Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1914-02-07
IS COSTING FARMERS MANY
MILLIONS.

unconsc1ouSly, enabling Its readers to
see the light on the effect of the new
anti-farmer tariff In a recent issue
it says:
"Word comes from Canada that the
Canadians are complaining of the
effects of the Underwood tariff act It
is asserted that these effects are in
juring the people of that country by
increasing the cost of foodstuffs. In
November we imported something
more than $38,000,000 worth of Can
adam agricultural products, mostly
wheat though of course there were
large imports of butter and cheese,
and considerable meat This has
caused the Canadian market to be
drained, as the Canadians themselves
note They do not like our free list
on that account-or, certain portion
of the Canadian people do not. Those
who have the products to sell, no
doubt are we'll pleased.
Notwithstanding these importa-
tons and others from other countries,
it has been remarked that there has
been no cheapening of prices in the
United States But it should also be
remarked that, on the other hand,
there has been no advance in prices"
And there you have the whole thing
in a nutshell The Standard admits
that $33,000000 of Canadian farm pro-
ducts, mostly wheat, were marketed in
the United States during November.
In large part all these millions of
produce must have been sold under
bond and are not in the hands of the
consumers. The duty of 10 cents a
bushel on wheat, for instance, still is
in effect and will be until the Cana
dian Government establishes "recipro-
cal trade relations" by withdrawing its
dinky little tariff duty on wheat.
The crux of the matter is that part
or all of the November $33,000.000 and
very reasonably $l00,O00,000 for the
crop year would not have come into
the United States had it not been for
the anti-farmer tariff bill. The much
lauded Underwood bill is responsible
for brand new competition of posi-
bly, twice $100,000000 on farmers pro-
ducts and all this on the 1913 crop
alone.
The invariable estimate of all trade
experts is that the present and pros
pective competition of Canadian grain
has cut at least five cents from the
price of our grain And that means
about $35O,000 the anti-farmer tariff
bill has cost the farmers of Fergus
county alone 1t makes no difference
what the price of grain was this year.
Whatever the price at which it was
sold. it would have brought at least
FIVE cents more per bushel if the road
to free trade had not been opened up
to Canadian grain by the antifarmer
bill.
The average price Fergus county
farmers have received for their 1913
wheat does not exceed sixty-three
cents per bushel; price dangerously
near the cost of production. There
was world shrotage of wheat in
1913 and with normal conditions the
price should have been higher than
for the 1912 crop On the contrary,
it averaged lower for American
wheat. This comes pretty near being
proof positive that higher price was
prevented by the Underwood bill,
which dumped Canadian wheat to the
value of scores of millions of dollars
on our market Whether this wheat
is in bond or not cuts no figure. 1t is
here and will be consumed here unless
boom in a foreign market allows of
its export.
And again the Argus inquiries what
good the tariff has done the American
and especially the Fergus county
farmer. 1t has shown that the tariff
has reduced the cost of Apollinaris
water by hfty cents a case, but the
Fergus county farmers would have
to battle in Apollinaris and water their
stock with it to play even for their
$350,0OO loss. The Argus is alb
solutely honest in its inquiry for any
real benefit the tariff bill las given
the farmer. The bill makes vicious
and un-American discrimination
against him. 1t singles him out a.
the sole victim OF this discrimination
1t has already cost the American
farmer many millions of dollars ON
the 1918 crop. and not solitary arti-
Gle of ordinary consumption can be
bought cheaper on account of the
tariff
What earthly use is there in this
beating of tom toms; this raucous
shouting from the house-tops about
the great and glorious principles of