Agricultural Masses Not Protected. 33 



establish what is claimed. This objection is met by giv- 

 ing the result of the classification of agricultural imports 

 for the year ending June 30, 1906, made from the Year 

 Book of the Department of Agriculture of that date. 

 ^'Forest products'' are not included in this classification; 

 these were not returned in the Year Book of 1901 as agri- 

 cultural imports and exports. This is a recent innova- 

 tion. We give the totals in round numbers : 



Class 1. Non-competing imports, $246,159,000 44% 



Class 2. Protected imports, 158,238,000 28% 



Class 3. Competing imports, 103,901,000 19% 



Manufactured imports, 48,792,000 



The agricultural import trade with foreign lands was 

 far larger than in 1900, but the percentage of each class 

 varies hut little from the percentage found in 1900. And 

 so we are sure will be the result, no matter what year is 

 examined. 



It is not the taritf that protects the farmer. He needs 

 no protection from outside competition, for he can pro- 

 duce cheaper than his foreign rivals. 



To sum up the lesson of the chapter : (a) In 1900 the 

 dutied imports similar to those produced by the great 

 mass of farmers comprised less than one-tenth of the 

 total of agricultural importations, (b) Imports of agri- 

 cultural products. Class 3, have not been kept out by the 

 tariff. Where the great current of trade flows outward 

 the most exorbitant rates of duties can have no effect. 



