Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-04-18
CITY DWELLERs' TARIFF
Democrats Hit Farmers in IRE
ducing Cost of Living"
By W. W. Jermane in Minneapolis

~---~---~~ Il
Journal.
Washington April 11.-In their
tariff bill the democrats, unable to
please both the laboring masses in the
great urban centers and the people |
in the agricultural communities with
their policy of downward revision,
have chosen to please the former. The
bill indicates at every important point
the desire of the party managers to
show that the tariff is responsible fl 7s
the high cust of living, and it is quite
natural that, this being the case, that
food duties should be those hardest
hit.
The Baltimore platform held the
republican tariff responsible for the
increase cost of living, and pledged
the democrats. in case of success, to
decreased, that cost by "material re-
ductions" of duties on the necessaries
of life. 1t thus happens that the
pending tariff bill provides for free
lumber, boots and shoes, raw wool.
agricultural implements. cotton bag
ging and ties, meats, fish, breadstuffs.
flour and lard. hogs. dairy products,
potatoes, and numerous other articles
of household use. There are also
sweeping reductions in the duties on
vegetables, citrus fruits, poultry,
eggs, grains. hay, cattle and fruits.
LITTLE OPPOSITION IN HOUSE.
There has been more or less opposi.
tion to this method of reduction on
the part of certain representatives
from the rural communities, but on
the whole the bill will be supported
Loyalty by house democrats and be put
through that body without serious
delay or opposition.
The agricultural schedule of the ex-
cisting tariff law is of republican ori.
gin, and every republican policy, saw
ing only Canadian reciprocity. was
designed to uphold it. That schedule
had its origin in the Mckinley law of
1890, and now that so radical de-
parture from it has been adopted by
the democrats. it may be of interest
to quote from american Tariff Coz
troversies, I" by Edward stanwood. as
to it's origin:
The Mckinley bill was the first
tariff act to contain complete sche-
dnle of protective duties upon the pro-
ducts of agriculture-a policy recon-
mended by the president in his annual
message. More than once the repub-
lican members from the farming re-
gions of the west were somewhat less
than lukeWarm on certain concessions
in support of the protective policy.
The committee on ways and means
undertook to strengthen the system
and to take away the reproacfl that
manufacturers were favored at the ex-
pense of the farmers by giving to the
agriculture of the country complete
and adequate protection against foreign
competition. Moreover, strong ar.
gument could be made for the neces-
sity.
Large importations from Canada
of barley. beans, hay. eggs, anc
animals; of potatoes from Scotland Of
tobacco from the Netherlands. and {
total importation of agricultural pro
ducts to the value of $256. 900, OO(
in 1889; all these things seemed tt
indicate that American farmers were
subjected to foreign competition
which, if it had occurred in manu-
featuring industry, would have elicitet
earnest requests for relief by mean
of higher duties.
AGRICULTURAL SCHEDULE RIDI
CULED.
'The opponents of the bill ridicule
the agricultural schedule mercilessly
They declared it to be absurd for th
greatest producer and exporter .
grain and other foodstuffs to preten
alarm lest foreign nations should com
pete with American farmers in th
home market.
'The rates on meat were at leas
doubled in every case. The duty Q
bacon and hams was raised from 2
5 cents. The barley duty was raise
from 10 to 80 cents. The rate of il
crease on other grain was much les
than those just mentioned. Eggs
which were free of duty under the az
of 1888, were made dutiable at
cents dozen. potatoes were raise
from Is to IS cents d bushel, ar
butter from A to 6 cents a pounC
There is no doubt but the changes i
duties did actually put an end to ii
creasing importation of the articI
taxed, from Canada to the northel
: tier of state, and thus served as
measure of protection to the farme
of those states. The duties cou
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