Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-05-19
SENATOR MoaRlLL's TARIFF REPORT


Senate finance committee, who, with Sena-
tor MCPHERSON, constituted a subcommit-
tee to inquire into the effect of the tariff
laws on our trade relations with Canada,
has been accepted. The main points in the
report, as summarized in the press dis
patches, are these:
From the beginning to the end, all of the
places visited in our own country were in
creusing in population, while on the other
side of the line, as the committee were in
formed, the population was every where di-
mnishing. st. Johns, opposite to East
port has 1000 less population in 1891 than
in 1881. From the testimony taken it was
clear that the United States offered better
markets and higher prices for everything
that Canadian farmers had 10 sell than can
be obtained in Canada, and the price there
OF horses, cattle or sheep, hay, peas, beans,
potatoes butter, eggs and poultry invari-
ably was as much below the selling price in
the United States rs the amount OF duties
imposed and the cost OF transportation.
When the duty on imported horses was in
creased the price Of horses fell in Canada.
1t was the same with eggs and barley.
When the duty on pine lumber was reduced
81 per 1000 feet, that amount was at once
generally added 10 the price OF lumber in
Canada; so that no advantage was derived
ny tue y ulltu h2lulcS IIOlIi JiC IpuuCIiOu "a
the duty. SO far as the Canadian Dominion
is concerned, there is no doubt they bear
the entire burden Of duties imposed on their
exports into the United States.
1t was ascertained n Eastport from the
owners of the sArdine factories, being among
the largest consumers of tin, that the in
creased duty thereon had increased the price
to the amount OF : per box, amounting to
one mill on each can OF sardines, but that it
had not affected their business nor the wages
OF their vorkmen, and consumers were sup
Piled with sardiues at less cost than ever
More or less OF emigrants appeared to be
entering our country from Canada all along
the border line. The wages were much less
in Canada than in the United States, the
difference amounting TO from Is to SO per
cent, and in some cases to 90 per cent,
the average difference being above %
per cent. The difference was less in tho
border towns, but wages decreased by
going further into the Dominion while the
reverse was true in the United States.
The increase Of the duties on horses is
said to have resulted in advantage to the
State of Maine, as 1t raised the grade of the
animals imported. No hay was imported
last year, as the result of the increased duty
on that staple. at Newport, lumber CEN
tire, the wages arc 25 per cent higher for
common labor than in Canada. Skilled
labor, however, taken into Canada, receives
the same wages.
The merchants Mt Ogdensburg complain
loudly Of the % cents per ton charged by
the Wellnnd canal, which gives the Cana
dian vessels a rebate Of IL cents per ton at
once. The report suggests that the only
remedy for the discrimination would he an
Independent American cana! on this side OF
/ the lakes. it maintains that this discrinli
nation is a violation of the treaty. Touch
ing the barley tariff, the report says that it
has injured Oswego; and that although the
| competition is really with our Western bar
| ley growing States, it is felt to be great
/ grievance by the ma ster5 of Oswego, and
ruinous to the capital invested there in this
Industry.
Among the places visited was Newport
in this State. One of the men interviewed
Oscar c. Miller, who made the follow
ing statements:
i am engaged in the lumber business and
sell both American and Canadian lumber
Wo have mills both in this country and in
Canada. As far the tariff question is
concerned | think that 10th mombers of our
firm can speak with an ulpre judicei judg-
ment, because whichever way the tariff
question is adjusted, ither for free trade or
protection, our interests are such that tn ely
are just about balanced Nou can help one
side and hurt the other or vice versa. We
sell our lumber in the New England market
principally. We sell in the form of all
kinds Of unfinished lumber. Our trade i,
running now largely in dressed lumber
especially such kinds OF lumber as are uset
in housewo.k
Mr. Morri!--ls there any export tax