The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-01
FARMERS And THE WILSON BILL.

and other competitors to the highest pitch.
The Wilson bill, on the contrary, gives
away all the advantage gained by the Nc
Kinley law. Now Canada is joyful-and
why? The answer is easy to max Take
the agricultural schedules of the Mckinley
law and the Wilson bill. Both begin with
live animals. In the Mckinley law, the
duty imposed upon horses and mules worth
less than $50 each, is $50. and so per cent.
for those worth more than that sum. The
duties on horses and mules were imposed
by the Mckinley law to stop the importa-
ton of low-grade Mexican horses, which
had resulted in great injury to the Ameri-
can farmer. The Wilson bill places them
all on the free list. Again, droves of cheap
horses will come from Mexico and Canada
to glut the American market And what is
true of horses and mules is true of all live
animals.
Barley is a grain used almost exclusively
in the manufacture of malt liquors. Until
the Mckinley law was passed, Canada fur
nished the bulk of it, and some came from
Europe. The Mckinley law made the duty
so cents a bushel. The result has been that
thousands Of acres OF land hitherto de-
voted to wheat in agricultural New York
and other States nave been turned to bar
ley with a profit. Thus the overproduction
of wheat was reduced and barley substi-
t,,+o1 .o,i1 ~ No., ,,orI-1+ Fo- +ha A,,a-g
can farmer. The Wilson bill cuts down
the duty on barley two-thirds and gives the
Canadian, with his cheaper land and labor,
control OF the market. Barley will be a
little cheaper. but the difference will go to
the brewer, whose profits are now very
large.
Eggs, under the Mckinley law. bear a
duty of ) cents a dozen. The Wilson bill
makes them free. With the passage of the
Mckinley law a large trade spran0 up in
Indiana and other Western States in eggs
for shipment to the East to take the place
of those coming to those cities from Cana
da. The result was steady prices and in
creased demand in this part of the coun-
try. and thousands of poor people realized
enough from their eggs to purchase their
sugar. If the Wilson bill becomes law,
Canada will furnish the greater part of
the eggs, as it did in 1889, and again eggs
will become a drug during that part of the
season when a market is most needed. The
thousands who have supplied themselves
with sugar or coffee by the sale of eggs
must seek some other means with which
to purchase these necessaries and comforts
of life.
Broom corn was advanced to IS per ton by
the Mckinley law to keep Canada out of
our market The Wilson bill puts it on the
free list and lets Canada, which pays no tax
in this country, IN as an equal. Straw, which
wrapping paper. bears a duty of so per cent.
under the present law. 1t is on the free list
of the Wilson bill. Hay stands at 81 per
ton in the Mckinley law, being raised from
81 per ton because Canac;ans, with their
cheaper lands. cheaper labor and cheaper
living could successfully enter the great
hay markets of the large lake and sea-
coast cities and glut them. to the detriment
OF the American farmer. The Mckinley law
has given the American farmer the hay mar
ket almost absolutely. TIE Wilson bill re-
duces the duty to 81 per ton that Canada may
enter the markets of Chicago and glut them
to the injury of the farmers Of Indiana,
whose hay crop has attained greater i'm
portance under the provisions of the Nc
Kinley law.
For the benefit of Canada meats and poul-
try go on the free list in the Wilson bill,
the duty of from 2 TO 5 cents a pound of the
Mckinley law being dropped. Can any
the significance of dropping off a duty of 5
cents a pound on dressed poultry? Week
after week large quantities of poultry are
shipped from Indiana to New York. Boston
springing up under the Mckinley law. 1t
will fall off when Canada is let into the
American farmers market.
For the first time in the history of the
country WOODS and sheep are put upon the
free list. The average duty on the woods
raised in Indiana is IL cents a pound, or
about 90 per cent. on the value. AS the
wool growers do not now raise sufficient
wool to meet the demand, the duty is added
to the foreign price and goes into the pocket
Of the producer. Wool is on the doomed
free list. The price will fall at least one
fourth. while free sheep would seriously
injure the American market for mutton.
What do free wool and free sheep mean to
the owners of the 100000 sheep in Indiana?
II the fear OF free wool has reduced the
price OF wool 25 per cent, what would come
to that industry II free wool and free sheep