The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-06-26
TARIFF DUTIES AND THOSE OF
THE EDITOR
Continued from Page Four


around to protection, and with the
rest of the North has remained so
pretty much all of the time to the
present day. OF late years, there has
been mixing of sectional lines on the
tariff, and yet it is fairly correct to
say that the North tends to protection
and the South to free trade The well
understood reason for this is the ear
lier and more complete development
of manufactures in the northern
states.
While it simplifies matters to know
that the views of the opposing factions
have changed very little for hundred
years, and to understand the geo
graphical cleavage, which has also re-
manned about the same in all this
period, the real question, whether or
not protection is the best permanent
policy for this country, is exceeding
ly complex
The Underwood bill justly claims to
be low tariff measure 1t is nearer
a free trade measure than any of us
now living know anything about.
What will happen should it become
the law of the land? To bring it
right home to Somerset county, what
will potatoes sell for next October if
we then have the Underwood bill,
which removes the existing duty of
% cents bushel? 1t might be ans
wered that potatoes now sell for 40
cents a bushel from the field at har-
vest time, and that rs cents from 40
cents leaves Is cents. This is a pre-
posterous conclusion, however, and a
very little thought will show its err
ror. There is no place on the face
of the earth, no matter how cheap
land, labor and material may be, that
can grow potatoes and send them
to compete with the Maine crops at 10
cents bushel.
1t is claimed that Germany can
land them on the piers at Boston for
% cents. but this is hardly to be be-
lieved, as under the present tariff of
% cents, they have not come in from
abroad until the price got to be so
cents or more. This is evidence
enough that the Germans cannot raise
them and send them here for less thar
30 cents, for if they could, they woGld
have sent them along all the time
when our price got to 70 cents, would
have sent them any time in fact, when
they could pay the duty of % cents
and still have half a dollar remaining
from the price received at Boston
or any other American port.
1t would seem then, that until po
tatoes get to 30 cents in Boston, the
removal of the tariff duty will not af
feet us. That being the case, if we
can deduct the freight TO Boston
which is u cents and about 212 cents
for commission, we shall find that for
potatoes get to 40 cents or more in
Skowhegan, providing the foreigner
has no tariff to pay. Even if he is
given the whole of that so cents. it is
readily seen that he must be a skillful
farmer and keen business man to find
the part of the half dollar that repre-
sents profit after he has raised them,
paid transportation across the water
to Boston market, and paid the sell
ing cost.
Now we Somerset county farmers
know that we can raise potatoes and
deliver them on the cars from the
fields for 40 cents, and taking the
average of years, that will leave us
just five cents profit. If we could be
guaranteed 40 cents every year, the
business would be more attractive
than government bonds, for it would
pay 12h per cent on the volume OF
business done, and the most of the
capital required to handle it would
be free for other enterprises for about
half of the year. The trouble is, that
there are years when the price goes
way below 40 cents, even as low as
20 cents, and we know we must have
some times when they will net Al and
80 cents and above to make up for
thaaa off "A wp have reason
ed, that under tariff free conditions,
foreign supply would keep them from
getting above 40 cents the potato out
look is not very charming under the
Underwood bill.
Those who have read thus far on
this dull and dry, but very import
ant subject, will stand little more.
There is one hope left. 1t is claimed,
probably not without reason, that the
Underwood bill will reduce the cost
OF living and the cost of doing bust
ness. If it is the cost of labor alone
that is reduced, the potato farmer
would get very little consolation, for
il Is his own labor chiefly, that goes
into his potato crop. However, If
he can buy commercial fertilizer, ar
senate of lead, plows, harrows, har-
nesses and horses, for say % per cent
less than under the present tariff law,
he will keep right on laying 20 acre
fields. rows three feet apart, with hills