The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-05-08

Kinley, chairman of the committee, to as
sist In this work. and / tried to make II
afford protection to agriculture. We Sc
cured about all we asked for, except a
duty upon hides. We felt that as a mat
ter of justice and right people who raise
cattle are entitled to protection on hides
as well as those who manufacture leather
and shoes have a right to protection on
their products. The farmers unquestion-
ably reaped considerable benefit from the
Mckinley law. although the apparent re-
versal Of the verdict of the people in 1880
and 1892 prevented them from realizing
the full advantages which they would
have otherwise reaped under the measure.
Farming industries. as everybody knows,
have been greatly depressed during the
past few years, and many of us attribute
this largely to the discrimination against
agriculture. in the present Wilson tariff
measure. which placed wool upon the free
list and reduced the duty upon agricul-
tural products.
1--WE received great advantages. we
think. from the reciprocity feature of the
Mckinley law, which has the endorse
ment of nearly every farmer in this coun-
try. and we were very sorry that the
treaties were not carried out by the last
administration. We are very glad to see
that the main features of the Mckinley
law as related to protection to agriculture
are found in the Dingley bill There has
been some Improvement, we think. in the
wool schedule. and we are sure that the
prompt passage of this measure will af-
ford some relief which will be very crate
full to the farmers. They will be very
much opposed to unnecessary delay in its
passage. as they want relief, and want it
now. They will have little patience with
any long drawn out action and delay on
the part of Congress in putting this meas
ure on the statute books. They want 1t
to become law. The farmers are de-
pendent largely upon home consumers for
the disposal of their products. The pro-
ducH sent abroad are brought into compe-
tition with the cheapest labor and land in
the world. and sometimes there is no profit
left for the farmer after charges are paid
For their other products, however, not
shipped abroad there Is a great advan-
tage to the farmer in having a good sub
stantial home market. The opening of
factories and mines and giving employ
ment to the vast army of laborers in this
country at good wages will largely in
crease the consumption of those products
not considered staple products. such as
vegetables, fruits. ETC., and will be of very
great benefit to the farming class. These
laboring classes are liberal buyers when
they have the money and never haggle
over prices, so that we will get, IL this bill
opens factories and mines and gives the
employment expected. great benefits in
this somewhat indirect manner.
1T is not to be expected. however, that
the benefits will be directly and immedi-
ately felt to the extent that they will later.
The bonded warehouses of the great cities
are at this time crowded to OVERLOOKING
with millions Of dollars worth of impor-
tations which have been rushed in under
the present law in order to escape the
higher duty anticipated by the Dingley
bill. 1t will take some time for the peo.
pie to absorb this vast overstock of cloth.
ing, and in the meantime but small de-
mand will be made upon manufacturers
In this country. nor will the customs re-
ceipts show their legitimate strength"
]. III. BRIGHAM,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.