Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-28
The Bill Unlikely to Pass Before
Names Approval or Disapproval
Of the Schedules Which Are Now
Under Discussion in Congress.
Hon. E. C. Plummef al NoTidgewock Afouses Hope
And a New Determination Important Point.

NorridgeWock, Me, Aug. 2f.-tSpe-
ciaD. Col. e. c. Plummer OF Bath In
an emphatic speech here, tonight,
touched hitherto untheught of string
in the Republican campaign for John
a. Peters.
He declared that the result of
Names election, on Sept. 8, would work
n strong influence on the Democratic
tariff hill now before Congress. Despite
the fact generally accepted by both
parties. the election would exercise no
Influence, Col Plurnmer asserted a
Democratic victory would register
Maines approval and Republican vic
tory would register a rebuke that viii
be felt all over the nation.
A large crowd listened to his re-
marks and were intensely Interested.
Col. PIummer.
In part Col Plummer said 1t is of
the highest importance that Repub-
iican should be elected at this time
because that south born tariff bill,
which strikes the north. and particu-
eripplng force is not yet law--it must
escape from the Senate where 1t has
but one vote ma jority and then pass a
committee of conference of the two
Houses of Congress. If this election
shows those politicians that the voters
Of the north can forget personalities
and nartisanship, and dare stamp their
disapproyal upon this measure, 1t is q
certainty that it will be modified and
those free trade provisions which mean
loss to the farms and factories of
Maine be. changed.
If it is necessary to remove the tariff
from our farm products, it must be
because our Maine farmers are charg-
ing too much for their crops. There
fore the avowed purpose of this tariff
bill is to make the Maine farmer sell
at lower prices. If it won't do that it
don't accomplish what it aims at. Do
farmers want that change?
New Brunswick has fourteen million
acres of good farming land butting
right against Maine. Those farms are
neglected now because there is no
market for their crops. They can
produce just as good potatoes as
ATOOStoOk, anu are nearer tiueWdlei
than Aroostook. Since farm help is
much cheaper in New Brunswick than
in Maine, and those Nova Scotia
schooners can carry cargo cheaper
than American vessels can, what
chance has Maine in the Boston or
New York market against Canadian
potatoes. So of other crops. What
surplus on the market means was
shown but a few years ago, but 1t
pessed away. With Canada free to sup
ply our markets there would be sur
plus, so far as Maine farmers are con-
cerned, all the time. AS the crops OF
the great farming area of the West
deprived the Eastern farmer of profits
for all those years while the population
was catching up with the volume of
farm crops, so this great farming area
of Canada, which this bill admits to
our markets, will repeat that period
of depression.
Remember that the ayowed purpose
of this bill is to reduce the cost of liv-
ing-the duty of 25 cents per bushel
Is removed from potatoes because the
bin wants cheaper potatoes, and the
farmer is the loser.
Now as to the factory operative who
is promised cheaper potatoes and
cheaper things generally. The Demo-
cratic report in favor of this bill de-
elares that it will increase imports