, 1896-09-25
0N0URCATTL
HOMECOMING RANCHMEN HAVE
BEEN MADE TO SUI
FER,
BY the Workings of the Wilson-Gor-
man Bill on This Important
Branch of 1ndustry-No Markets
Consequently Immense Losses to
Cattle-raisers,

Branch of Industry-No Markets
Consequently Immense Losses to
Cattle-raisers.
In one Of Robert P. Porter's contri-
to the Chicago inter Ocean ne
gave some facts that farmers we'll may
heed, though the prime intent Of the
was to convince the people of
this city of the i'll effects of the Wilson
tariff upon an important branch of
1t may be well to repeat Mr.. Porter's
The first thing that played havoc
with the cattle industries was a return
to the ad valorem system, which is al
ways bad for the farmer. The proper
way to levy a duty on cattle Is so much
per head. Then the American farmer
knows what he is competing with, as
the element of fraudulent invoices and
differentiation Ices not enter. The
Mckinley law provided for a duty of
81 per head on cattle / year old and
under and $40 per head on cattle over
l year old. This was just and business
like. 1t, moreover, encouraged honesty
and, as we shall see, the American cat
tie industry.
The Wilson-Gorman law, on the 9TH
er hand, changed this specific or per
capita duty to 20 per cent on every dol
lar of value. 1t made no distinction
between imported live animals. The
value of the animal, moreover, was
taken at the place of export. Mexico
might send in cattle and value them at
81 per head and pay 40 cents duty: the
Argentine Republic at a valuation of
50 per head and pay 60 cents, and Cana
da might call 1t S. per head and pay
81 duty. 1t was a fraud and humbug
alike upon the American farmer and
cattle dealer. 1t opened the door wide
to fraud, as ad valorem duties always
do. Thus the farmer sees his cattle in
dustry destroyed and the United States
government Is %defrauded of revenue
that she is entitled to and needs
No more inequitable scheme could
be devised by the malignity of a sworn
enemy Of trade, agriculture and owe
ment.
The effect OF the change from specific
to I'd valorem duties was manifested by
an ipcrnnSn in tha rrr1>ar o-l ,,oI,,z
Of imported cattle. These stood as fol-
lows:
1890 (year preceding operation Of the
Mckinley bilD, 26,76O head; value,
s171, GIG.
1891 first year of partial operation of
Mckinley bill), 1852 head; value, $685.
652.
1892 first year of full operation of
Mckinley bilD, 2, O63 head: value, $780,
1863.
1895 first year Of operation Of Will
son bilD, 267, sos head; value, 1884,
594.
Since the Wilson law came into effect
we have imported $50, 900 head of cat
tie, which, says Mr.. Porter, means a
loss of S., 900, 900 to American farmers.
But worse happened. The exports of
United States cattle went down as the
imports went up. We exported 1914, GOT
head during 1892, the value being $685.
09o, 995. In 1895 our exports were $780,
$50 head, with a value of ;26, 997, FOL.
Here is a loss Of not very far from &c.
600, 900 a year in one branch of farming
industry.
These figures we repeat are worthy
of consideration. Free coinage of sill
yer will not stop the importation of
cattle. nor increase the exports. This
can be done only by reversion to a
soundly protective policy, and MI. Bry-
an and his democratic supporters are
pledged to change the tariff to a still
nearer approach to free trade.
THE PATRIOTIC MERCHANTS OF
LARAMIE.
Are responding nobly in helping the G..
A. R. and W. R. c. in the coming grand
fair and entertainment. The commit
tee is introducing Col. Lew Ginger to
the business men and they are giving
the enterprise the most unbounded en-
enlargement. 1t is believed every firm
in the city will be represented in the
grand display.
Merit wins and that is why Hoods
S~arsaparilla holds the abiding conf
dence Of the public. Hoods Sarsapa-
rilla is known by the cures 1t has made.