The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-06-24
Facts For Farmers.
Corn Imports.

Corn Imports.
In July, 1918, there was imported into
the United States about 1000 bushels of
corn. In October the Democratic tariff
law put corn on the free list. In July,
1914, the importations of corn amounted
to ], 1854, SIS bushels. In practically all
the corn growing States there are boys
corn clubs, maintained for the purpose
of teaching boys how to select seed and
increase productiveness, with the hope of
making corn growing more profitable for
the American farmer. If every mana
ger of boys club will give his pupils
the figures quoted above. it is asafe pre-
diction that when the lads arrive at vot-
ing age they will do something in addi-
ton to seed selection to make corn grow
ing more profitable in this country. There
will not only be fewer missing hills in
the corn but more missing cargoes of
corn imports.
More Imports-Less Revenue.
Despite the handicaps to unrestricted
trade caused by the European war, the
total imports for April last reached the
sum of $3.50, SIG, 106, compared with
$3.50, SIT, 291 in July, 1914, the last peace
month under the Democratic tariff law.
But, whereas the imports for July, 1914,
paid into the National Treasury the sum
of S22,9S8, 465, the imports for April
1915, 81, 100000 greater, paid but SIG,
020, $50 of revenue, decrease of 80 per
cent. Compared with the prevailing
rate of duty during the entire period of
of the Underwood law.up to March, 1915,
the decrease in the rate of duty for April
was Is per cent. The decrease in March
was ~ below the prevailing rate.
In other words, farm products, which
were nearly all put on the free list by
the Underwood act, are becoming an in
creasingly larger share of our import
trade. This hits the farmer and the
Government revenues at the same time.
Imports at New York.
Collector Malone Of the port of New
York recently issued a statement show
ing, among other things, the value of
commodities brought into that port from
North American, South American and
Asiatic countries Most of the North
American imports were from Canada.
The figures for the month OF April, 1914,
and the same month in 1915 are as FOL-
lows:
Imports from April, 1914 April, 1915
North America. SIS, $50 $22.s86, 1873
South America. 13,386,728 21,277, SIS
Asia. .................... 100000 12032,676
Total ........ $3s 493 1908 S56 1876, 1874
These were goods entered at the port
of New York alone, and do not include
importations at New Orleans, San Fran
cisco, or Seattle, nor goods coming in by
rail from Canada. AS they come from
countries which are chiefly agricultural,
they must of necessity consist chiefly of
farm products. The embargo placed by
England on foodstuffs from Australia
"e+o SiiLAIiiloICS. 9ilot sooul &c VI SoiiPSei
ton for the timebeing.
Dairy Farmers Hit.
A change from condensed and evap-
GRATED to matted milk production is
the only hope held out under the
Democratic free trade tariff by H.
b. Miller to those engaged in the
milk industry in the Pacific North
west, and even this alternative may
give but temporary impulse to the
trade.
Mr.. Miller, former United States Con-
sui in China, was recently commissioned
by the University of Oregon to ascertain
the reason for the depression in the milk
industry in that State, and his thorough
study of the subject has convinced him
beyond a doubt that the stagnation is
due to the foreign competition engen-
dered by the Underwood tariff law
which placed condensed milk on the free
list. while at the same time taxing the
manufacturer for his raw materials
sugar ana TIN plate-and giving no re-
fund for the consumption thereof. This
is typical example of the Underwood
Idea." which, briefly stated, is taxation
of raw materials and free trade or rev.
enue-only tariff on the manufactured ar
ticle
Condensed milk is not listed separately
in the official reports, but the importa-
ton of fresh and condensed milk under
Democratic law for che period of Octo-
Der, 1913, to June, 1915, inclusive, was
valued at $1,v56, 230, compared with
$l25, 452, under Republican law, October,
1912, to June, 1913. For the nine months
ending March, 1915, we imported this
product to the value of $1.945, SAL. No
revenue for the Government and an
ether slap at the farmer.
GRADUATION AT UNITY.
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