New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-10
THE HARu DONE THUS FAR.

THE HARM DONE THUS FAR.
"You predicted harm to our industries, and
no harm has come" is the favorte argument
of Democrats who look only at the surface.
Untruthful again; no harm was predicted I'M
less the Democratic party succeeded IN chang
ing the policy OF the Government, which ii has
not vet been able to do When 1.-The Even
ing Post, gathers the certificates of manufact-
urers that they have not ceased to transact
business since 1884, it faudulently implies
that prostration was expected and predicted as
the result Of an empty and fruitless election
without any change of the tariff whatever.
But the election of Mr.. Cleveland has not
been empty or fruitless to the Free Trade
cause, though it has sci back the cause OF CiVil
Service reform many years. The Free traders
have suppressed or kicked out Democratic OPP
Moments and turned the Democratic party into
a free-trade organization. They have at last
passed through the House, after many years
Of effort and failure, bill radically to change
the tariff. That bill involves more violent
and greater change in duties than has ever
been made in the entire history OF the country.
The change in 1888 was gradual, extending
over many years. The reduction of duties Ill
1916 was only one-siXth OF their amount. The
reduction in 1857 was only about one-ninth
of their amount. But the pending BILL ac-
cording to Mr. Millss own computations, would
cut off nearly fifty millions of customs revenue
ont Of about two hundred and twelve millions
or nearly one-quarter. Particularly, no tariff
has ever made wool free since the adoption Of
hot a
change is now to be made if the people support
Mr.. Cleveland.
The apprehension of change so great and
so violent has done harm. II has cut down the
production and the manufacture OF wool ma
terially, and has depressed many other INDUS
tries While all these losses caused by appre-
hension of change are small compared with the
loss which the threatened change would IN
yolve. those are deceiving the people who pre-
tend that Democratic tariff agitation has in no
way harmed industry.
The effect has been most felt in the arrest oil
the growth and development in States and
regions near the seaboard, where foreign com
petition would be most severely felt IN case Of
a change Of tariff. There men have hesltated
to invest more capital and to open more works
and mines, because change Of tariff would
there mean most speedy ruin In the Tar IN
terror States. where cost of transportation from
the seaboard would break the force Of COM
petition even if duties were reduced, the
growth and development have continued.
If evidence is wanted on this point, let the
production and manufacture OF iron In New
England, Newly ork, New-Jersey, Virginia and
West Virginia be compared with development
further inland. Let the same test be applied
TO the woollen and cotton and other manuiact-
ures. The protective policy, remaining in
force, has caused general progress in the coun-
try as a whole in many branches, though not
in the woolen manufacture since Demo
cratic Treasury Department began TO break
down protection by its rulings. But that de-
yelopment in many industries has been con-
spicuously not shared to the full extent by the
States which, in case Of a change OF National
policy. would be most directly exposed to for
eign competition. 1t is in this very region
that, in occupations so exposed wages have
been depressed in some quarters, and in others
prevented from advancing as they have adj
yanced in the States further inland.
All that has happened thus far is only
slight foreshadowing of the reaction which
would follow change in the tariff. If the
Democratic party could have its way, if it
could carry into effect even its first step toward
free trade the Mills bill, results more grievous
than Republicans have ever ventured to pre-
dict would probably follow. For practical
men shrink from anticipating evil, and very
few of the present generation of business men
realize what the condition of the country was
prior to 1860, or would be again under Dem
ocratic tariff.