The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-13
Vermont and the Tariff.

| vermont ana Une Iarl11.
The Brattleboro Reformer publishes
the table of present and proposed duties
on Vermont products, compiled by the
WATERMAN, with the remark that we
care making great noise over the
changes" and "telling the farmers
how they are being 'knifed' by the
wicked free-traders." This, the Re
former serenely observes, is all per-
fectly absurd, for the reason that in
ordinary times we produce all these
things for export and are in no danger
from imports" AS to marble and gran
lite, our contemporary thinks the
freight, with the duty attached, is
ample protection for them"
The "noise" the WATCHMAN is
making over democratic tariff changes
is lullaby compared with the racket
the people will make when the time
comes for "a united expression of their
judgment. But what is the answer of
Vermont farmer to the Reformer's
view OF the effect of the proposed
tariff upon the price of his productions?
Does he believe that the free admis-
sion to Vermont of Canadian eggs,
apples, wool, beef, mutton, pork, lard,
and tallow, for example, will have no
effect upon the price of similar pro-
ducts in Vermont markets? Does the
Vermont farmer "produce all these
things for export" or for sale in the
home market? And what does the
Vermont farmer say to the proposal to
fling wide open the northern doors of
this market to the free ingress of
country in which these things are staple
products? Is the Vermont farmer repos-
ing unconcernedly in the belief that the
proposed cut of one-half in the duty on
hay, of one-third on butter and poultry,
OF three-ffths on potatoes, with sim.
liar lowering of the rate ON oats, barley,
and other field products, will not affect
the price of his own products in the
home market? The country just be
yond the northern border of Vermont
produces little else than precisely these
articles, and these it produces in great
abundance. The cost of production is
favored by labor that is both plentiful
and cheap-the source whence industry
in the estates seeks its recruits. On
that side the line, production is favored
by cheap labor and other advantageous
conditions,-on this side, production is
hampered by the high price of labor
and other conditions for which even
the Mckinley law affords no adequate
foil. On that side exist precisely the
conditions against which the protective
barrier has, for nearly generation,
been raised.
The RGornaer says the Vermont
farmer raises his produce for export,
and is in no danger from imports. Is
this the statement of an intelligent,
well-informed writer, or of one who is
laboring under stress of circumstances
and is making a snap shot in defense
of a murderous industrial policy?
Doesn't the Reformer know that the
Vermont farmer finds at home, Gin
ordinary times" and in all kinds of
times, his most profitable and, practi-
cally, his exclusive market for the pro-
auctions of his farm? and that the in
evitable effect of the democratic tariff
policy will be to introduce into this
market a destructive competitor-a
competitor who has had his greedy
eyes upon ii ever since the expiration
of the alleged reciprocity treaty ex-
PEELED him from it? The Reformer says
the imports of potatoes last year was
only 1S6,071 bushels. Assuming that
its figures are correct, what might have
been the imports under the proposed
duty of ten cents bushel instead of
twenty-five cents? And what might
have been the market price of potatoes2
The Reformer says the freight on
granite, with duty attached, is an ample
protection. What is the duty proposed9
On dressed granite, twenty cents in