The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-01-05

Bradstreet, the great bureau of CONNER
eial information, reports that there is more
than the usual dulness in business circles at
this time of the year.
No one need go far to find the cause of
this. No one has the slightest excuse to be
mistaken as to that cause It is the instan-
taneous response of the country to the evils
threatened by revenue-tinkers.
No thinking man viii deny that any
alteration in our revenue system means at
least arrangement of the entire business
fabric. How far this arrangement viii ex-
tend, who viii be affected by it, and how
badly, the most far-seeing man in the coun-
try can only guess.
1t is enough for capitalists to know that
men who are in power have announced that
they propose to make sweeping changes in
the revenue system Capital is proverbially
tinlid. 1t is the most cowardly thing on
earth. 1t is continually seeming danger
from afar, and taking refuge from any posi-
bility of harm. To-day the first instinct of
every man IN the United States who has
money invested in factories, in manufac-
tured products, in raw materials affected by
the tariff, or in any of the related industries,
IS to at once eurta1 operations, shorten sail
IN every way, buy as little as possible, pay
as little out as possible for wages, and, in
short, bring his business nearly to a stand
still until he can see what are the schemes
of these men, and what are their probable
results
This is the commonest kind of common
| sense. A man, for example, would be
grossly wanting in business sense who
would go on now, driving his clota-mills up
to their customary rate of production, en-
plOying as many men as usual, erecting adj
ditional buildings, contracting for more ex-
pensive machinery, etc, in the face of the
threat by large number of powerful poll
ticians that they viii not let Congress adj
journ until the duties on wool and cloth are
greatly modified, if not abolished. Even
though he may favor some change in these
duties, ordinary business prudence tells him
that at best his trade must be nearly at
standstill until the country finds out pre-
cisely what Congress viii do, and how that
action viii affect his line of goods
No jobber is going to buy bolt
more of his cloth now than is absolutely
needed, if there is a reasonable chance of
that cloth being cheaper few months hence.
Nor win the country merchant buy of the
jobber. In turn, the manufacturer viii
make no more contracts with the wool mer-
chants until he finds out whether he is going
to be able to buy Australian and South
American woods cheaper than domestic
heeces. The wool merchants will call In
their buyers throughout the country; the
banks viii cease making advances on wool
in stock; the farmer will find no purchaser
for the clippings of his focks, and SO, where
there has been healthfuI prosperity, there
win come stagnation during all the long
months in which Congress is debating the
wool question. We may confidently antici-
pate seeing the key turned in one after an
other Of the wooden factories of the country
until the question is settled-the workmen
discharged, and the whole trade paralyzed.
We are no alarmist. We simply state the
plain, practical consequences, such as are
apparent to everyday people.
The wool interest is only type of other
interests of equal or less importance. There
are more than 4, 900 articles directly affected
By the duties on imports, and perhaps ten
fold as many indirectly affected by them.
In one way or another these vitality concern
every branch of industry in the country.
Paralysis Of any one industry inevitably
hurts hundreds of Others, and ultimately
the whole people are injured.
The actual money loss to the country by
these disturbances is vastly more than any
damage which the revenue thinkers pretend
to think win result from a continuance o.
the present system.
We risk nothing in saying that the loss tc
the wool and wooden goods interest-whicl
includes carpets, clothing, etc.-from loss o.
employment and wages to employees, and o
profits and interest on investment to manu-
facturers, merchants, buyers, bankers and
farmers, which viii result from the pro
lOnged agitation of the wool tariff for iii,
next six months VIII aggregate tens of mil
lions of dollars
When we add to this the enormous in
jury to other great interests by the sam,
, threatened disturbance, there is no measur
: of the immensely of the aggregate damag
done.
) If this agitation was to remove some evil
do away with some form of oppression, an,
e secure some final good we ougbf N end,,r