New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-18
MORRISON'S TARIFF BILL
AN EXAMINATION OF THE FREE LIST.
PRACTICAL EFFECT OF THE -cHANGEs-iSDUsTniEs
THREATENED

PRACTICAL EFFECT OF lHh
THREATENED.
wAsufsaToN. Feb. IA new tariff bill
Is rroposal to change the bAsis upon which all tue
,Anstries of the country rest No can tell to what
extont IL may chan 60 the tOn prospects OF thoe
industries by the most careful examination OF inc
peniipc measure. Some idea OF it's consequences may
be formed however. by comparison OF It's PROVISIONS
with the statistics OF imports on the one manu. anu 'o
statistics OF production by home industry on tue otnef
Tho bin which has Just Deen introduced ny MI MOT
,son makes changes iu the duties great NUMBER OF
nrcle and adds many 20 the free list IL may ne We"
first to examine additions to the Tree S ana 10 soc
what they mean. - ,.,
As respects the amount OF duty sacrificed the removal
y, rts an bemp and other articles that class Is the
most inrortant ~rherc imported according u
The Official state nent for last year, 156Sl tons OF
hep sum- ute ute bntts sisal grass and substitutes
for hemp The value OF those products i oFted during
the last sscal year was S'O,l62l9l, and the duties
collected on them 81 sO53s7. The rate OF duty ex-
ceeded 20 per cent only article sisa grass The
production OF hemp and similar products has not been
very Successful in this country, and Kentucky alone
yields a very large proportion Of the hemp raised II
may be said that II Speaker Carlisle and his friends III
Kentucky are willing to get along without any duty on
such pro ucts, the people OF other states heeu ho'
greatly object But it has not yet heen shown that the
proposed abolition OF the hemp drty desired by the
pro Kentucky that 1t is burdens me 10 tpe
people o. the United States
The next class of changes amount OF duty sacrhce
is in the lumber schedule The duties on hewn and
sawef timber on timber usedfOr spars and Tharves on
timber squared sdel, on boards. planks deals ana
sawed lumber on hubs slaves, pickets palngs laths
shingles claJ boards and other manufactured "oo are
coparatiyely uniportan, It is proposed to remit
them all It Is also proposed to take on the "u'y OH
other sawed lumbar not planned or bnished' whch Is
now 50 per and OF which last year tue vaue
NJ imnorts was So s5O.3s5 aud the duties collected
S93O172 The practical effect OF these changes woulu
be to sacrifice last years Importation OF
O62 and to compel the removal OF great hummer
~ saw mills across the Canadian Border In Maine
Northern New-York, Michigan and Wisconsin, such
change OF duties would have an important influence ana
the one thing certain about ii is that would transfer
great number OF hardy and industrious workers to
British soil.
The abolition Of tho duties salt would also afect an
imnortant industry in New-IOrk, Michigan, West VIZ
giuia ONO Pennsylvania and California. The inn orts
for tbe last fiscal wear only 1,416S26 pounds IN
value and duties collected we're $75l 800 averaging
SO Der cent on the cost The quantity imported was
763 pounds Perhaps there Is no other Industry
REGARDING which there has been so much dispute III
times past and il has been the pet aversion OF the free
traders for many years.
Aro,ber change affecting The farmers especially along
the Northern border the abolition Of duties ON corn.
OATS hay and potatoes The imports of corn aud oats
are never large. hut Of hay nearly 10000 tons were
year valued at II 5l7e59, aud the dulles
1921, SCI The imports OF I0aoes were Naiueu
VI,
OF the country the competition with pro ULCERS across te
border III articles WOId at times be seriously 1o
removal Of these duties woild besnatter OF no conse
QuenCe whatever. Tne duties aggregate s43is .
The duties coal and coke imi Oitr0 last year
amounted to only S6O3.73j tue value OF s35249 tons
porod Va 5er cent Bat no idea VIII ,tever can he
formed OF the effect OF this change from the actual IN
morris at any past time. In view o. the recent prosra
ion Of the 60 IL producing industry, the attempt hy
combination TO establish that industry on irmer hss
aud the CON binston OF coke.T lUcers in western
Penusvlvania 1T is certain that free mportttions o.
coal from Nova Scotia would have va IMPORTANT erect
tie Atlantic coast ow large r9pS%n OF te [oh ia
the state o. the LOst important markets iOI thelr pro
ducts it is Impossible to deteru inc. A.,
Unhapl lily. there Is less uncertainty regarlmg Tue
effect of the removal OF unties on iron ORE IN
spte OF dUty OF 70 cents per ton 4l9OJ3 tons o lr9u
nes as far west as Ptshurg in preference to es from
American mines 1t is knONn that mines OF great
from which vast quantity Of ore could be transported
at very low but ioI the duty Aread the competl
the mines in Now-Jersey New ork anc E"stetn rem
sylvan and IT Is not dnca 10 Tf those recently
OPENED in Cuba, IL unchecked by any duty whatever;
would prove disastrous to far greater nrmher Of
PRODUCERS In this country The value OF iron ore i'm
portel last S945922, and the amount OF duty
collected only S3l4.3l7. or 49, % per cent OF tho cost
The Government wonld sacrifice but little revenue In
abandoning this duty. but it would close great number
OF mines and bring suffering t" the homes OF thousands
OF The iuty copper ore OF less Importance
Last year the %p9rs %9 Sy pSoSG ony
SOL GAS. The duties on lead ore and other crude
minerals
about $4,000.
There remain large number OF articles, mainly chem
icals Or materials OF manufacture, upon which the
aggregate OF duties collected last year was ouly S6O2
3I6 and the value of such articles imported was OILY
$2GG9. 1853. Upon some OF them the rate OF duty was
quite hie H. lumber and umber earths, 20 "a per
cent; ehiccOrv root 81 rs per cent: on ochre and
ochre earth so % per cent on substitutes Tor coffee
81 Ia per cent and ON haryes manufactured Al 20 per
cent The duties other articles ia this class were
generally low. aud yet the imports were small But OF
clycerine 5.S99.5l pounds imported last year,
valued at $3l7775, and the duty collected was
S1l799O or 81 3 per cent OF crude nitrate OF potash
the imports Amounted IL 753.9iO pounds, valued AZ
222 and the duty collected was $ll7 or "a 40
Der cent The importation OF many OF these articles
would affect very seriously branches OF Industry which
hay BEEN established in this country but Is dhcut
TO determine what number of persons are engaged III
snoh in iustries. .--.
The following statement shows the value OF imports
LAST year articles which by the new bill would 10
placed free lsy. with the amount or duties col.
classes above nentlOu5d: