The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-14

people of other sections in giving rice q
duty Of 30 per cent. 1t levies duty oil
more than 90 per cent upon sugare, and
places wheat, -four and many other
products of the farm on the free list.
While claiming to be in the interest Of
the extension OF our markets for agri.
cultural products, it strikes down the
reciprocity clause of the Mckinley act,
thereby narrowing the American farm
ers' foreign market by millions OF dol
lars. He declared that the wool raiser
west OF the Mississippi river would be
obliged to 60 out of the business. for the
simple reason that while the cost OF pro-
ducing wool was from to 30 cents per
pound, the cost in Australia was 40 to
so cents per pound, and that in addi-
ton to this the freight rates from
Rocky mountain points to Boston and
Philadelphia were from 212 to cents
per pound, the carrying charges from
Australia were less than / cent per
pound. He was confident that here
after, II this bill passed. sheep would be
raised in the west only for mutton.
Referring to the grain schedule, he
said that the duty which Canada had
been paying in order to sell barley in
farmer, and that the money went into
our treasury as a contribution from him
and that it was not tax upon the con-
sumner OF barley in this country. The
ineq uality OF this measure lies in the
fact that it places high protective tariff
upon all that we buy, and puts upon the
free list those things that the farmers of
this country have TO sell. With wheat
on the free list, the farmers of the
northwest country, from Manitoba to
the further confines of the Saskatche-
wan, would dump their wheat in the
markets of Duluth, Minneapolis and
Chicago, thus creating a larger surplus,
for which the American farmer must
find foreign market. Our facilities for
handling our own grain are already
overtasked. II We must, on top OF this,
handle the surplus of the Canadian
farmer, the result can be we'll imagined.
This IL the kind of reciprocity proposed
by this bill.
Mr. Hansbrough WAS succeeded by
Mr.. Shoup of Idaho, who also opposed
free wool 40 disastrous to one OF the chief
industries of his state.
Mr.. Shoup eontended that the fall in
the price of wool has been world wide
for 20 years, and that in the United
States it ruled higher than elsewhere
by the amount OF duty levied. The de-
monetization of silver had much to do
with the fall of the progress of wool in
the worlds market. He cited market
quotations TO show the difference be-
tween foreign and domestic price had
been nearer together since the election
of Democratic president. He ana
lyzed the cost added to the price of
suit of clothes by the duty on wool to
show how small proportion of finished
product the duty is. Comparisons were
also made to show the greater labor cost
in the United States as compared with
Australia. He conten1ed that free wool
would ruin the industry in the United
States.
Mr.. Mitchell OF Oregon also opposed
free wool. He argued the Pacific coast
would be more iniuriously affected by
free wool than any other part of the
country. Free wool meant absolute de-
struction to the wool growing industry
of Oregon-an industry which has
grown to be of vast Importance to the
state.
A large portion of Oregon was more
useful for sheep grazing than for any
other purpose.
Mr.. Frye declared that Australia
could produce enough wool to supply
the entire consumption OF the United
States. Australian wool, he said, could
be laid down in New York for cents
per pound. Yet it was the deliberate
intention of the Democratic majority to
subject every farmer in the United
States, whether he fed his sheep six
of the year in Maine or allowed
them to run wild all the year round in
Texas. to such annihilatory competition
from Australia.
When this discussion ended Mr.. Quay
took his manuscript from his desk and
began the eighth inetallment OF his
famous speech, begun just two months
ago today.
After Mr.. Quay had spoken Is min.
utes, Mr.. Harris. in charge of the tariff
bill, asked him to yield to him (Harris).
He called attention to the slow progress
of the bill, two days having already
been consumed in general debate on the
wool schedule. He then made request
for unanimous consent that the wool
schedule be proceeded with under the
minute rule tomorrow, after Mr.. Aid
rich, who desired to speak had finished.
The request developed the fact that
Messrs. Lodge. Chandler, Platt and 9TH
ers desired to address the senate on the
general subject of the schedule and Mr..
Harris with reluctance said he was
compelled to respect the requests of
these senators and would therefore
postpone his motion to proceed under
the s minute rule until tomorrow.
The senate at 5 80 went into executive
session and shortly afterward adjourned.