New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-20
PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE
FALLACY OF DAVID A. wELLss ARGUMENTS.
Mr.. ATKINsoN's "TABLEs" WHAT Mr.. NIMMo
THINKS or THIN.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-SOon after Mr..
cCuloch became Secretary Of the Treasury last year.
Edward Atkinson proposed to him that the CHER OF tue
Of Statistics should be required to prepare as
part OF his quarterly report sorles Of five tables In
which the imported merchandise entered for consump
ton should be classified as follows:
A.-Artcles OF food and live animals.
B.-Crude articles used In various processes OF 40
C.-Artiees partly manufactured. for materials
IN the manufactures and mechanic arts
D.-Manufactured articles ready for consumption
E-Articles OF voluntary use. Injuries. ETC.
The proposition was eagerly accepted by Mr.. McCul-
Ioch who undoubtedly thought that the plan might be-
so developed to furnish tariff reformcrs" with
supply OF ammunition, which they sorely needed
The tables published In tho last quarterly re-
port OF the Bureau OF Statistics for 1884, and were i'm
medatey seized upon by David A. Wells and other free
trade leaders for purposes Of criticism and argument
OF the absurd premises assumed and deductions
from these tables by Mr.. Wells and his as
sociates will surely amaze Mr. Atkinson they have
elected from the late Chief OF the Bureau OF Statistics
TO whom they submitted In the form Of letter.
most exhaustive and trenchant reply. The letter
which Is dated April 25, Is signed by David
A. Wells, william Marshall, e. p Wheeler, Arson Phelps
Stokes and Thomas @. shsarman They called Mr.
Nimmos attention to what they regard as material de-
fects in his classification and suggest improvements
:" both generally and in detail"
They insist FIRST that Class shall divided into at
industry and 2 articles ready for actual personal use
Thus at they begin double play upon the
word use which they keep up to the very end Oh the
chapter. They hold that the following are clearly
articles which not, to apprecabe extent lifted
for actual personal -" woollen manufactures
cloths dress goods nannes. FAX. hemp, etc. bags ana
bsgging brown and beached linens burlaps sail duck.
etc. cables etc. cotton manufactures cloth, damask and
velvet cords BRAID ETC.. iron and STEEL bars or rails
cotton ties, chains files, etc. hammers nails etc, saws
hatters plush teeth manufactured pateHt size. strings
OF gut, etc. coodion in Sheets" Even "woollon
and cotton CLOTH" say Dir. Wells and his colleagues
cannot be used for domestic purposes without some
further manufacturing process"
Proceeding with the process OF elimination these
astuto rcasoners find result that OF the
1891 900 900 worth Of imported articles re-
ported In class as ready for consumption" there
would remain only about Sl 100000 chargeable to the
account OF manufactured articles imported for personal
or family use against articles to the value OF at least
Sgg00OO,0O0 imported for In processes OF
domestic industry. They would include In the latter
category all unspecined manufactures OF silk cotton
WOOL iron. copper and other metals, dress ana piece
goods, hatters' materials, etc.
Mr. Nimmo 10 his reply first critclses tho Atkinson
classincatiOns and then demonstrates the absurdy OF
the premises and conclusions based thereon by his free
trade correspondents Mr.. Nmmo thinks that each OF
the tables contains much that Ia valuable, but
that "as related series OF facts the cass-
I
10 for any purpose OF argument utterly
| inconseq uental and misleading" Mr. Nimmo points
out the fundamental Of Classification and declares
that the proposed modincations would Involve other
glaring incongruites" lie asks why this series OF
10 which commodities are put second the degree ~
which they have been advanced In the processes OF
manufacture; hId their class lhchti1n hs lnAuIlss
| aud nrccssaries. There are equally good rea-
sons for placing the same article In two. three
or even four classes Tor example sugar anu no.asscs
are mainly consumed food hut they are also used as
materials tho processes OF manufacture, aud besides
part OF such imports might with propTety DO classified
| with " articles OF voluntary aso. luAuries. etc
mocs are applied l. =. food but It includes live ami
mals products or which applied TO various uses
which out OF class may readily select articles which
properly belong also In class b, class c. class d. and
| Sir Nimmo continues: Classes n. c and d based
m1n vi but very aadeanatey express that idea
A. formulated they wide the door Tor the ncnena
lion OF basocss sophsm. Crude material and partially
manufactured products are. 70 the oxtennt OF ;her
value contribniiuhs % consumption "a truly rs are
10 dferenate between Advancement In the process OF
manufacture and consumption which means tIs use Of
| congiuities involved IN the arrangement r,
Mr. Slmni0 then turns upon his critics and says; Ihe
fundamental error peryadnr your argument Tor snoh
regard your letter II that In the whole course OF
| incnts by a double eHicndre upon the word use In
one clause of sentence You sieak OF commo, ties
cnycly for purposes OF manufacture or other business
as though tina, were the hnay or ultimate object OF
course OF their manufacture hnparng to them an adi-
tiona value however slight; aud Ia a succeeding clause
o the Same you speak OF articles ready Tor
actual personal In the latter cass the word use sig
nfyng consumI ton or a. We say IN ordinary afanee
ton OF the article In conradistincon TO adding 10 It's
In your attempt to weave the Idea OF advancement in
the processes OF manufacture into the Idea OF the use OF
sa nn 10 the last touch OF advancement in form or
nusn the conclusion that there was dur
nniv sill 900 900 chafgeable TO the OF
featured articles and S29000000o chargeable TO the
account OF IN processes OF domestic Industry Ihis
conclusion appears 10 me To he redueo do dts"d"" oil
| yonr misuse of the term : use.
n you 10 frame series D tables upon ne single
idea OF advancement in the processes OF man1iacture
you wOnd Ind, think. about this result-that tue value
OF the imported commodities other than nn.un po
ducts pO common 10 this country. ns they actuhly go
into consumption Is derived from fuy ninety per cent
foreign labor and not more than ten per cent nome apo
and that the extent 20 which they are Imported hey
compete directly with home labor and reluce lts wages
and tue profits theretrOm 70 seNeiM times 'ho "o' VI
| the alde OF snch Imports" - .,- .
bring class T. articles of voluntary use injuries, etc
from of which refers TO the which commodities
are others the degree OF ther a' ace
"cnt IN The processe~ OF manufacture Tho line between
uxures aud nccessares has been and never can
be drawn; besides articles OF the Same name Should III
certain be casse as neeessaries ana IN otets as
nxnries the distinction depending upon the quality OF
the goods. Mr. Wells and his colleagues could not see
upon what principle RAILROAD bars files, machinery
saws. etc.. should be placed In the same class with
finished clothing, carpets, hats, etc
For tie reason they al finished products Of
manufacture ready for USE OF, IA we say techchly,
ready for consumption Nothing remains To be done
order advance them In the process OF mannncture
They arc all In condition to be put into actual uAe II
YOU except these articles from the tategOy OF nnisncd
products, you would also except bricks, when are
finished but OF until put IN place by the mason or
brckayer; you would except wall paper when Ia
wholly finished but useless unu lifted and pasted upon
the wall by the paper hanger. and you would e-ccpt
mint, which must be mixed with oil ana applied Win
the brush ia order TO be brought into actual use.
In reply 10 the assertion that the WORK OF thiiors
DIRE smakers, carpenters. ETC. rs much manutaeaure
as the work Of cotton and w0oen mills ana Is 40 cassed
ia census" Mr.. Simmo that the census cass
fcatOn never designed as an Wuatc auhy AZ "u
| economic sense, and adds: -, -.
AWhen In the present instance, the matter turns
upon the application Of the tarin to the various IN