The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-25
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25. 1912
WILSON'S IGNORANCE OF TARIFF

One is to ignore 1t entirely in certain
localities. mother is to condemn pro-
lection in certain other localities. and
another is to assure his hearers that
he doesn't mean to do any harm to
American industries. But Mr.. Wilson
is still a free trader, not so much a
practical free trader as a theoretical
free trader-that is. a free trader who
doesr't Know what he is talking about.
He pretends that the high cost OF
living is due to the tariff, ignorant,
apparently. of the fact that the cost
of living has increased all over the
world. He thinks that the increas-
ing cost of coal is due to the tariff.
but apparently doesn't know that
there has been no duty on anthracite
coal for many years.
He very fatty declares that h
high price of meat is due to the tar
lift. and yet his very statements show
that he is ignorant of the tntire sub
ject. No one has cleared up this mat
ter better than ex-Congressman Will
lam s. Bennett. who calls attention
10 the fact hat in the discussion of
the tariff GovernoS Wilson has shown
All apPdlllils lsiOl dAIS VI OOSA s"S
law and tn. facts. Says Me. Bennett:
II am confirmed in that statement
by the governors speech at the SYRIA
cuse state fair. If Governor Wilson
had taken the trouble to inquire of
any butcher he would have FOUND
there are at least three cuts of beef
in the market-to-wit. grass or alfal-
ia fed, fresh killed range cattle tech
nically known as Texas or Colorado
beef and frozen n beef. The corn
fed beef is the best and most nutri-
tious and most expensive. The low
price beef which is sold in England
and with which the governor COM
pares our corn fed beef is the frozen
range beef from the Argentine. There
is no demand in New York for frozen
beef. II there was 1t could be deliv-
cred to our wholesale markets at this
a pound.
II looked in the live stock quota
tions Of the same newspapers which
reported Governor Wilson'S speech
and found that Texas beef was selling
in New York city at the INT the
governor was speaking at from 9
cents to IL cents a pound. Upon
Washington heights corr fed beef was
selling that day for good cuts at %
cents a pound retail.
1T took the trouble to go down to
a market on Ninth avenue just south
Of Forty-second street and note the
prices that obtained there, I presume.
for Texas beef. In a very clean, at
1 active and busy market beef was
selling at the following prices: Rib
roast. 12 cents; homeless rib roast. 16
cents: sirloin. IS cents. This was all
meat that had been killed inside of
forty-eight hours m brought from
Chicago in refrigerator cars, but not
frozen.
when the governor talks about a
tariff on beef he never refers to the
fact that under the Payne bill, section
2S5, tariff on fresh beef was reduced
from 2 cents a pound to II cents, as
vas also tariff on fresh veal. mutton.
lamb. and pork. The Argentine beef
comes in under section 2S6 at 25 per
cent, which would mean about 1%
cents a pound. Therefore in his state
ment Of facts Governor Wilson omits
to state the reduction in the tariff.
omits to state that he is comparing
the price of corn fed beef in this
country with frozen range beef from
the Argentine and omits to state that
IL o want frozen beef or Texas beef
in New York city you can get 1t to-
day. United States inspected, city In
apected. guaranteed weights, at from
IL to is cents a pound retail.
ut might be fair also to ask Cow
ernor Wilson on his own theory how
he knows that If We took off the tar
1T of IL cents on fresh beef 1t would
reduce the price. when We do know
that the reduction in the tariff from
2 cents to 4 cents has not done any
thing Of the kind.
THE governor says that there are
al many cattle per capita as there
used to be, but neglects I o state that
the average is fully one per cent less
than in former years. while owing to
the increase in u prosperity con-
sumption has shown about twenty
per cent increase. Corr has also been
very high. thus increasing the price
of corn fed beef.
However, it Is not my intention to
enter into a catalogue Of the reasons
for the advancement in price. but to
call attention again to the way In
which Governor Wilson refuses to be
hampered by we'll known facts in his
tariff discussion"