New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-21
A FdTxL $40 SUIT.

The defenders of home industry rarely have
been and rarely can be better represented in
debate than they were represented on Friday
by the eloquent Mr. Mckinley, from Ohio, or
on Saturday by the witty and able Mr. Read.
of Maine. One incident Of almost unprece-
denied effectiveness in Mr.. McKinleys speech
went to the root Of the whole matter, and de-
serves especial notice. The President had
devoted his annual message to an attack upon
protective duties, which, he asserted, enhanced
the cost of woollen goods to the full extent
of the duty. The chosen leader of the Dem
ocratc party in the House, Mr.. Mills, in open
ing the debate, made the same assertion more
emphatically, that woolen goods were enhanced
in cost 100 per cent by the tariff, so That
the workngman when he went to purchase a
81 0 suit of clothing was compelled to pay 81 0
for it. Mr. Mckinley denied this assertion,
affirmed that workingmen actually paid no
more for their clothing in this than in other
countries, and that consumers in his district
did not complain, when a Democrat, Mr.. Morse
of Massachusetts, interrupted, "They did not
buy of me-" Thereupon, to the amazement Of
Morse, Mr.. Mckinley put bis hand mdar a
desk, pulled out bundle which he unrolled
and remarked:
II they lad bought Of the gentleman from Mas
sachussts, 1t weuldnt have made any difference The
gsatlem An will know his own goods predueing suit
Of clethes). The chairman Of the Ways and Means
Committee tailed about the lassnrg man who worked
ten days for dollar day, and then went to buy suit
of clothes for So He nnas he could have bought
So but that tho robssr manufacturer had been dewn
to and had 100 per cent put upon tho suit and
e has TO 60 back Tor ten days more OF toll and the
of his muscle to the extra $40 with which 10 buy
the suit Of clothes. ssntlsmsn who heard that
spesch sends me suit Of clothes Hare It is rehbsr
taxes and ALL and the retail cost is Just $40 So the
soor fellew does rot have to 60 back for ten days
moro toll after all In order to be OF the goods,
knowing tho honesty and hsnor Of tbs gentleman from
Massachusetts, the gentleman went to his store aud
bought the suit hold in my hand the bill: ~. A.
Williams bought of leopold Morse Co. TO one suit
OF Atwood clothes, S10.' And never knew before
OF gentleman engaged In that business selling with
out a profit. Til. Is the very $40 suit Of Atwood
described BY the gentleman from Texas which can be
hourbt in Boston, Chicago NevYork and other cities
for 40 at retal4o por cent cheaper than it could
have beon bought In 1850, under low tariff and low
wages
The dramatic richness of the incident, which
the interruption Of Mr.. Morse made so effcc-
tive. must not cause the importance of the
arounent TO be overlooked Mr.. Mckinley
bas torn away the very foundation stone On
which the policy of the President and of the
Democratic party was supported. II the pro-
tectiye duties do not increase the cost of
American products to American consumers,
then the policy is utterly without decent ex-
cuse.' 1t would disturb home industry, aud the
only apology that can be made for that mis-
chief is that consumers would get cheaper
goods with free-trade. The President chose
wooIlen goods, as OF all other articles those
which were most certainly enhanced in cost
by the duties. MIR. Mills also chose woollen
goods as the test Of his theory, and particu-
larly the woolen goods worn by the working
mon. But MIR. Mckinley proves that the
theory is false. according to the very test chosen
by the President and Mr.. Mills by producing
a suit Of Atwood goods manufactured and
sold by a Democratic member Of Congress.
This is not an exceptional case. On the
very day Nj. McKir ey was speaking there
appeared in tariff reform" paper Of Bos-
ton a notice Ct tho superior quality of