The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-16
MAY TAX OUR WHEAT
GRAIN MEN THINK ENGLAND VERY
LIK ELY TO DO
THIS
MINNESOTA WOULD SUFFER
A. ID. Thompson, of Duluth, Believes
America Should Remove Tar
if on Wheat-It Would
Lower Rates.

Grain men Of Duluth consider that there
Is a very fair prospect that England will
Impose a tariff on wheat shipped into that
country from all points other than the
British colonies A. D. Thompson, of the
Duluth Board of Trade, speaking of the
subject yesterday, said:
81 have heard from various sources that
the English house of commons is very
likely to be asked to consider the mat
ter of imposing tariff on wheat import
ed into that country from all points out
side of British territory. The report is
that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach cOntem-
plates offering the measure. That such
p step is under consideration is con-
1rmed by letters received from European
grain firms. In these letters the opinion
Is expressed that the measure will pass,
or at least that the chances of its pass
age, from present indications, appear IA
VOrable
The proposed tariff is reported to be
about shilling quarter on wheat and
buy wheat over there by the quarter ton,
and that would make the tariff about
eents bushel. Of course the effect would
be detrimental to the United States, and
would further emphasize the present dis
advantage under which Minnesota and
the Dakotas labor with rapidly growing
Canadian surplus. The English duty on
wheat would of course not apply to the
Canadian product"
Mr. Thompson is a strong advocate of
the removal Of the United States tariff
On wheat. He said:
North America has got about O,OOO,-
poe bushels of wheat, and wheat as flour,
Tor export each year, and Europe fixes
the price. This includes our own and
the Canadian surplus. The admission of
the Canadian wheat into United States
territory Tree OF duty Will not add one
bUshel to our surplus nor detract one
buShel from theirs. 1t all ultimately goes
to Europe to be consumed By removing
the wheat tariff wall, which is of our
own construction, we could establish
tendency to enlarge the tonnage of
western roads in the United States, and
this would produce, in the natural course
of events, a tendency to lower carrying
rates already in force. The tendency of
attracting a large and growing volume
of wheat in this direction would be also
toward new railroad construction. The
coming problem here, and in all the ter
ritOry west and north of Chicago, is:
can we attain IN full measure the geo.
graphical and financial position we are
entitled to in the entire Northwest. If
anything is ever accomplished in the di-
recton of removing the tariff on wheat
from Canada, I imagine it will be done
along reciprocal lines. To remove the
tariff would have no i'll effect on the
farmers of the United States, but it
would not be easy to convince them of
1t. Time will be required to achieve that
end. The benefits would be great for the
transportation lines and business general
ly, and there would be no detrimental eff
fectS as far as l can see.
"Of course there is the argument that
If we once let down the tariff bars it
will cali IN the whole tariff train The
taking away of one conspicuous stone
in the foundation may weaken the whole
structure, in .ne estimation Of many,
although this particular stone is not es-
sential. To admit Canadian wheat free
of duty would be a great thing for Du-
luth, Minneapolis and st. Paul. 1 pre-
8ume that in case England imposes a
duty on wheat and the Canadian product
could be admitted to United States ter
ritory free of duty, 1t would be received
in England free of duty, providing Its
integrity as Canadian wheat was main
tained."