The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-12

attack Mr.. WOODS new tarlH, ana III the
| general opinion Of the country and of Con-
| gress this will, We suspect be regarded as a
proof that it has merit. We suppose MIR.
Wood would readily confess that he has in
tended neither to blow down the custom
houses nor to build Chinese wall around
our borders He and his fellow committees
men have, in fact, paid very little attention
to theories; they have proceeded on the very
sound principle that the government needs
certain large amount of revenue from GUS
toms duties; that oil taxes ought to be so
adjusted as to interfere rs little as possible
with production; that in laying duties on
imports raw materials used il our own
industries ought to be free or very lightly
taxed, because this offers encouragement to
home industry, and that in the present
situation of the country revenue system
ought to be carefully framed to aid, or at
least not to hinder the growth of foreign
trade, so as to provide outlets for
our surplus products. These are sound
general principles, which only doctrin-
aire economists will dispute. Mr.. Wood
had in addition, as o practical legis-
lator to take care in framing new
tariff bill that no such great and far reach
ing changes should be attempted as would
injure interests and industries which have
grown up under system acknowledged to
be unwise and needing amendment, but
which has subsisted Tor long time.
1t is very easy to show that Great Britain
obtains a revenue equal to our own from
very few dutiable articles but practical
men see that a sudden change from our own
to the English system would be in the high
est degree unwise and improper. On the
other hand, it will be said by many persons
that the present cumbrous system has stood n
long time and ought not to be touched, be-
cause under it American manufactures have
very greatly increased in number and excel
lence. But the obvious answer to this plea
is that almost all branches of manufacture
have now had this fostering care for
sufficient length of time, and that,
in fact, they have prospered and increased
until now they produce actually beyond
our own country's power of consumption,
and change in the tariff is needed
in order to enable our manufacture
ers to secure foreign market for
their surplus. The tariff which has been
so long in force has certainly in a remark
able degree developed our manufacturing
industries, as it was intended to do; but it
has done so at the expense of our foreign
commerce, which is contemplate in amount.
For instance, statistics show that the Ameri-
can product of forged and rolled iron and
steel amounted in 1876 to over one hundred
millions of which we sold abroad only
little over half million dollars worth So
we produced in 1876 one hundred and thir-
ty-four millions worth of woolen goods
but sold abroad of this immense pro-
duet only six hundred and eighty-fve thou
sand dollars worth. We produced over
twenty-one million dollars worth of carpets
and sold abroad less than seven thousand
dollars worth. We produced twenty mill
ions worth Of hats and caps and sold abroad
less than two hundred thousand dollars
worth. We manufactured clothing to the
amount of one hundred and sixty millions
and sold abroad less than six hundred thou
sand dollars worth.
In short, we manufacture considerably
more than we can consume; the surplus
weighs on all our home markets and
stops all our factories, because even
small surplus fatally depresses prices, and
the problem now is how to sell that surplus
in foreign countries. To enable US to do
that everybody sees that we must rearrange
our tariff. This is not question of free
trade or protection F.; it is q question Of COM
MERGE. In order TO sell we must buy COM
merce on large scale is only q system of
barter No country can afford to pay us
coin for our goods because no country has
coin to spare. 1t exchanges it's products
for ours, or if We refuse to admit it's goods
then it periorce buys of some other and
wiser country, even at higher price. Now
the present tariff was not formed for pur-
poses of commerce (; it was formed with the
distinct purpose of fostering and encourage
ing the growth of our own manufactures !;
it has accomplished it's end, and has in fact
placed us, as the Centennial Exhibition
proved, in the van of manufacturing
nations. But it has left our active and
skilful manufacturers without foreign
market, and yet with the ability, which
means the necessity, of making more than
the home market will take, for they cannot
without great loss have their machinery and
hands stand idle
A change is therefore necessary. It is
required most urgently by the manuiac-
turing interests themselves. They will con-
tinue to suffer without it. If we can so re.
arrange the tariff as to sell only five per
and factory in the land will work at full
time and every industrious operative will
be employed. TO accomplish this has been,
it is very evident, Mr.. Woods design, but