Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-06-16
GOOD FOR FARMERS.
THE TARIFF HAS OPERATED TO
THEIR ADVANTAGE.
In Consequence of the Dingley Law
There Has Eeen an Increase of Con-
sumption and an Advance in Price of
Nearly All Agricultural Products.
Ding1ey Law and the Farmers.


Nearly All Agricultural Products.
Ding1ey Law and the Farmers.
The monthly summary of finance and
commerce to March /, 1898, tells an in
teresting story. The total exports dur
ing the first eight months OF the pres
ent fiscal year from July to March
We're $799, 49,, OBS. The imports for this
period were 1898, 47O, $50, leaving bal
ance OF trade in our favor OF $4U8-36l,-
453. In addition to that, the minis OF
the United States had coined in gold
from July l to April l, $41, S02,065, in
silver $12,672,39S, being total coinage
of $54, 474 AGA. Adding the coinage and
balance of trade in our favor leaves
total increase of monetary wealth OF
$461, 135, 719.
This period includes the last months
operation under the Wilson bill 1t is
we'll known that the importations dur
ing the last month of the Wilson bill
were very large The importattons OF
wool alone during the last month OF the
Wilson bill amounted to $21.4So, 1O9.
Under the first month OF the Dlngley
bill the importations We're $2,S1o,SG9.
Including, however, this last month, 1t
is a splendid showing.
But even this does not show the full
extent of the benefits accruing to the
agricultural interest of the United
States, Comparing this period with the
first eight months OF the Last fiscal
year, the falling off of imports OF arti-
cles Of food, live animals and wool
amounted to $50, 704, $50. These are all
the direct products Of agriculture, and
show that the competition which our
own farmers have had to maintain
I against foreign farmers in our own
| markets has been very much decreased.
But there has also been a decrease in
the importation OF articles in which
| the farming community has an interest
| in the materials consumed. The amount
Of decrease in some of these items is
as follows:
Manufactures of iron and steeL$2, 119, 100
Tin mates 94O,3SS
Wooden gods ......... IL, 1lS,SOo
Cotton goods .1O,Sl9,coo
Lumber and articles manufac-
tured from wood. $500. o,loA,oA9
Wines and distilled spirits. 80. 1,lS9,oe9
But even this is not all. The history
of the United States demonstrates that
when business is active men are EN-.
ployed and receiving fair wages, and
their consuming power increases. Ihey
demand more food products, better and
more clothing and better homes. 1t is
not possible to ascertain directly to
what extent in good times the people OF
| the United States increase their de-
| mand for agricultural products. But
| the report under consideration gives
some indications of this in the increas-
ed importations of such, articles as we
| have not been able to supply from
| home productions.
During these periods under consid-
GRAFTON the importation of coffee in
creased 81 ,5S7, 791 pounds, importation
of furs increased 1901, 603, importations
of jewelry and precious stones increas-
ed from $32,S76 to $3.50, 147, importa-
tons of silk goods increased 1927 ST.,
| importations of raw silk for purposes
of manufacture more than doubled and
the increase amounted to $12.O97, $50,
food denominated under the head Of
luxury increased 81, 1896.
AS an indication of increased activity
in manufactured articles the imDorta-
ton of articles in a crude condition for
domestic industry outside of wool in
creased SIS, 153, 800.
These figures furnish conclusive evil
dence that the farmers Of the United
States during the first eight months of
this fiscal year have had much more
extensive market for all of thei: prod
ucts, and at the same time have been
brought into much less competition
with foreign producers OF like articles.
This shows Immediately why all class
es of agricultural products have in
creased in price as we'll as wheat
The American, published in Philadel-
phia, Populist paper that opposed the
passage Of the Dingley bill. admits that
there has been a marked increase in all
classes of agricultural products, while
but a very s1igAt increase in textiles,
and in iron and steel Or, in other
words the goods purchased by the
farmers have increased in price very
slightly. while there has been a marked
increase in whatever they have to sell.
These are the conditions needed for
agricultural prosperity. Is it wise to
continue them. by continuing the condi-
tons of legislation that have brought
them about. or shall we change and go
| back to the conditions that were
| brought about by the preceding change,
INDUCED in by the American people as
an experiment? How costly that ex-
periment was to the whole country is
beyond accurate computation, and per-
haps will never be even approximately
known. It is estimated that it cost the
farmers Of the United States fully
/ s. Coz. nDA. Coo by reason of diminished