Middletown transcript., 1894-02-17
FARM PRODUTs AFFECTED.

of wheat, Alb, 900 tons of hay, 555, ,0O'
pounds of tobacco, 100000 pounds Of
wool, 100000 gallons of milk, 10
All, ,00C pounds of butter, 10000 poun'
Of cheese, and so on.
All of these articles will be affected
! adversely by the Wilson bill. Barle.
will have to meet Canadian competition
as will buckwheat, oats and so on. Th'
reduction in the duty on tobacco
which admit an increasing quantity O.
Sumatra, will injure the tobacco pro
dusers. Large quantities of hay were
imported from Canada before the Nc
Kinley act doubled the duty, but now
the duty is to be restored to the rate
existing before the Mckinley act took
effect. Vegetables apples, eggs and
such things are to be admitted free un'
der the Wilson bill.
Democrats say that there is no dan
ger of foreign competition. That may
appear to be true of farmers in the fa1
West or South, but in the East, where
they have to meet Canadian products,
that is not true. as Pennsylvania far
mers well know.
In the year ended June 30, 1889,
animals were imported to the value of
nearly $4,000. 900. For the year ended
June 30, 1892 the value Of these ami
mails imported was reduced nearly one
half. But now the rates will be lower
in many cases than before the McKin-
ley act took effect; hence the importa-
tions will be increased. Over So, 000,-
900 worth of barley was imported in
one year before the Mckinley act took
effect, and this has been reduced to
1921, sos under the existing law.
CANADIAN IMPoRTATIONs.
A restoration Of the old duty, of
course, means renewed of the Cana
dian importations, anda consequent
loss to the American farmers of over
$1,000, 900 year. In 1890 hay was i'm
ported the value ofS1, ,143, ,445 and
great part of that came in direct compe-
tition with the hay produced in Penn
sylvania. The imports the first year
under the Mckinley act fell to $445,-
461.
In the year 1869, $2.41S, ,976 worth of
eggs were imported. The first full
year under the Mckinley act the i'm
portation of eggs amounted in value to
only $500, 900, and last year the value
was 1892, ,616, yearly gain to the far
mers of the United States of over So,
600, 900 on eggs alone. The Pennsyl-
vania farmers will feel this renewed
Canadian competition keenly. They
will feel it also in poultry and nearly
every farm product.
Now what will the farmers gain in
returnp Farm implements have been
put Oh the free list. This will not re.
suit in any reduction of prices, but it
will injare the manufacturers of such
machinery, because they have to pay
duty when they send their machinery to
Canada, while the Canadian Manufac-
turers can ship to the United States
free Of duty.
This may reduce somewhat the num-
ber of men engaged in the manufau-
ture of such machinery and lower the
wages of Others, owing to the more re-
stricted market, and thai will reduce
the number Of persons consuming farm
products. The only result will be an
injury to the farmers instead of help.
And so it will be with the iron, coal,
and other industries affected by lower
duties. Salt is put in the free list, but
as farmer can get barrel of salt now
for from 25 to sc cents the removal of
the duty will moi help him any.
The reciprocity tratise with Spain,
Brazil and other nations under which
American farm prouducts gaiued ad-
mission to Cuba and those other coun-
tries at lower rates of duty than are i'm
posed on simalar products coming
from other nations will be repealed.
This will result in loss of million
dollars year to the American farmers
in the decreased export of their pro-
ducts.
In the item of flour the exports to
Cuba were in value $591, 1856 for the
fiscal year of 1901, which was before
the reciprocity treaty took effect,
while last yerr the value was $2,821,-
557. In corn the increase was from
$120, 1S7 to S592. .050. In hog products
the increase was from S2,699, 1862 to
S., ,401 ,022. In vegetables-beans, peas
and potatoes the increase was from
1924, ,421 to S97S, ,261. Here is an in
SiCooO AL LILO CAPOllo VI IuOoO ldI LII
products of S5,615,277 year to Cuba
alone. Owing to their favorable situa-
tion, Pennsylvania farmers furnished
considerable percentage of that in
crease.
The total increase in exports to Cuba
in two years under the reciprocity
treaty has been Sl2 ZOO, 1000. This is
due to great reduction in duties in
Cuba in favor of the United States,
which gave not only discriminating
rates, but allowed a much larger con-
sumption of these products in that
country, owing to their greater cheap
ness. All of this advantage is thrown
away under the Wilson bill. Such
rank idiocy in legislation was never
before known in the history of the ma
tion. The reciprocity treaties with
European nations under which the
prohibition on American pork and
beef products was removed, are also
repealed practically by the Wilson bill.