The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-05

. had been hoped. The value OF such altl
cles imported was not less than Sl20,OOOI
600 and the dutiea collected on them moi
, less than $50, 900, nearly one.thiId o
the whole amount collected.
It certainly could not be said Of these
duties that they 'impossd buIden upon
those who consumed domestic products
as well as upon those who consumed I'M
ported articles" (usipg the PreaidentG
language). On the contrary, these dutieH
had imposed the chief burdens and taxa
ton upon articles of voluntary luxury,
and had still melted American artisanH
and mechanics 10 compete In those
branCheu Of industry with skilled artissnH
Of Europe and Asia.
THR WOOL TARIFF.
Mr.. Sherman then proceeded to discuss
the progress that has been made in this
country under the protective system. Re-
fsrring to agricultural products, and the
Presidents argument that wool, &C.,
should be placed upon the Tree list, he
said: His (ths Presidents) whole argu'
ment rested on the allegation that the
price OF wool was increased to the extent
Of the duty, and that but for the duty the
merchant could buy this wool cheaper in
South America and Australia.
This argument was fallaCious, because
the destruction OF the wool industry in
the United States would at once advance
the price Of wool in foreign markets. But
even II the argument were true, it would
apply as well to all domestic productions
and to all manufactures. Wool was the
completed srticle Of tho farmer just es
cloth was OF the manufacturer, and 90 the
coat was OF the tailor; and the objection
that the duty on wool raised the price to
the consumer, applied as we'll Ut true) to
| the duty on cloth and on every article on
the tariff liAt. The all-suficient answer
was that tho duty encouraged tho produc-
ton OF wool, the manufacture OF cloth,
and Of the infinite variety OF articles pro
duced by American labor, competing with
foreign labor. This diversity Of pToduc.
ton Injured to the benefit Of all classes Of
the people alike, and was the secret Of the
enormous growth, power and wealth Of
the Republic. It had always seemed to
him that the selfish notion advanced in
respect to the tariff laws land to which the
President now lent his name) was that
made on behalf OF advanced industries,
Inow supported by duties greater than
those on raw mRterisls-thst they must
be allowed to purchase theirra materials
lin the chespest market in the world-thRt
the mineral treasurer Of every State and
TERRITORY must be left undeveloped In Or
der that these advanced Industries muat
have cheap raw materials. AS regarded
the home production raw materials are
even Of more Importance than manuiac:
lures. There wSs but one rule which had
to be applied to oil industries impsrtially,
and that waa to give ali forms OF American
labor which have to compete with foreign
labor that fair and reasonable advantage
and projection which would give the
American producer the home market for
home production.
PROTECTION TO MANUTATURE5.
Turning from raw materials to manu-.
ture, Mr.. Sherman said that the imports
not on the free list, and not classOd by
him ss luxuries or raw materials, smount-
ed in value to three hundred and eighteen
millions and paid eighty.four millions in
duties. Theeo importations came into di-
rec. competition with domestic manutac'
turep, which had been mainly built up by
the encouragement Of tariff laws. Scarce.
| ly any OF them had exiated in the United
States when the Constitution was framed.
Slncs then they had dourished or found.
cred by the changing rates Of the revenue
Ilsvs. A careful revision Of rstes had been
made by the Tariff Commission Of 1888.
All branches OF domestic industry had be-
come adapted 10 these rates. 1t wss this
systsm which was denounced by the Pres.
jident aa "vicious, inequitable and illogi-
cal" That deuunciaIion was aimed at
the principle OF protection. All the indus
trial classes Of the population were direct.
| " interested in that principle. The far
mers and merchants had long since
learned to look beyond the narrow view
Of their interests taken by the President
They looked ct 1t from q higher plane
The benefits OF protection permsAted
Through tho whole community, and ex-
tended to the remotest parts OF the coun-
try, but were most apparent in the imme-
diate neighborhood Of manufacturing in
dustries. Tho Preaident assumed that the
duty on imported articles was added to
the price Of similar articles OF home pro-
ducton, but Ruch wac not the fact. In
tho absence OF domestic competition the
importer hxsd his own price and
added the duty and expenses to the
cost but OF the frat sign OF American
competition, the price was reduced, and
often in stsgnant market goods were
sold at far less than the original cost and
duty. As ruls imported goods, compet-
ing with American goods were sold in
the American market cheaper than in the
European market duties Rdded). In the
great body Of articles formerly imported,
the American manufacture was well es-
tsblished, and, under domestic competi-
ton the price was reduced to figures ap-
preaching European rates. In some ar
tiCles America competed with Europe in
the market Of the world and this process
was now going on. Home competition,
wherever 1t got foothold, reduced prices
and lessened importation. A most re.
markRble example oi that was in the pro-
duction Of glass ware, pottery and china
ware, which had become established in
dustrles in this country. He quoted Mr..
Dudley, late Consul General at Liver
pool, to the effect that there is not single
manufactured commodity that is not
cheaper to-day in the United States, under
the protective system, than 1t was In 1880
under ires trade, and that niue-tenths Of
the manufactured commodities used by
American farmers (including clothing,
household goods, furniture, implements Of
husbandry, tools, etc y are as cheap in
this country as they are in England; and,
in some instances, cheaper. The fact that
large importations were now made Of
manufactures Of iron, steel, cotton, wool,
wood, leather, china aud glassware was
evidence that the duty on certain grades
Of these goods was not beyond the rev.
enue standard.
THE .coUETRT's WELFARE.
After reviewing at length our industrial
progress, MIR. Sherman concluded as fol-
lows:
Eve do not appreciate, ss we ought, the
commanding position now heldby the Uni.
ted StateH among the nations OF the world