The advocate., 1896-01-01


Milling is closely related to farming,
and is involved in the prosperity and
adversely Of agricultural interests. A
decline in agricultural affairs at once
affects the miller. Whatever is benefit
to the grain-grower inures to the benefit
Of the miller, and 0ice CerSd.
The great financial depression which
has hung like a deathly pail over the
country, and which still envelops the
nation and threatens the ruin Of all
legitimate industries, has seriously and
unfavorsbly affected the milling indus
try, and especially in Kansas, 80 that the
increase in the number of mills during
the past ten. years has been but 10 per
cent, or about 3 mills per annum. Not
but that more mills have been built and
are being built, but many have been
abandoned or have been consumed by
fire.
Much has been written in the milling
journals and in the general newspapers
concerning the remedy for the prevailing
depression. Foreign markets have been
sought, and we have complained because
foreign governments have imposed heavy
duties upon -four. This has been partic-
ularly noticeable during the past few
years In which Belgium, Sweden and
Denmark have imposed duties where
none existed before, while France, Italy,
Switzerland and Germany have increased
already existing duties on flour. Even
England, which imports enormous qusn-
titles Of flour,.is agitating (or rather the
millers Of England are) for a duty on
-four. We cannot consistently blame
these countries for the policy they pur-
sue, seeing that we are unwilling tC
admit foreign goods into our markets
without the imposition of duty.
That the people Of our country, which
is rich in the production OF foods ano
other necessaries Of life, and which in the
very nature OF the case must for decades
to come be the great stOrehouse and
granary Of the world, furnishing the
staples of life-hour, corn, cotton, meats
iron, textiles-should deliberately shut
themselves out from the worlds mar
kets, from the hundreds Of millions O
consumers, in order to protect a few
favored industries (tin plate, for in
stance), only shows how easy it ls t.
STOOL the people" by political methods.
If we must protect the iron and clott
interests, then let us at least also protec
the grain.raiser and the miller, either b.
giving 'bounty" on all exports Of fou
or else by making business-like ar
rangement with other nations for tht
admission Of our -four into their mar
kets. Reciprocity, il such term can b.
applied to any sort OF tariff arrange
ment, should take the place OF the indis
criminate destruction OF our foreign fou
trade,
The Western miller also shares will
the Western farmer the burden OF higl
transportation charges. There has beel
a general decline in railroad rates durinl
the past ten years, but they are still en-
tirely too high in comparison with> tn
decline OF other articles, as we'll as il
comparison with the rates obtainable b
mills located on the great lakes or on tn
Mississippi river. The interior OF on
country, including that vast stretch @
fertile land lying west Of the Alleghen
mountains, and away some distance fror
the lakes and the Mississippi river. com
prising the richest portion of the Unite
States, can never hope to be prosperou
as long as the public highways are owne
by private corporations, and charges 70
transportation must yield not only cos
of building, maintenance and operatio
Of the railroads, but annual princely FOL
tunes to the owners Of our public high
ways.
Great mechanical improvements hsv
been made in the art Of milling durin
the past two decades. The inventiv
genius Of man has been active in thi
field. and the modern mill cleans, re