The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-06-19

(Continued from Page One.l
are reaching point where the pro-
duction of wheat will not exceed the
amount necessary for home consump-
tion, and where our protective tariff on
grains ID benetiting us, was very anx-
ious that the wheat duty should be
raised to 80 cents bushel. that the
old barley rates Of duty should be
reinstated, that we should have a
duty on barley malt and upon FAX,
and that the drawback provision as
passed by the house should not be
adopted.
He was right In every one of these
propositions. and In supporting those
propositions for the people OF North
Dakota. was absolutely right. Today
wheat is worth in North Dakota $1.25
a bushel. There is no corner on
wheat now. have been preaching
to the people Of North Dakota that in
less than Ave years, with the present
increase in population and decrease in
wheat acreage, we VIII not be export
ing a bushel of wheat. AS our pro-
duction grows less the production of
the great Canadian northwest grows
greater. We had short crop In 1904
and before that crop was moved. wheat
was worth 2 cents per bushel more on
the American side than on the Can
adian side of the boundary line. AS
soon as we cease raising for export,
which will be in a very short time, we
will need every cent OF tariff asked for
to protect us against that section of
the Canadian northwest which will
soon be the granary of the world"
We have already passed the time
for cheap wheat, and Senator McCum-
Der in his efforts is endeavoring to
prevent the old condition by throwing
down the bars of protection between
North Dakota and Canada.
For Honest Protection.
Senator McCumber here called at
tention to his vote for a protective
tariff Of As per cent on woods, because
the North Dakota sheep raiser needs
that much duty.
Even with that duty we are i'm
porting more than a quarter of the
wool used in the United States" said
he. In my service on the committee
on finance, / have made every pos
sible effort, first TO reduce the duty on
every article so that it will not be
more than honest protection; second,
to battle against continuous efforts to
raise the protective duties above the
present rates. The price of lumber
for the past few years has been out
rageously out of proportion to the cost
of production. have made every
effort to secure free lumber, both on
the floor of the senate and in COM
mittee. Not only have / tried to re-
duce the rate, but it has required
still greater effort to prevent a raise
in the lumber rates above the amount
reported by the house. / have also
worked consistently and persistently
for free coal, for free oil, and practi-
caIly free iron ores"
Indeed, it was through his efforts,
declared his friends that the duty on
iron products has been reduced prob
ably more than so per cent The duty
on nails and barbed wire has been
greatly lowered. The duty on window
glass has been materially reduced and
fence posts have been made free.
Will Be Good Bill.
II believe in free lumber for homes
Of people of North Dakota in free
coal to keep them warm, in free oil
for lighting those homes, and have
assisted in holding down rates of duty
on everything that goes into the build
ing of those homes and adding to their
comfort" said the senator. when
this bill gets through congress-" con-
tinued the sage OF Wahpeton, I'VE will
undoubtedly have a reasonably good
bill. or course, when we change our
duties from an advalorem basis to a
specific basis, we are compelled tc
deal with averages. and therefore, while
the specific may appear high when we
take the lowest priced goods. the av-
Ierage will be found to be fair and
| just
ut is not true that any senator is
prevented from voting just as he
wishes upon any item of any schedule
Though a member of the committee
on finance have fought against a
duty upon the articles mentioned and
will continue to vote against any
duty that / think tCo high
! But he said he will continue to the
best Of his ability to give to the peo-
pie of his state the protection which
he feels they deserve, and will con-
tinue to oppose a high rate of duty
where he feels that such rate is al
injustice to them
"Those who rail against the protec.
tion given the northwestern farmer
close their eyes to conditions that will
prevail in the immediate future" con.
ciuded Senator McCumber.
y