The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-04-30
Political NeUs
and Comment
BY r. w. HITCHCOCK

week SIS cars were received at South st.
Paul on Monday. Up to April 9th Of
this year 45,036 Canadian beef cattle
had been received at South st. Paul as
against 34971 for the like period of
1895, an increase of % per cent. The
reciprocal trade treaty recently negoti-
ated by the federal government with
Canada appears to be working to the
detriment of Minnesota farmers in this
respect as we'll as in other respects.
Before this administration, America
helped feed the world. Now, the world
helps feed America" This statement of
Senator Jesse H. Metcalf of Rhode Is
land grows increasingly significant.
Polish hams have been making it tuff
for the working man in the HORNED
packing plant at Austin. The invasion
of the American market by packing
house operators of Poland with their
Polish canned ham has reached such
proportions as to disrupt the American
production of canned hams. The Hor-
mel Company has been stymied in its
sale of canned hams, and has been
unable to employ its normal labor in
its canned ham department" This is
the statement of The Squeal," house
organ put out by the HORNED Packing
Company of Austin. Not only is the
packing company and the farmer put
ing up a squeal over the disastrous re-
suits of the New Deal policy of import
ing foodStuffS to compete with the
American farmer and American pro-
ducerS, but American labor is suffering
because of that policy.
The evil effects upon Minnesota in
dustry and Minnesota labor are thus
Strikingly set forth in THE Squeal."
Shortly after the AAA became effec-
tive, Polish hams began appearing on
the New York market. Little by little
the Polish ham sales grew. Despite the
processing tax of $3.50 a hundred
weight, and despite the tariff, believed
to have been eased under the reciprocal
trade treaty by the American state de-
partment with Poland, the Polish hams
undersold the American canned ham,
including the HORNED minnesota
canned ham. Already by the time of
the supreme court decision on the AAA,
the Polish hams were flooding the
American market. On the day after
the decision, with the $3.50 tax no
longer required, Polish canned hams
dropped from "a to % cents a pound
On that day HORNED canned hams cost
the company to produce 81 cents a |
pound. More Polish canned hams ar
rive in a week at New York harbor
than HORNED makes in a couple of
months"
Minnesota industry, Minnesota labor
and Minnesota farmers feel the loss
from the policy very directly, for the
HORNED Company has largely developed |
the commercial canned ham industry
and has held more than a proportion
ate percentage of the canned ham
business of the country"
1t would take more than 100000
acres of American land to raise the in
crease in imports of foreign corn that
has been brought about during the
present federal administration.
From official government sources Ray
P. Chase, former state auditor of Min
neSota and more recently a Minnesota
congressman, has compiled the follow
ing statement of the foreign competition
which the federal administration has
stirred up for the American farmer in
two years. The figures are not entirely
new, but they are impressive and they
are startling evidence of the handicap
which the administration is imposing
upon Minnesota farmers. The figures
show the importation of various food
stuffs for 1888 and 1885:
Corn (bushels)-1933, 16O228; 1885,
1922 96.
Wheat Cbushels)-1s33, 81 1888; 1885,
27.438,870.
Oats Cbushels)-1933, 1872 1887; 1885,
1O,1O6,sO3.
Barley Cbushels)-1saS, 23,657; 1885,
4,839,678.
Rye Obushels)-1s3s, S,OO5, 796; 1885,
9,642, 523
Hay (short tons)-1s33, 1876; 1885,
67,171.
Butter (pounds)-l933, 1,O2l BOG; 1895,
22,647,642.
Live Hogs (pounds)-1933, CATO; 1885,
3,414,317.
Fresh Pork (poundS)-1933, 538, 73O;
1885, 1922 500
Live Cattle Cpounds) 74,658;
1885, 364,623.
Fresh Beef (pounds)-1933, 32O,775;
1885, 8,584,114
Canned Meats (pounds)-1933, 43, O24,-
989; 1885, 1858, 242.
Meat Products (poundS)-1933, g.
476,1 1873; 1885, 115,O59,124
Mr.. Chase very justly demands to
know how We can reconcile the in
creased importation into Minnesota
markets of competing farm products
with a program to reduce production of
Minnesota farmers on Minnesota farms
of exactly the same commodities which
are being imported in increasing guam
titles.
Before this administration, America
helped feed the world. Now, the world
helps feed America"
The farmer-labor party, paced by the
Minnesota MiSleader, is fertile in
throwing dust and in cooking I'D
schemes to hoodwink the people of the
state. Attention has repeatedly been
called in these releases to deliberate
attempts to deceive, particularly on the
part of the official organ of the farmer
labor party, the Minnesota Misleader
While the official organ sits up nights
thinking up half-truths and ways of
twisting facts to farmer-labor advan-
tage. and then deliberately publishes