The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-10-31

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
sto sso 42oo9, 0a9 sheep, valued at 800,
64O,360; in 1893 there were 47,273.5 53
sheep, valued at $125, 900, 264; in 1896
there are 3S, POS, 1888 sheep, valued at
$65, 161, 1876. Under the Mckinley law
the value Of our sheep increased $35, $685.
S9o; the Wilson law has taken from the
value Of our sheep $50, TAI $50. or very
nearly one-half. Under the Wilson law
the importa ton of wool has doubled and
the price of the domestic product has
been halved. 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 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 its last
meeting:
Resolved, that the Farmers National con-
gress has listened with profound interest to
Francisco Javier Yanes 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 favors
legislation for reciprocity, commercial treat
answer all the purposes OF such trade
The benefits to our agriculture from
fair reciprocal arrangements were so ap.
parent that the resolutions We're adopted
by practically unanimous vote. though
in the congress were delegates of all
shades of political belief. The peculiar
relation OF reciprocity to agriculture APP
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 so 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 incurred or any
OF such articles imposes duties or other ex-
actions upon the agricultural or other pro-
ductions 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 reclprocally unequal
or unreasonable, he shall have the power
and 1t shall be his duty to suspend, by
proclamation TO that effect. the provisions
of this act relating to the free Introduction
of such sugar, molasses, coffee. tea and
hides the production Qf such country, for
such time as he shall deem just, etc.
Although in effect only short time,
the reciprocity arrangement made under
the Mckinley law demonstrated the
great benefit that reciprocity would be
to our agricultural interests. Space will
permit of the citation of only one case in
point. Our production of wheat 50 far
exceeds our needs, while the exploration
of Russia and Argentine has so rapidly
increased that it is of the highest i'm
portance to our farmers that our wheat
markets be enlarged. The ability OF re-
ciprocity to do this is shown by our Hour
trade with Cuba. In less than four
years under a reciprocity arrangement
this trade increased $50 per cent. while
in the first year after the arrangement
was terminated it decreased ~ per cent.
All the reciprocity arrangements would
have been of much benefit to our agri-
cultural interests: and the Democrats
FASTENED to terminate them.
Home or Foreign Sugar, which?
Each year we send abroad more than
500, 100000 for sugar. All doubt of our
nosscssing the soil and climate over n
sufficient area to produce from beet the
sugar we now import, has been removed.
Our natural advantages for the produc-
ton of beet sugar are such that, not
withstanding the higher wages paid here,
aid given our beet sugar industry equiv
alent to that which has been given to
their beet sugar industries by France and
Germany by means of bounties, cxemp-
ton of land from taxation, etc. would
undoubtedly rapidly build up our sugar
production. The Mckinley law, by
means of bounty, gave to our beet
sugar industry the encouragement that
the history of the industry in Germany
and France has shown to be wise and
highly advantageous to the milton.
Under the operation of the Mckinley
law orr production of beet sugar rapidly
increased. Here are the figures:
1892. ..................... 2IOO3,3Z2
1893, ................. 94.6J0,oZI
Had the Mckinley law bounties been
continued. we would ina comparatively
few years have produced at home, not
only the four thousand million pounds of
sugar we now consume, but the increased
consumption due to our increased popu-
iation. II Is probable that no other
niece of legislation in our history has
shown a greater lack of business sense
than the repeal of the sugar bounties,
and certainly few other legislative en-
actments in our history have done our
| agricultural interests a greater injury or
subjected the country to greater ultimate
| financial loss. To produce four thousand