New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-11
cUGdR and JVOOLLENS.

So the House has decided by party vote not
to repeal the sugar duties with bounty sub
stituted for the benefit Of American producers,
and not to reduce the duty below SO per cent,
though the same party majority votes to cut
down the duties manufactured products
to 0 per cent on many and important classes,
and not to alter, in word, the cunning ar
rangement devised for the benefit of a Demo-
cratic sugar trust The Democrats are prac-
tically united as a party in unfolding the
sugar trust, a Democratic conspiracy to fleece
American consumers Of sugar They are prac-
ticaly united in putting the duties on sugar,
which is nearly all imported, Z per cent higher
than the duty on woolen goods, which are
nearly all manufactured by American work
ers. Woollens, say the Democrats shall be
admitted at 40 per cent; sugar shall be taxed
90 per cent the wool rate being to the sugar
rate as 100 to 10.
This is absolutely consistent with the free
trade character Of the measure. Ii is also
absolutely inconsistent with all the pretences
made that this is not free-trade bill The
distinguishing difference between the Protec-
zionist and the Free Trader is that the former
in raising necessary revenue 1iscriminates in
favor of home manufactures the latter in rails
ing revenue diScriminates against home man
ufactures and in favor of foreign manufact-
urcs. The Free Trader, declaring that pro-
tective duties rob consumers, tries to raise the
revenue as far as possible by duties on articles
not produced in this country. Sugar, though
raised in this country to small extent, is
nearly all imported; out of 50 pounds con-
IN To
about 40 pounds are imported But
Of the woollen goods consumed in
this country, moro than six pounds out Of
seven by weight are made in this country. The
free-trade theory is that the cost Of six pounds
produced at home is enhanced to consumers to
the full extent Of the duties laid on the one
pound imported, so that the consumer pays
Sc to favored manufacturers for every 81 paid
into the Treasury Therefore the Free Trader
puts the woolen duty at 0 per cent and the
sugar duty at SO per cent.
The Republican Protectionist knows that
the duties on woollen goods do not enhance
their cost to consumers because the people of
this country get their goods, all kinds of wool
lens included, as cheaply as the consumers of
any other country, quality considered. They
get less shoddy and more wool than the people
of England, and pay about as much more per
yard or per suit as the difference in quality and
wear actually iuStiies. But the duty does do
yelop a home manufacture, which employs
several hundred thousand men and women, and
which consumed 10000, 900 pounds of do
nestle wool in 1860 and $50 900, 900 pounds
in 1887, in spite Of the considerable decrease
caused by the tariff Of 1888 and the free
trade rulings of a Democratic Treasury. On
the other hand, the proportion of sugar pro-
duced in this country is less than it was twen-
ty-eight years ago. The Republicans find that
the sugar duty is useful only for revenues that
the woollens duty is highly useful for protec-
ton. The Republicans, therefore, propose to
defend the manufacture and prevent the dis
charge of its workers from employment, and
to take off part of the duties on sugar.
Just here comes in a combination of rich
Democratic sugar refiners, who have the con-
sumers of the country by the throat They
will swell Democratic campaign funds if a
Democratic Congress will consent to defend
their monopoly. The Democrats in Congress
do consent, and so their full vote is cast to
sustain the sugar trust to destroy the woollen
mills and to turn the operatives out of en-
ployment. If the Democratic party can afford
to 60 to the country on the record it has thus
made, the Republicans have no occasion to
shrink from the test
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Mr. Parnelrs Tory adversarics will not succeed
in bullying him into a libel suit The legal
expenses would cost him fortune; and he has