Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-25

The above official figures show that
whereas of our exports oyer one-half are of
agricultural prodHcts of our imports those
of agriculture form less than one-seventh,
because with wool we have included the
manufactured product with raw wool.
These figures seem to dispose of Mr.
Browns statement as to the volume OF
agricultural imports.
Now, briefly, as to TIE humbug of Pro-
lection to farmers. Farming is not an
infant industry" because it was the origi
nal pursuit of our forefathers, hence cannot
ask fostering care on that account To-day
nearly one-half our people are engaged in
agricultural pursuits. The imports of agri-
cultural products, as to seeds and animals,
are largely far transplanting and breeding
purposes, and taken as a whole they can
not enter into competition to any apprici-
able extent, while our exports of agricul-
tural products form the bulk of our foreign
trade
1t our farmers could form an organiza-
tion, as do the manufacturers, and after as
certaining the exact quantity of wheat corn,
beet, pork, etc., necessary to supply the
home market" then regulate the produc-
ton to just that amount, as the manufac-
turers Co. and their products were not
perishable, then would tariff enable them
to exact from American consumers arbitrary
prices and supply the foreigner at the
worlds prices, as the manufacturers and
trusts do.
from the Oswego, N Y. Palladium, paper
of high character with which we have been
acquainted since our earliest recollections
On the subject of prices of farm products in
our nearest foreign counties it said last
Saturday.
"A well known farmer from Oswego
county had occasion recently to visit
Montreal, Canada, and while there visited
the great markets, for which that town is
famous and took the wholesale sprices of
agricultural products-that is. the price
actually paid to the farmer. Some of the
prices are here given and farmers on this
side of the boarder are invited to compare
them with prices paid here and see how
much they have to fear for Canadian COM
petition. The prices quoted are verified
by the market reports of The Montreal
Herald.
Good native beef-Canadian price Sc SO
per cwt. American price-No market at
ali; native beef driven ont by the big
meat trust at Chicago.
Pork Canadian price Sc 90 to Sc rs.
American price -[Oswego (Rep.) Times
market reports] 81 90 to $3.50
Mutton-Canadian price, $500 to So 90. |
American price same authority S. 90 to
Sc 90.
Potatoes Canadian price 35 cents per
bushel. American price 20 to 80 cents.
Cabbage Canadian price, ST per barrel
of Is heads. American price, 50 to So per
hundred heads.
Onions = Canadian price. rs cents per
bushel. American price, 81
ADples-Canadian price, 81 to 81 so per
barrel. American price, rs to 30 cents per
bushel
Butter price, Is to II cents
American price, Is cents.
Eggs-Canadian price, % cents per doz
American price, II cents.
The prices quoted here as American
prices are Oswego prices In every
instance but one the prices quoted are lower
here than in Canada. Under such circum-
stances are our markets likely to be flooded
with cheap Canada products? Is there
need of high tariff wall to protect the
farmer on this eide-a wall that is bar to
reciprosity of any sort and positive injury
to the commercial interests of both coun.
tries? And yet the Dingley Committee
down at Washington are getting ready to
repeat the Mckinley protection farce for
the benefit of the great American farmer
and to jolly him into the belief that he is
to be benefited by high tariff But many
farmers have learned by bitter experience
during these years of tomfooIery with the
tariff, that the few cents which might come
their way in years of great scarcity, is offset
q hundred-fold by the never ending and
continual tribute that is exacted from him
to fill the Golfers of the trusts and the infant
industries"
The humbug of the tariff as applied to
agriculture must be apparent to every
person who strips the question of its polit-
zeal connections, and looks it squarely in
the face. Occasionally. in years of scarcity,
q drop may come his way while he remains
the constant prey of the combined trusts
who regulate the volume, and prices of
all they consume.
When will they study it in this way