Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-10-26
DOWN EAST FARMERS
FEAR CANADIAN COMPETITION WILL
GLUT THE MARKETS.

little country town way down III
Maine. The old farmer with whom |
boarded was an active politician, and
he and had many discussions one
day rode over with him to the country
store, mile or two away, and while We
were there another farmer came in and
greeted my host with, well Miller
are they going TO pass this tariff billi"
i dunno, said Miller Looks like
it. "
"Well sir, said tho newcomer, 'if
they do. I've voted the Democratic tick.
ct for the last time. "
why" asked Miller
Because, was the reply, IF passes
I'll have to sell my flock of sheep. I've
been getting rs and 80 cents IA pound
for wool, but if this bill passes l WON'T
get more'n - or Is cents, and | cant
afford TO raise wool for that And that
amt ALL " he went on Il can't get 50
much for my produce if they let the
Canadians biing their stuff in here free
or at lower duty than they pay now.
do you think that no duty or IA low
would affect YOU very much:' | asked.
"Wcll, should think it would, was
| the reply Some things twon' inter.
fero with, bat it will make IA big differ
ence i'm the price of my eggs and pota'
toes and turnips and hay ANA such stuff.
| They ought To put up the duty on hay
| if anything There 5 too much Canadian
hay comes ia here now. And as fer tur-
nips, you see, st. Andrew down there,
Just across the line, is a great place for
turnips, and if them turnips didn't
have TO pay a duty it wouldn't pay me
| 70 raise amy.
DO you get pretty good price for
your produce now" / asked.
well, he said, there hasn't been
rs good a market for them as usual the
| last year, the times are so hard. A good
many mills have been shut down for a
longer or shorter time, and that's made
money pretty tight. P"
well. then, | said, you farmers
have as much TO fear from the shutting
down of the mills H. from the coming
in Of Canadian products, haven't YOU
Moro We couldn't sell anything if
thcmills didn run. Who d we sell to-
That's Just it, said. you see,
YOU yet lust as much benefit from the
tariff on manufactures D. the manufac.
turgr does If there wern't any facto-
rieS You wouldn't have any market for
your produce 50 YOU profit by the tariff
on manufactures as we'll as by the tariff
on farm products You need tariff on
both 70 protect YOU
"Well, that : so, he replied, though
| hadn't thought of it before. dunno
but I'll vote for protection anyhow,
even if they don't put wool on the FREQ
list and make me sell my sheep.
There's no doubt that they'll make
wool free, - said, though ! didn't
know before that free wool would affect
Maine much 1t is easy enough to see
the danger from the coming III of Ca
madam produce under low duty but
| didn suppose they raised wool here y
They don I much, he said, though
I've got a small flock OF sheep. The
wool hash started on my sheep yet
this year, though, and my wife says 5
because voted for Cleveland and free
wool. y
Shouldn't wonder, " | said
Il should think those western fellers
who raise wool would kick more'E we
do. though, the old farmer continued
II guess they do, " replied. Pc
titions against free wool have been
sent 10 congress from 30 states and ter.
ritorics, nut tho people arc not IN 1t
with this congress. The trusts have the
inside track with this administration. ~
Just here there entered n man with
a cleveland figure, who, | aftcrward
learned, was Democratic politician VI
local fame Catching my last words,
this politician asked III loud, impressive
tones. what Is the loss to few thou
sand woolgrowcrs compared to the gam
% 20, 600, 600 of consumers
All, " ] said, but you must remem-
bcr that those 80, 000 900 consumers are
also producers They produce the arti'
Giles which the woolgrowers consume.
The benefits are mutual, and all have
employment md money with which to
buy the products of the others. To see
the effect as whole you must apply
the same argument 10 everything IL
be consistent if not wise, you would
have TO make everything free. Then all
your 90, 600, 900 consumers would soon
find that they are producers also For
cign goods woald take the place OF
home products iTour markets until our
people, thrown ont Of work by the ruin
of all our industries, would be too poor
to buy even the products Of European
labor.
We're not talking about free every
thing, >" returned he of Cleveland stat
ure I'VE don t want everything free,
so we don't have to apply it to every
thing. We're talking about free wool. y
Pardon me, - said, for assuming
for moment that the Democratic par
! ty had any use for the jewel of consist
ency. There is chance for a whole
days discussion in finding out what
raw materials are, as your senate has
learned.
WELL I'm for tariff reform and Gro
yer Cleveland every time y said the pol
jtician as pleading an engagement, he
| hurried pDt