The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-28
HAvEMEYER LAW AND CANADA,
The United States Market Thrown opel
TO Foreixn Prod ctA.

The United States Market Thrown Open
TO Foreign Products
A staff correspondent ofthe Philadelphia
Press at Washington City writes 10 that
journal that nearly all of the Canadian
exports are OF agriculture, and four-hfths
of them come into direct DOM petition with
the products of the farmers of the United
States. Bet our farmers have not only to
meet this competition of Canada in foreign
markets, but under the Democratic tariff
bill they will have to meet the same COM
petition in home markets. Speaking on
this subject, Representative Linton, of
Michigan. said:
1T is almost beyond belief that any
party IN this country seeks to open our
markets TO Canadian competition in the
way that this Democratic tariff bill does.
Michigan is very hard hit under the bill.
The placing OF dressed lumber on the free
list will cripple the mills of Michigan and
throw thousands of men out of employ
ment. The United States will not get any
benefit in the way of reduced prices for
lumber. The Mckinley act reduced the
duty on lumber of certain kinds coming
from Canada, and the Canadian govern
ment increased the stumpage charge, and
not get one penny of benefit There may
be a reduction temporarily on the part of
Canadians to drive the Americans out of
the business, and then they will put up
prices.
Already the Canadian government has
increased the price Of stumpage as the re-
suit of the passage of this bill. Placing
salt on the free list hurts Michigan very
much. Under the protected tariff the
price Of salt has been reduced from 81 50
barrel 10 80 cents. Many Of the Michigan
salt works have already shut down as the
effect of Democratic tariff legislation. The
great reduction in the price of wool, which
has already taken effect, has paray zed the
wool business. Farmers are killing off
and selling their sheep and going out of
the business. Cedar paving blocks and
slaves were formerly dutiable at 10 per
cent. Now they come in free. This
strikes q blow TO q very large industry
in Michigan. The sweeping reductions
in the duties on dairy products, breadstuffs,
hay, beans, animals, etc, will hurt the
farmers all along the border and help those
of Canada in corresponding manner. A
great many horses were imported from
Canada even under the Mckinley act.
Now that the duty has been reduced So
per cent. the imports will increase enor-
mously, TO the injury of oar farmers. No
Michigan producer can find q market in
Canada for anything. But Canada has
large quantities of all these things on
which the duties have been reduced and
which have been placed on the free list to
sell in the United States. If the Cana
dams had been nermi,ted to draft a tariff
measure for the United States for the par
ticular benefit of Canadian industries they
could not have devised one that will prove
more 10 their advantage
The number of people employed in the
lumber industry in this country is 3130S5
The total amount of wages is <136, T54. 5i3,
and yet that great industry is sacrinced by
the removal of al duties, while q CON-
paTatively insigniGcant sugar industry,
the whole value of the product of which
in the United States is not $50, 900, 900. is
protected by 10 pc: cent duty. But sugar
Is Southern industry, while the lumber
industry is chiefly Northern. Take rice.
an Insignificant little industry, emplo wing
only few thousand men. and yet il Is
protected by an 81 per cent. duty. Oranges
aud lemons get 81 per cent. and other
Southern products are protected IN a SINH
lar manner. sgeh scandslous sectionsiism
has never been known in tariff legislation
in this country.
pennsylvania will be hard hit. along
with Michigan and other states, in regard
- Canadian competition. For instance
large extent Democrats have reduced the
tariff on hay from 81 30 s. ton. The cost
Of production in Canada IL about ii per
cent lower than in the United States
owing TO the lover price OF labor, the lower
vaue OF land and the consequent less tax
alton. Notwithstanding the fact that
under the Mckinley act the tariff on hay
Nas 81 tor, the last fiscal year
i04iSi tons were imported from
Canada The year prior 10 the pas
saRe Of the Mckinley act the import. we're
ia 5s4 tons. IL is evident that under the
reduction Of the duty oBe-half the i'm
ports Of hay from Canada viii enormously
increase. The duty on hay IS - per cent.
The value 81 the hay crop in the United
States Is $50 So, 81 And yet this vast
Industry gets . protection Of only - per
cent, while the ms gnitcant Southern
rice industry. which gives employment TO
only feS thousand men, is protected oy
- PER cent duty"
MIR rAILsON OF CANADA