Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-05-29

sons trade that show the great benefit Is
of protection, while at the same time
they show the depressing effects Of the
fear of the Morrison Tariff Reform bill
becoming law. AS soon as the season
opened American manufacturers of
worsted and wooden goods found them
selves face to face in the market with
imported goods offered at prices not
only lower than had before been known,
but as to many qualities, particularly
OF worsted, lower than the prices of
corresponding American goods. Before
the trade had fairly discovered what
was going on, sales of foreign goods to
a very large extent had been made, 30
that no subsequent reduction in price
could recover the business that had
been anticipated by producers.
The trade has since been fiat, espe-
cially In worsteds, and many mills are
Obliged to suspend or curtail produc-
ton. AS q consequence, the price OF
wool has been very low, and the pros
poets for the year business Is anything
but encouraging for the grower. Yet
1t is at this very juncture that a bill
pending In Congress abolishing all
duties on imported wool, 10 supported
by 145 out of 1888 Democratic Represen-
tatives. The little band of 80 Demo-
Gratis who have not bowed the neck to
this free.trade measure is led by Samuel
j. Randall, OF Philadelphia. This is
one of the facts alluded to; now for the
other.
While there is the greatest depression
In the wooden and worsted trade ever
known, there is a corresponding activity
In the iron trade. The production OF
pig iron at this time is the largest ever
known. The steel rail mills are fully
employed at prices fully 80 per cent
higher than were realized q year ago
The reasons for this improvement in
the iron trade are as plain and potent
as are the reasons for the depression in
the wool and worsted trade. AT the
opening of the present session OF Con-
gress the iron industry was threatened
by Democratic agitators. The Morrison
bill proposed general reduction On
iron and steel duties, especially on steel
rails, in the production of which lsre e
part of the output OF iron is now used
But the producers realized that this
threat, II prolonged during months q
debate and uncertainty, would put an
end to hopes of improvement IN theil
industry.
Hence, they very wisely made a de
termined effort to get the proposed
changes OF duty taken Ont of the bill
before it was reported. They sue
1aA hi mo N,Ha
stand that it would be fatal to Demo
cratic members to coun;enance at thi
time measure 30 unwise. As soon Al
the question was settled for that indus
try by the removal of all clauses affect
ing duties on iron and steel, there wa
rapid preparation for enlargement il
business. More furnaces were put in
to blast at once; orders for grel
quantity Of rails aud other products q
Iron were ordered, and the improve
ment has been going on, notwithstaud
ing the fact that foreign steel rails ar
offered In New York at prices nearly
not quite as low as the present price {
American rails Here are two facts I
which we have alluded: tile wooIe
and worsted industry, almost RUNE
by being retained in Morrison's fire.
trade bill; the iron industry, improve
by being taken from the BILL
Let voters learn something from tn
contrast. Il should be very plain
them that changes made In the tariff c
wool and woolens, by the act of 1873
changes carried by the votes of near
all the Democrats, with the aid OF son
Itan
have been very harmful to that gre
industry. 1t lie hard to see how VIC
and worsted manufacturers can car
on their business with profit in t
face of the same kind of goods import
from Europe, manufactured there
cheap labor and sold here under prit
for which thay can be manufactur
here In the face of all this,
manufacturers are contending vi
strikes for higher wages. When n
voters come TO see their great moons
tency in demanding high wages VIII
they vote with the Democratic 4
trade party, to make wages lower
reducing the tariff on imported goo
thereby giving the preference to goc
manufactured by the cheap labor
Europe?
Tie old duties ought at once to be
stored, with even more careful defer
against foreign interference with no
industry. But what can we exp
from the present Democratic Congre
Voters have nothing left to them az
remedy but to elect members Of
different sort, Instead of the fres ira
tariff. tinkeriug Dem ocrats that n
misrepresent the true interests of
people.
ruu pApU orTEsTIo,I anterad Iaro