Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-04


Effect Of Low Tariff.
New York correspondence: "t
The effect OF low tariff rates upon the
farmers Of the United States Is Illus
trated In the Increase In the importa-
tlons of five leading articles OF fnrm
products from Canada under the Will
son law, as compared with the McKin-
ley law. Official figures of the Treas
ury Department, showing the importa-
tions of hay, cattle, meat and dairy
products, tobacco and wool during the
fiscal year 1895 and 1896, compared
with those of 1893 and 1894, will give
something of an idea of the desirability
of free trade or low tariff as against
adequate protection, viewed from
farmers standpoint. The Wilson law
operated during ten months OF the fis-
cal year 1895 and all Of the fiscal year
1896. The Mckinley law operated dur
ing all Of the fiscal year 1893 and 1894
and two months Of the fiscal year 1896,
having gone into effect Sept. 1, 1893;
the fiscal year." 1t will be understood,
begins July and ends June 80. of each
year. 'gi 2 a5I IA :
The. Mckinley tariff law placed a
duty of "a per ton on hay, while the
Wilson law reduced the duty to 81 per
ton. Now see the result. ImportatiOns
of hay under the Mckinley law from
Quebec, Ontario, ETC., amounted to
$943, $50 In value in the fiscal year
1893, and $159, 266 in 1894. In the fiscal
year 1895, ten months Of which were
under the Wilson law, with half the rate
Of duty fixed by the Mckinley law, the
importations of hay amounted to ST.
400, 263, being practically double those
of 1894 under the Mckinley law. In
lie fiscal year 1896, all of which was
under the Wilson law, the impOrtations
of hay amounted to $2,646,234 in value.
or practically four times what they
were under the Mckinley law. The
average importations of hay from the
provinces of Canada, above named,
during the four years of the Mckinley
law amounted to, in round numbers.
| 100000 per annum, while during tue
years Of the Wilson law they amount
ed to over $2,OO0,0OO per annum, in
round numbers.
Here are the figures in tabular form:
Importations of hay
| 1888 CMcKinley law. .$943,669
| 1894 mckinley law. ........ 1o9,266
| 1895 (Wilson law. l.4U3,Zo3
| 1896 Wilson law). .......... 2,O40,Z5f
In the matter of cattle of the dutiab.c
class the increase is quite striking as
| to Canada and much more so as to Mex
leo. The rate of duty on cattle under
the Mckinley law was $40 per head o.:
animals of the dutable class above !
year old, while under the Wilson law
| the rate Of duty was fixed at 20 per
| cent. al valorem. making it practicable
| for the importers to attach very low
| nominal valuation to the cattle import
ed to get them in at very low dury.
| The importations from the provinces
| above named were in 1895, under the
Mckinley law, in value $6,641, in 1891
| 81. 1867, in 1895. under the Wilson law.
S13S15. and in 1896, $12,7S4. In tabular
form as follows dutiable cattle i'm
ported:
| Dutable cattle imported
| 1893 (McKinley law. ........... .$6,641
1894 (McKinley law). ............ 1857
1895 Wilson law. 1888
| 1906 Wilson law). .......... l2,ISl
| The importations OF meat and dairy
| products increased also in remark
able degree under the low rates OF the
Wilson law. Mckinley law rates on
| bacon and hams were cents Pc.
| pound, on meats dressed or undressed
10 per cent. on prepared or preserved
| meats % per cent, on fresh beef. NUT
ton or pork cents per pound. on I've
poultry cents per pound. The Wilson
law rates were, on most Of these arti
| cles. 20. per cent al valorem, enabling
the importers, by fixing low nominal
price, TO get low tariff rate. On lard
the rate was reduced from . cents pei
pound to ] cent per pound. on live poul
| try from cents to 3 cents per pound
On butter and cheese the Mckinley rat'
was q cents per pound: under the VIII
son law cents per pound. On pre-
served and condensed milk the rat,
under the Mckinley law was 3 cen.s
per pound, and that OF the wilson law
cents per pound. On sugar o. MIN
the, Mckinley law rates were cent?
per pound; those or the Wuseh Id"
were 5 cents per pound. Now soc th'
result. Under the Mckinney law tn'
importntions or meat ana oairy proc
ucts in 1893 from the Canadian prov