Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-31

was III effect long enough 10 SHOW THAT
under its operation our production OF
wool would rapidly increase to the ulti-
mate benefit of the entire community.
The Democrats FASTENED to put wool on
the free list. while retaining substantial
duty on the product of the mill and the
mine. In 1889 there were in the United
States 42,599,079 sheep, valued at $780,
640,369; in 1898 there were 47.273, SOB
sheep, valued at 125,909 264; in 1896
there are 3S,29S, 1888 sheep, valued at
500, 1917 Under the Mckinley law
the value of our sheep increased $50, 26S,-
$50; the Wilson law has taken from the
value of our sheep $50, TAI $40. or very
nearly one-half. Under the Wilson law
the importat ton of wool has doubled and
the price of the domestic product has
been lalvcd. The Mckinley law gave
to wool and other farm products the just
and equal protection demanded by farm
ers; the Wilson law removed this pro
lection, and, discriminating against the
farmer, singled out wool growing as the
one considerable industry to feel the full
force OF 4 disastrous free trade policy
Reciprocity.
At its annual meeting in 1890 the
Farmers National congress passed n
resolution in favor of reciprocity: and
that it yet ..'vors reciprocity is shown
by the following resolution at lis last
meeting:
Resolved. that the Farmers National CON
grcss has listened with profound interest to
The able and Instructive address of Senior
Francisco Javicr lancs of Venezuela on
The Commercial Relations of American Re
publics.'
Resolved. that to secure reciprocal trade
between the United States and The Spanish
American republics, this congress fayors
legislation for reciprocity. commercial treat
les. and aid for steamship lines sufficient TO
answer all the purposes of such trade.
The benefits to our agriculture from
fair reciprocal arrangements were so ap-
parent that the resolutions were adopted
by a practically unanimous vote, though
in the congress were delegates of all
shades of political belief. The peculiar
relation of reciprocity to agriculture APP
pears from reading of the reciprocity
section of the Mckinley law:
That with view to secure reciprocal
trade with countries producing the following
articles and for this purpose. on and after
the first day of January. 1892 whenever
and 50 often as the President shall be salts
fed that the government of any country pro-
ducing and exporting sugar. molasses. cof-
fee. tea. and hides. raw and uneurcd. or any
of such articles. imposes duties or other ex-
actions upon the agricultural or other pro-
auctions of the United States. which in view
Of the free Introduction of such sugar. mo-
laSseS, coffee, tea and hides into the United
States may deem to be recproealy unequal
or unreasonable. he shall have the power
and it shall be his duty to suspend, by
proclamation to that effect. the provisions
of this net relating to the free introduction
Of such sugar. molasses. coffee. tea and
hides. the production Of such country. for
such time as he shall deem just. Gle.
Although in effect only short time.
the reciprocity arrangement made under
the Mckinley law demonstrated the
great benefit that reciprocity woIld be-
to onr agricultural interests. Space will
pprmif nf thn t.it n nf 0ply IL,
point: Our production of wheat 50 far
exceeds our. needs, while the expectation
of Russia and Argentine has so rapidly
increased that ii is of the highest i'm
portance to our farmers that our wheat
markets be enlarged The ability al re-
ciprocity 10 do this is shown by our Hour
trade with Cuba. In less than four
years under reciprocity arrangement
this trade increased $50 per cent. while
in the first year after the arrangement
was Terminated it decreased II pcr cent.
All the reciprocity arrangements would
have been of much benefit to our ayri-
cultural interests; aud the Democrats
FASTENED TO terminate them.
Home or Foreign Sugar, which,
Each year we send abroad more than
SlO0.00O.0O0 for sugar. All doubt of our
possessing the soil and climate over n
sufficient area to produce from beet The
sugar we now import. has been removed.
onr natural advantages for the pro,luc-
ton OF beet sugar are such thai, not
withstanding the higher wages paid here.
aid given our beet sugar industry eaUiv-
alent to that which has been given to
their beet sugar industries by France and
Germany by means of bounties, sxenp-
ton of land from taxation, etc, would
undoubtedly rapidly build M our sugar
production The Mckinley law. hy
means OF q bounty. gave TO our beet
sugar industry the encoura cement chat
the history of the industry IN Germany
and France has shown To be wise and
highly advantageous TO the nation.
Under the operation of the Mckinney
law our production of beet sugar rapidly
increased. Here are the figures:
Pounds.
1891. ......-...........-. 12.004 S3S
1872. -..-.'--..- ..-....-.-. 2I.003322
}s93 --.-..--..----- ..-.-..---.. A. S36 527
Had the Mckinley law bounties been
continued. we would in comparatively
few years have produced at home. not
only the four thousand million pounds of
sugar We now consume. but the increa sed
consumption due to our increased popu-
lation. IL is probable that no other
Niece of legislation in our history has
shown greater lack of business sense
and certainly few other legislative en-
agricultural interests greater injury or
subjected the country to greater ultimate
financial loss. To produce four thousand
million pounds of beet sugar would re-
qalfe one million acres Of lard and the