Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-10-09
THE FARMERS LOSS.

VIC Hnu Ollo lOllONlnS SUMMARY III ~
Boston Journal: A brief course of read
ing of the European and Canadian press
just now would be liberal education TO
the befogged and benighted tariff re-
formers" of America. Foreign comment
on the German tariff is wonderfully H.
Illuminating.
Here, for instance, is a Canadian news
paper, published in considerable town
of the Province of Quebec, exuberantly
declaring that "the new United States
tariff is bound to benefit Canada in a
marked degree.' How? Simply ly
opening a new market for larger quaint
ties of Provincial products? This Cana
dian journal expects that the market
will be enlarged, but it expects more
than that. 1t predicts that the Canadian
lumbermeu and farmers will get higher
prices for their goods, and its line of ar;
gument is fairly paralyzing to favorite
tariff reform" theory.
According to the accepted notion of
the free trade press and politicians on
this side of the line, the protective du-
ties are always paid by the American
consumer, and when those duties are
removed or reduced the price of the az
ticles necessarily falls by the precise
amount of the reduction. On the other
hand, Gov. Mckinley and other Repub-
liean leaders insist that in many in
stances the duties are paid in part or in
full by the foreign producers, and that
we thereby compel foreigners to contrib
ute toward the expenses of our Govern
ment.
Major McKinley's doctrine has been
much derided by the Calhounists. 1t is
calculated to give these individuals no
little embarrassment to find the Cana
dians confessing that that doctrine S
absolutely true. ALREADY" says this
Provincial authority which we are quot
ing, there is revival on the other side,
and when times become good again with
our neighboIs there is sure to be an in
creased demand for Canadian lumber at
better prices. The Canadian farmer
likewise will have his position improved
by the considerable reduction that has
taken place in the duties on live stock
and farm products" And then the Can
adian editor goes into particulars, as fol-
lows:
Horses, sheep, hay and barley are
some of the chief products which find
their way to the American market, and
which were hard hit by the Mckinley
duties. Mr. Charlton, NJ. p, a reliable
authority, estimates that Canadians
have been paying five millions year in
to the United States Treasury for the
privilege of selling in the American mar
| ket. The new tariff, except in case of
| lumber, maintains duties on Canadian
produce still, but at a very much lower
rate. The duty on hay has been reduced
one half, on barley 10 cents per bushel,
on eggs cents per dozen, on sheep q
cents per head, on poultry 2 cents per
|
head. The effect of this reduction will
be felt in better prices for our produce,
and prove an earnest of what unre-
stricted trade between the two coun-
tries would do for our farmers. Taking
| the last trade returns as a basis, our
farmers viii receive each year $4,000
more for their horses, $2SS,000 more for
their sheep, $4,000 more for their
wool, S29S,OOO more for their barley,
and $1SS, 600 more for their hay than
they have been getting. The list might
be extended, but these items are su1ti-
cient to afford some idea of the scope of
the advantages which the new tariff con-
| fers on our farmers"
Instead of making concessions to
American citizens, then, as the tariff
reformers" have claimed, we have actu-
ally been making concessions to for
have asserted. These foreigners of all
men ought to know who has been pay
| ing the duties, and they affirm that they
have been paying them themselves 'for
the privilege of selling in the American
market" This is a confession which of
course settles the whole question utterly
beyond dispute; and the reductions in
the tariff which the Bourbons have made
are as clearly and undeniably gift to
Canadian farmers and lumbermen as If
the money had been appropriated by act
of Congress from the National Treasury.
1t is an extraordinary Government
which brags of it's achievement of lift
ing burdens off the shoulders of aliens
in order to load them on American citi-
zens. And there is no compensating ad-
vantage whatsoever, for the Canadian
farmers and lumbermen propose to de-
mand American prices for their pro-
ducts in the American market. So Ca
madam lumber and farm produce will
cost the American people as much as
ever, and their sugar will cost them a
great deal more.
Gov. Mckinley never uttered a truer
word in his life than when he said that
the foreigner was the only person who
could be benefited by such an idiotic
bargain,