Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-06-16
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
WHAT THE TARIFF ngFoNMERo
pRoeoog TO Do.

WHAT THE TARIFF ngFoNMERo
PR0H0og TO Do.
Provisioas to - laaAs Frse = DrtS~-
BrssAstn1b Are Asstly q ~ yrss,
Whils Potatoss Are Lsst 1sAtsss lea
Dsty ~ Tea Fer Csat.
or Interest 70 Asricalturtsss. 4
Tariff reform has seen the light or
day In the shape Of the draft Of i
new bill prepared By the Tariff Com
m.ttee OF the Reform Club ThiA
committee proposes to make pEoyis-
Ions free Of duty breadstuifs are
mostly TO be made free, while pota-
toes are left subject to { duty Of 10
per cent. II Is Of no interest q i0Cks
into this proposal from the fa&f mi
standpoink
A very exhaustive report has lust
been puhllshed BY toe Department al
Agriculture, dealing with the prin-
cipal agricultural products of the
world. From this O1icial source II
appears that wheat, In seasons Of
average crops, Is imported to any ex-
tent only BY the United Kingdom,
Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy,
and practically the wheat markets or
the world, for which all pioducing
countries are striving, are limited to
the United Kingdom and Belgium,
whose aggregate net imports did not
excesd 125, ,OO0, 900 bushels OF wheat
annually over period OF ten years
Excluding these two countries, the
report shows that Europe Is practi-
cally self-supporting, the excess In
the Eastern countries being sufsicient
to meet the deficiencies In the West
ern nations. In order to supply the
European deficiency OF l25, 600, 600
bushels OF wheat, the fields OF India,
Australia, New Zealand, the Argen-
tine, Canaia, Chilli, and tina United
states are drawn upon. Last year the
crop OF the United States alone was
SIG, 900, 900 bushels, while our require
ments for consumption and seed are
given In the March report OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture at 35e, 600, 900
bushels, thus leaving surplus OF
l58, 600, 900 bushels alone from our
last years crop, which would
more than supply the European de-
mand OF LES, 600, 900 bushels, without
calling upon the surplus OF India,
Canada, South America and Austral-
asia. Hitherto our farmers have
been protected against the surplus
wheat crops cf other countries, says
the American Economist, but IL the
Reform Club committees idea OF
making breadstuifs free be applied to
wheat, then our farmers must COM
pete with the cheap labor surplus
from India and elsewhere, which en-
.eeds Sc, 900, 900 bushels, besldes our
own surplus, for all OF which there Ii
no market available In seasons OF
ordinarily good crops EyideAtly
American farmers will have to turn
their attention to some other crop
than wheat. The farmers out West
were tired Of protection and wanted
. change. They will get 1t.
Take the case OF potatoes, which,
we learn, are to be subject to duty
OF 10 per cent, the present duty
being 25 cents per bushel. Our pro-
duction OF potatoes is comparatively
small when the European potato crop
is considered. The United States
grows on an average 10, 900, 900
bushels OF potatoes yearly, while
that OF all Europe Is about 2, 200, 600.
300 bushels. Germany alone growing
1000, 600, 900 bushels In good seasons.
Every year we import more or less
potatoes from Europe, and this sea
son we have been very heavy Inn
porters, although the duty is % 5cents
per bushel. With a 10 per cent.
duty. equal to cents per hushel,
when potatoes are worth only 80
cents, 1t Is easy to imagine
how our markets would be
flooded with European and Cana
dian potatoes. They are now worth
dollar In open market, and at this
price the European shippers net so
cents after dcducting freight, duty,
and other charges. What q harvest
they would have with duty OF 5
cents per bushel! The market would
be In the hands Of the foreigners In
such seasons as our last one, the con-
sumner would have TO pay a dollar Just
the same, the European shippers
would net 20 cents instead Of SO
cents, our revenue would be lessened
by 20 cents on each bushcl, and the
European potato growers and ship
pers would w.x fat ct the expense OF
American consumers. Potato culture
would flourish abroad, o. the Euro
mean farmers would recn3va tlso
amount that IL now given TO Amefi.
can farmers by protective tarlR.