The San Francisco call., 1896-10-26
Letters From the People.
THE INTEREST OF FARMERS
The Effect of Free Trade and the Lesson
It Teaches.

The Effect of Free Trade and the Lesson
It Teaches.
To the Editor of the San Francisco Cdll-SIR:
Will it be better for farmers to vote for Nc
Kinley and Hobart, who stand for a high pro-
tective tariff; or for Bryan and Sewall, who
champion free trade and the free and unlim-
tied coinage of silver? Did the Nc Kinley
tariff of 1890 accomplish anything for the
farmer? Lat US see. BY reference 10 the
proper statistics we find that in 1883, with no
duty on barley, the import to the United States
Mckinley tariff law having gone into effect,
5,07S, ,739 bushels; in 1892, j, LAG, 1913 bushels;
in 1898, ], $40. 129 bushels; and in 1884 ithad
decreased to 791, ,O61 bushels; in 1895, under
the Gorman-Wilson tariff law, 1t increased 10
2, ,116,SS6 bushels.
Do not these figures show that the interests
of our home producers have been sacrificed
that the Canadian farmer might reap the
benefit of free market for his barely in the
United States?
What wonder is it that the farmers of Yer
mont and Maine spoke aloud at the late cleo
tion when we read that petitions signed by
thousands have been circulated throughout
the East asking Congress to increase the duty
on hay, because of the enormous importa-
tions from Canada since the repeal of the Re-
publican tariff of four dollars per ton on hay.
The effect OF protection on the horse breed
ing industry of the United States is manifest
when we compare the existing low figures OBJ
tainable for horseflesh-due to the Gorman-
Wilson hybrid-with the prices current dur
ing the period that the Mckinley tariff OF
thirty dollars per head stemmed the tide of
cheap Canadian and Mexican horses which
would otherwise have poured into our
principal markets to the disadvantage, and in
some markets, almost to the exclusion of those
bred in the United States for in many cases
the rates of transportation are less from Canada
| to the best Eastern markets than from the
Western States.
Again, what has the repeal of the Mckinley
| tariff done for our wool industry, and our
| raisin, prune and other fruit industries? What
| have they become since forced to compete
with the products of lands where labor SUBJ
| sists on few cents each day?
Last but not least in importance should be
considered the protection SO wisely given by
! the Mckinley tariff to Petaluma's chief indus
| try-the tariff of cents per dozen on eggs.
But the Demopops and Popocrats say "Let us
have none of this. We will subsidize all the
silver mines of our country and all of the
white metal that may be broug hit from foreign
| dollar" Where does the farmer get off? This
| brings to mind the Democratic cry OF four
| years ago, "Free trade and cheap goods" But
| they did not then tell the farmer in what way
! he was to procure the cheap goods-when the
value of his farm products had been sacrificed
| to make cheap goods obtainable. Now they
are promising us plenty of cheap money, but
| SO far have not explained just how the farmer
| is to get it,
One question more: If our mints are called
| upon to stamp silver from varied sources, will
| not our Government eventually be compelled
| to either redeem the same or repud1ate, and
under certain conditions would not repudia-
| ton be inevitable? L. SKILLMAN.
Dat lt..a