The leader., 1905-10-28

increase IN exports, however, mas DeeQ
far greater as we have, one after an
other, captured foreign markets. In
1870 we exported only a million dol
lars worth of foreign implements; in
1900 we were at the S16,000,000 mark,
and the high water mark was reached
in 1904 with $22 100000, or over one
fifth of the product.
Much Work Ahead.
The Niagara meeting, however,
brought forth the fact that there are
many fields as yet unconquered by our
implement makers. In sharp contrast
with the brilliant success achieved by
American harvesting machinery in Rus
sia, American plows are practically un-
known in that vast agricultural coun-
try. The plows used are mostly Ger
man or Of local make, while the Amer
lean types of light, strong plows, cap
able of doing almost twice the work
Of the Russian plows, and which have
swept everything before them in South
Africa and Australia, have thus far,
for some reason, failed to gain an en-
try into Russia.
American Manufac turers Foremost.
1t seems that the American imple-
ment makers are progressive set and
the secret of their phenomenal sue
cess las been in their good organiza-
ton and the close study they have
made of the wants of the foreign peo-
pies. The American manufacturer has
made a study of conditions and has
thus beaten the Britisher with his
take it or leave it. and the German
plan of making an exact imitation of
the native or local implement.
The National Association of Agri-
cultural Implement and Vehicle Manu-
facturers is an influential body and it's
annual meetings are participated in by
some of the heaviest manufacturers in
the world 1t takes up, in addition to
its regular business, the various broad
questions of the day as they may have
some direct or indirect bearing upon
the prosperity of their industries.
Among other questions discussed at the
recent meeting were the ten-hour la
Dor day, certain phases of the tariff,
the parcel post question, ship subsidy,
the railroad rate question and the re-
peal of the land laws The principal
discussion, as noted by the daily re-
ports, centered around the railroad
rate and land law questions and parcel
post, although there was, of course, no
dissention to the view that everything
possible should be done to expand for
eign trade.
Questions Of Legislation.
Judge Grosscup of Chicago, who re-
Gently attained, fame in his beef trust
decision, auuressed the association
upon the evils which he id would re-
suit in case the Interstate Commerce
Commission was vested with power to
act as both prosecutor and court, as
they would IL they were given power
to fix railroad rates. He took strong
ground against all rebates and discrim-
nations and declared that it would be
wise to replace the present machinery
by a government bureau empowered to
investigate all complaints, with court
Of transportation to adjudge the va
rious points raised.
Resolutions were adopted embodying
this idea.
The association also indorsed the re-
port Of President Roosevelt's Public
Land Commission, advising the repeal
/ of the Timber and Stone Act and
changes In the Desert Land Act. and
the Communication Clause of the Home.
stead Act to prevent land frauds. The
interest Of the association IN this mat
tier and in the government irrigation
work is active, since irrigation and
home building on millions Of acres Of
Western lands will furnish en- unpar-
alleled market,
The proposed parcel post legislation
came in for scoring as being inimical
| to Independents manufacture and de-
lstroyer Of the thousands Of retail and
leven wholesale dealers throughout the
country with whom the farmers dc
business directly and tending to fur
ther concentrate manufactures In few
great centers, and create monopolies.