St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-12

the farmer In America.
The Tariff on Eggs.
/ quote recent article from the st.
Charles Times, a paper published in
this district, bearing on this subject:
I'VE heard very Staunch Repub-
lican say the other day that the McKin-
ley tariff tax of five cents dozen on
eggs had increased the price of that
product to the farmer to the
Republican is an honest, conScien
tious man. as we believe, and
no doubt believed what he said, al
though he was as candidly Informed
that he was mistaken. We have eX-
amlned the market price of eggs In st.
Charles for the past four years, which
covers the period of two years before
and two years following the passage of
the Mckinley bill, with the following
result. The prices given are the prices
paid at ii. j. Keeler'S grocery store, as
follows:
September. 1855, per dozen, Is cents;
September. 1889, IL cents: September.
1890, before the passage of the McKin-
the passage of the Mckinley bill, Is
cents; August. 1892. II cents.
As eggs are always higher in the win
ter than in the early fall we also here
give the price for the same years in the
month of January:
January. 1888, IS cents: January, 1889,
20 cents; January, 1890, before the pas
sage of the Mckinley bill, 20 cents;
January, 1891. after the passage of the
Mckinley bill, Is cents; January, 1892,
% cents.
1t will be seen that the prices vary
according to the time of year and the
supply and demand. The competition
between merchants has tendency to
keep the market well up in The city.
Farmers need not be deluded with the
bare statement, in violation of the facts,
that the tariff adds penny to the price
of American eggs. We exported during
the year ending June so, 1892, 194, $50
dozen.
Where Nelson Once Stood.
Knute Nelson, the Republican candi-
date for governor, said when in con-
gresS:
Our leading agricultural staples are
breadstutfs and cotton. The latter is
theoretically and the former practically
SO far as our producers are concerned
free of duty. The home price of wheat
is fixed by the export price, and the
farmer of Minnesota has to compete
without any governmental aid, direct or
Indirect. with the farmer of India i'll the
markets of England"
AS to the question Of wages Mr.. Nell
son said: 1.-The price of labor is primari-
ly governed by the law of supply and
demand. The protected producer does
not measure the wages he pays by the
amount OF protection he gets, but by
the ease or difficulty with which he can
procure labor"
Surely this ought to be good and suffi-
cient evidence for any Republican, as
it comes from his own side of the house
by one of its chief apostles.
One of the greatest blessings of free
government is an honest and Intelligent
yeomanry. 1t is upon that class that
we must depend in time of war to de-
fend the very life of nation. What
ever may make them happy and more
contented, or that will instill in their
breasts devotion and love of country.
should be fostnred and encouraged :;
whatever may have the opposite tend
ency should be frowned down and
wiped out of existence by every patri-
otto lover of this land. We know thal
in times past it was the
Boys From ti.e Farm,
the mechanics and toilers at hard. hon.
est, manual labor that filed the ranks
of our armies, gained fer us our liber-
ties. and preserved them and our union
to this day. Nothing, therefore, should
be done through system of taxation
which will infiict upon them unequal
burdens or make their lot in life harder
than that of other citizens of the repub-
lie.
But what do we find to be the facts
under the system of taxation as in
augurated by the mckinley bill?"
Why, these toilers of the land must pay
for the support of the government ac-
cording to their consumption, and
not according. to their financial
ability to pay. Under the fostering
care of the government and through the
magnificent workings of the Mckinley
bill, the men who toll not, neither do
they spin; and yet say unto you that
even Solomon i'll all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these" pay no
more for the support of government,
except as they may consume more, than
household utensils and his raiment for
himself, his wife and childrells
The protected beneficiaries sometime
require the sleepiess vigils of the picket
guard by day and by night, and, in adj
dltiOn to the pecunlary protection they
receive and pocket, they may have the
protection of the militia OF the state at
the expense of the people, and if these
are not sufficient the United States
soldiers may be called upon.
All Are Taxed.
1t is pleasing sight to see a young.
healthy and robust youth go hand-ln-
hand into the married relation with a
handsome, healthy and happy maiden,
starting the battle of life together some
where Oh the virgin soil of Minnesota;
but when they commence their little
building and propose keeping house
they find their lumber taxed, their
knives and forks, their dishes, their
raiment, and almost every article neces-
sary for household use, paying tribute
to the protected beneliciarleS under the
Mckinley bill. The Democratic party
would say hands off. don't burden these
people; give them chance in the race
of lite. unnecessary taxation is I'M
just taxation" Let honest labor have
its just reward without paying tribute
TO any man OF corporation. Give these
people chance to make home and a
living.
Who Pays the TAKE
The tariff is imposed for the purpose
VI DiOtCCllOlls VI IL ID uOl. II we cdil
manufacture an article in this country
as cheaply as it can be made abroad, 1T
needs no protection. Ii we cannot make
it as cheaply, then the protective tariff
is levied so as TO enable the domestic
manufacturer to raise the price of his
article and thereby enable him to sell in
competition with the foreign product.
For instance. under the Mckinley bill a
specific duty of 81 is levied on each
dozen table knives valued at 1926,
and in addition an ad valorem tax of
80 per cent. This would amount
to 81 tax on dozen knives
costing 1926 abroad, and to say
nothing of the administrative tax would
be about 60 per cent, now if the for
eigner paid this g tax and still sold us
the knives for 1928, would we be any
better able to compete with him? Ger
tainly not.
We were given an object lesson last
winter on this subject by one of PresI-
dent Harrison's cabinet officers, when
the bill to establish signal display sta
tons on Middle and Thunder Bay
islands in Lake Huron came before con-