The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-10-01

statute books.
That it did become a law more
promptly than any tariff measure since
Washington has been already ex-
planned in tins correspondence. Cam
vass the history of all administrations
and all taft laws, and you will find
none since the original tariff act
which became law SO promptly after
the inauguration Of a new President.
But the purpose of the opening re-
marks as to the farmer was to cali at
tention to the raid which was made
on him In the closing days of the old
law, and the advantages which he
gained by the promptness of Repub-
lcan legislation which put a stop to
that raid.
The chief ambition of the importers
in the closing months of the Wilson
tariff seems to have been to "gouge"
the farmer out of the last penny pos
sible by rushing in all the farm pro-
duets they could rake and scrape the
world over.
Take the matter of live animals for
instance. The value of the live ami.
mails imported in the month of July,
1897, amounted to 1854, 900, 900,
while in July, 1896, they amount
ed to only S73, 100000.
The cattle imported in July, 1897,
numbered 81, $40, while in July, 1896
they numbered only 3,071. This was
the last chance of the importers to
gouge the farmers by rushing in Mex
lean cattle at the low rates of the
Wilson law, and by undertaking
them, bringing them in almost free of
duty.
The numb of sheep imported in
July, 1897, was 80, 1884, against 4 ,07S
in July of the preceding year.
The importatons of raw cotton
during July, 1897, amounted to 6,
$50, 90S pounds, against ,764, 100 in
July of The preceding year, this be-
ing due doubtless to the expectation
that the duty on cotton which was
placed in the bill by the Senate would
be retained by the Conference Com
mittee.
The duty placed upon hides OF
course stimulated the importation OF
this article dutiug the closing days OF
July, before the new law went init
effect. The total imports of hides,
other than fur skins, during the
month OF July, amounted TO Fl, 434
1872 pounds, against 9,209,96l in the
corresponding month of 1896, The
imports of hides during the entire
seven mouths of the calendar yeal
amounted to $50 55S, 450 pounds
against 7S,302,4ll pounds in the cor
responding months of the preceding
year.
The last shot that the wool lmpol t.
ers and wool producers of forCign
| counties could get at the American
| faln.rr under the free wool clause oil
The " llsOn law was shown in the i'm
ports Of wool during July, 1897, be.
lug ever 23,000,000 pounds, rs
against 5,45S,0 goo pounds in the col
responding month Of last year. Fol
The seven months OF 1897 ending
with July the imports Of WOO
am u ted to SIG, 100000 pounds, a:
against l07, 100000 pounds in the
corresponding months Of the proceed
ing year.
The increase in the duty on vegeta
bic flores, such as flax, hemp, etc
stimulated the dealers in that class o
goods to unusual activity, the july
imports of this class amounting tt
|
81 100000, against 100000 of th,
corresponding month of last year.
The importers neglected no oppor
tunity in that closing month to eithe
put money in their own pockets o
take away from the Dingley law it,
earning capacity during its first few
months. The importation into tn,
United States in the month of July
1897, amounted to S53, 790,407, o
which a very large proportion wa
made up OF articles which could com
in at lower rates under the Wilson
law than under the Diugley law
which they knew would go into oper
alton by the close of that month.
One special feature of the Wilson
law was its effort to bring in free o
duty what is usually termed era,
material" that is, materials in
crude condition for use in manufac
tuing. The July. 1897, importation
of this particular class of articles wa
double that of July, 1896, while il
the seven months ending with July
1897, the increase in free raw materi
al amounted to $4,000, 900, or a
increase of over fifty per cent. for th
entire seven months of the calenda
year 1897