New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-25

importers and the Government. The absence
of n free list is accounted one OF the great
features of Improvement. The bill declares
that all merchandise not therein provided for
shall be free of duty. There is, perhaps, moth
ing in the whole bill so certain to breed llti-
CATION as this very provision, If 1t become IL
law. A very large number OF the suits under
the present and previous tariffs have turned on
the question of commercial designations"
The importer asserts that an article known 10
the trade by a certain name, and not specified
by that name in the tariff, is consequently
subject to a lower rate of duty than the Gus
tom House has imposed. The courts nave
been full of such contests and millions OF
dollars have been involved, upon questions
whether "yak lace because it was so deslg-
mated in the trade, must be accounted as
wax lace,n and not IA "dress trimming"
though its sole use was for trimming dresses !;
whether n GLUE" is "tube ~ whether So
called "Boyeau ribbons" (Which are all SILK
EXCEPT a corded edge) are or are not SILK
Gibbons These suits were brought to re-
cover differences of duty between varying
rates. Under the Wood tariff, 1t Will be only
necessary to prove that the article imported
is not specified therein by its trade name, ana
il NAV come in free. The number OF things
that will become known i'll commerce by new
names when this tariff has been enacted, viii
compel the making of new dictionary.
Two instances of the blundcrs remaining III
the bill will serve as specimens II a fabric
should be made of silk and cotton, III which
neither of those substances is the component
of chief value, it may, apparently, be imported
without paying any duty. In the original blIi
there was a similar oversight in respect to all
kinds of mixed fabrics it still remains as to
mixtures of silk with vegetable iibres. There
is also sentence that reads as follows: BIT
con ali dress goods weighing four ounces and
cover per square yard, and costing over 20
cents Der square yard, the duty shall be so
scents per pound.n Being under the section
that treats of woollen fabrics, there can be
little doubt as to the intention of this rcma'ha-
bic clause; but it seems to give permission to
import silk dress goods at a lower rate of duty
than has been anticipated by the most san
guinc frec-tradcr.
4 great deal was promised in preparing this
bill in the way Of substituting specific Tor al
valorem duties. The result falls far short OF
the promises. All woods, for instance, with
ont regard to character have been thrust
under a single al valorem rate. Mr.. Wood
has himself felt called upon to apologize,
because he has actually substituted ad valorcm
for specific duties, in part. upon iron and
steel Most of the other pretcnsions put for
ward prove quite as illnsory. Such, especially
are the claims of Mr.. Wood that his tariff Will
produce Il gain of revenue to the Treasury,
A far better authority on such subjects has
estimated the probable loss If the bill becomes
a Law, at more than So, 100000. Indeed, the
proposition which Mr.. Wood urges, to stop
the contributions to the sinking fund, may be
taken as evidence that he does not believe in
the capacity Of his tariff for supplying revenue
in accordance with his estimates. The bill, i'll
short, proposes to relieve the burdens OF the
rich. to increase those OF the poor, and to
check the payment of National indebtedness.