Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-04-30
III ~
(PEH7N pfazzElscENEs
~MMsEsN%
NAT1oNys:

of the United States mounts
to about ffty-fivc billion dollars, the
exempt to six billions. Railroads and
their equipment, including street rail-
ways, add to our wealth nearly u
teen billions more, and nearly another
billion and a half comes from telegraph
and telephone systems, adding canals
INC shipping. There IS half a 6ili1on
under the head of electric lights and
power stations. Live stock counts up
four billions more. and all sorts of
agricultural products, with farm ma
chinery, give us W and a half bill
lions. Manufactured products, added
to manufacturing machinery. amounts
to wei ten billions. Gold and silver
coin and bullion add another two bill
lions clothing, two and a half billions;
and furniture, with carriages, and thai
sort Of property. sum up nearly SIN Dll-
lions more. These, with other smaller
items, give us a total of one hundred
and seven billions, to be compared with
seven billions il 1850, and about TWEEN
ey-tive billions at the close OF the Civil
War. 1t would not be altogether
pleasant to add to this magnificent
showing, If we must, that ~millionaires
own nearly the whole of it. Mr.. Pow
ers. who reports for the census bureau,
says there is no reason for believing
that this is true. He begins at the
other end of the reckoning and shows
that the common people have an enor-
nous holding in farm lands and other
homesteads, in bank deposits, and In
other forms Of real and personal prop
erty. We hope that the next census
will make this point decidedly more
definite.
In a speech on tariff, delivered in
the House, Representative G. r. Davis
Of Minnesota denounced the lumber
multimillionaires of his State as well
as the methods by which the North
west had been denuded of its tremen-
dous timber resources. I'm the fifty
Years that l have been . resident of
Minnesota" said Mr.. Davis, Il have
seen one of the grandest forests Of pine
and other valuable woods disappear. l
have seen that forest %squandered reck-
itSSiS, SNSi Du'>AaSSN D|
that was almost for the asking aIu
then the timber demolished and moth
ing left in it's place. The only valu-
able timber of n magnitude now left
is in the extreme Northwestern States,
save and except some in the more
Southern States. Eight years ago Min
neapoliS was the lumber center Of this
continent, and today about the only
thing left from that immense forest Is
q large number of multimillionaires."
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In q conference the Democratic SSn-
ators decided to vote as a unit for an
amendment to the tariff bill imposing
a tax Of 3 per cent on incomes of 3d.
600 a year and over and an amend
ment to this effect was prepared by
Senator Bailey. He estimated that 1t
would produce 800, OoO,OO a year rev
enue. Senator Daniel wanted the con-
ference to favor his proposition to tax
the gross earnings Of corporations, but
the matter was not acted upon. On
motion Of Senator McLaurin it was de-
cided to favor in general lower duties
on the necessaries and make b needed
increases on the luxuries. They went
on record as against any tariff policy
SO deficient in revenue-producing ca.
pacity as to require a bond issue.
Tobacco users of the country have
been paying wal prices for their weet
ever since 1902, and without anybody
but the manufacturers Of tobacco being
any the wiser. The manufacturers II
is estimated, hav profited something
like $40 900 by the mistake" The
trouble was caused by the fact that the
size of the packages, which were re
duced from 2, 8 and 4-ounce sizes t.
1913, 2E and 31-3-ounce sizes, was
never changed. Representative Dawson
Of Iowa has discovered this mistake
and has introduced a bill to correct it
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ReasseSsments of duties amounting
to a total increase of $1,230,OOO or
sugar imported by the American Suga,
Refining Company at the refinery OF
Havemeyer & Elder, between December
1901, and November, 1907, have beer
ordered by Collector Loeb of the por'
of New York. The imposition Of tho
increased assessment is n result of the
trial Of the case Of the government
against the American Sugar Refining
Company, which was recently tried, II
which the government was awarded
$134,OOO.
Wyoming wants an additional 1000,
900 acres of arid lands granted to /
under the provisions Of the Carey act
and Senator Warren Of that State ha'
introduced a joint resolution under tn
terms of which the United State
would make the grant.
Western Senators are preparing t.
fight the drawback provisions in tht
Payne tariff bill. DOlliver Of low;
claims that under these provision
packers are given free trade in cattle
and Northwestern Senators claim tina
they allow the free Importation q
wheat from canada for export. TIL
House adopted an amendment requir
ing imported grain to be milled within
twelve months.
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