Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1896-10-01

In other words, at a time when
the American farmer was hard up
and needed all the money he could
get. the Mexicans and Canadians
shipped in to compete with our far
mer .227 ,f:t5 cattle. These cattle sold
at an average price of $15 per head,
and the foreign shippers pOcketed
about S:,5O0.OOO. Since this law
came into force we have imported
800, 900 head, which means "a loss of
s., ,0O0, 900 to American farmers.
In the second place, i propose to
prove that these cattle have been
fraudulently entered, that is, under
do you account for a decline i'm the
value of cattle under an ad valOrem
duty? Official reports show that
the average value Of every dutiable
animal imported under the Wilson
law was $2.54 per head, as against
81 under the Mckinley law. So the
farmer, instead of IA good 81 protec-
ton = yoang cattle AID 80 on
grown cattle, has had a paltry 80
cents per head.
Now what has happened? After
the enaction of this law our farmers
sold out both young and old cattle
before prices dropped. In two years
the stock of American cattle was re-
duced 5000, 900 head. From 81 ,651 =
30 under the Mckinley law, down
to 81, ,0SS. .Sl3 went our total number
of cattle, while the value was re-
duced from $57O, O,OOO,OOO i'm 1892 to
$500, ,O00.O this year. A loss Of
2.OO0, 900 head per year, and u depre-
citation of over 500, ,OOO, 900 i'm value
These are facts intelligent farmers
should read and understand.
| DECREASED EXPORTS.
While this criminally foolish law
opened our ports to the scrawny
cattle of Mexico, reduced cur own
herds 5,O0O, 900 and cut values down
$6O, ,OtO, 900, perhaps this was a reali-
zation of that beautiful dream about
the worlds markets. Not SO! In
this case we literally dropped the
meat i'm our mouth for the shadow
The reciprocity section of the McKin
ley law helped the American farmer
to sell to other nations. There was
never any reason for it's repeal, eX
cept pure cusseflness." Under tht
Mckinley law the export of cattl,
from the United States increased
from $16.616, ,917 i'm 1899 az follows:
Year. Number. Value
1880 .............3 394. $50 $3l ,26l ,l3
1891 .............. 374.679 3O.445, "a!
1892 ................3 394 .6O7 35.O99, 90
From the moment of the advent O
the Democratic party this trade be
: gan to languish, until the calenda
year of 1895 shows 2S9.35O cattle an,
8 value of $26 6,997, ,7O1. A loss here O
; over JOG, 900 cattle and nearly 10000,
600 i'm value.
With all the boasts about tn
: worlds markets the free trade polio.
has merely closed markets to us that
: under reciprocity, We're open. Ii
r 1892 our exports reached $1,000, 900,
900, and artisan and farmer wer
alike prosperous.
THE HIDE BUSINESS.
I'll Farmers understand that the hid
a business is important and, as a rule
, goes up and down with the fiuctua
tions of the cattle industry. In 1S9
, we consumed the hides from the sui
: plus stock of 81 ,OOO, 900 cattle and ha
to import $26,OOO,OOO worth of hide
u i'm addition. At the same time W
a exported $l,2JO.OOO worth. Unde
, reciprocity we increased our export
. from 81 ,:22, ,s95 i'm 1892 to $3 3,972, 494 4
p 1894. before the Mckinley law wa
, repealed. At the same time we n
= duced our imports from $26, 900, ,00
\ i'm 1882 to $16, 200 i'm 1894. Th
American farmer sold the difference
Taking the calandar year 1896, i'm
q meadiately after the passage of tn
Wilson bill, the expectation of hide
!, fell to $2,S25,947 and imports In
creased from $l6.OOO. 900 to $50. .432
$50.
;. So, you see, the Mckinley law II
9 creased our exports and decrease
2 imports. This has always resulte
3 under a Republican administrative
3 and protective tariff.
8 Under the Wilson-Gorman la,
y they decreased our exports and II