacturers
of these implements We might answer
that the duty once did operate to keep
out foreign competition until. under its
benign influence. our own manufacture
ers had had an opportunity to build up
their business improve their methods.
and so improve the quality and reduce
the price Of their products that Ameri-
can farmers were supplied with the best
and cheapest tools in the world. We
might point out that this duty. having
performed its mission. stands as an
honorable landmark. and since its ex-
istence Injuries no one and its removal
| could not benefit any one, because no
| farmer would ever think of sending
abroad for the clumsy plows of England
or Germany under any circumstances,
we might rest our case on simply asking
our auestioner to show cause why the
tariff should be removed. But there is
another explanation of its existence
which is commonly overlooked.
From beginning to end of the tariff
bill. not a word is said about agricul
tural machinery. 1t does not even rec
ognize the existence of this class ofmer-
chandise. If it were mentioned. it is
doubtful whether it really would have
any duty at all placed on it. For the
manufacturers of agricultural nipple
ments do not care particularly about
the tariff. They know that foreign
makers could not compete with them
on any terms. and as a matter OF fact
many of them are free-traders- The
protectionists among them are influ
enced by a principle. and a belief that
protection is necessary for the best IN
terests of the whole country. rather
than because of any special benefit tt
their particular industry.
The way a tariff Of - per cent
, comes to be on agricultural machiner,
is this: Every manufactured article
cannot be mentioned in a tariff bill
. The more prominent ones and thOs'
, most needing protection are specified
r and then. in order to stop up all leak
. which otherwise might neutralize tn
effect of the rates specifically imposed
by allowing the specified articles L
f come in under names or forms whic
e do not appear in the bill, general pre-
vision must be added to cover miscel
: laneous articles of like character. Afte
D enumerating the numerous metals an
e manufacturers Of through eighty-thre
D paragraphs. schedule c of the Mckinle
: bill in its eighty-fourth and last para
1 graph No al5 of the BILLY says:
: Manufactures articles. or wares not special
r enumerated or provided for In this act coz
posed wholly or in part Of iron. steel. lead col
q per- nickel pewter zinc, gold silver platinum
n aluminium. or any other metal, and wheth'
l. partly or wholly manufactured, Is per ceutu
a ad valorem
. This is all that is said about agricu
;, tural machinery. The old provision wa
!. the same The rate in the Mills bill W.
;, 40 per cent. The paragraph was o.
signed to cover all unenumerated met;
manufactures, and this includes far
!, implements along with perhaps tho
- sands of other articles. The Cover
- ment prabably has not collected Gel
of duty on ordinary agricultural impl
"a ments in a quarter of century becau
there have been none imported.
, send plows and moving machines to
= parts of the world instead.
D. Prices and the Farmers.