The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-06-23
TARIFF LAW
CUTSPRICE
OF WHEAT

Washington, June 21.-An an
nouncement OF special interest to the
spring wheat farmers Of the United
States was given out, today, by Halv-
or Stevenson, Representative in
Congress from the Ninth Minnesota
district. Mr.. Steenerson's statement
shows that the Democratic tariff law
has cut the prices Of spring wheat by
nearly the amount of the duty which
the Republican tariff law had imposed
The Importance Of the statement
to spring wheat growers may be seen
in the fact that Mr.. Stevenson first
obtained the daily wheat quotations
in six of the big wheat markets Of
the country, Minneapolis, Duluth.
Chicago, st. Louis, New York and
Kansas City, and also in Winnipeg
for a period three months each year
for four years. The months are DC.
tober, November and December, and
the years are from 1910 to 1919, in.
elusive.
These quotations the Minnesota
representative submitted to the de-
partment Of commerce and labor,
which computed the averages for
each year. These averages which
may be regarded as official. show
that the duty under the Republican
tariff law increased the price which
the spring wheat farmer received for
his product by nearly the amount OF
the duty. although there have been
fluctuations, according to variation
in the supply and demand" says Mr..
Stevenson, there is no other way,
generally speaking, to explain these
price tables than upon the theory
that the duty increased the price that
the spring wheat farmer received for
his product.
Mr.. Steenerson's reasons for going
SO thoroughly into the subject is be-
cause of the continued debates IN
Congress- relative to tariff duties ana
prices. In these debates, 1t has Been
emphasized by Democratic orators
that the lowering on removal OF duty
on foreign products under the Under
wood law has not reduced. or tended
to reduce farm prices Of these prod
ucts in the United States. The Demo
Gratis have appeared in some cases
To have the best of this argument,
since they have asked "how could a
man buy wheat in Minneapolis and
export It to Liverpool unless the Liv-
erpool price was higher by twenty-five
cents bushel, representing the cost
of transportation. handling and insur-
ance?" The Democrats have been
pointing out as conclusive proof OF
this argument, that some thirty or
forty million bushels of wheat were
exported from this country last year.
1--WE in the spring wheat belt OF the
northwestern states" declares Mr..
STEVENSON, in his statement, have
long known that, however logical this
argument may be, 1t did not hold good
as to that commodity. for the price
| Of spring wheat In the northwest has
| not been the New York or seaboard
price, minus the freight and handling
charges. 1t has been from one to
twenty cents bushel more than that.
General prices are governed by supply
and demand and their rise on fall Is
Independent OF tariffs, but local pric-
es are relative and their relation to
general prices is governed by local
tariffs" Thus, he declares that the
premium on spring wheat, according
to market reports from Minneapolis
is now eight or ten cents over the
New York prices when you take out
the freight and handling charges. In
1910, under the Republican tariff, 1t
was about twenty cents. Mr.. Steen-
erson says the Democratic argument
that prices are now higher than