The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-05-20

hinley, chairman of the committee to as
slst In this work. and | tried to make it
afford protection to agriculture. We Sc
cured about all we asked for, except
duty upon hides. We felt that as 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 1890
ana 1877 prevented them from realizing
the full advantages which they would
nave otherwise reaped under the measure.
Farming industries. as everybody knows,
nave 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 it's
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 it
to become law. The farmers are de-
pendent largely upon home consumers for
the disposal of their products. The pro-
duets 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 haggIe
over prices. so that we will get if 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 mpor-
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"
]. H. BRIGHAM,
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.