New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-05

tho tariff schedules, or which have bceh crcateu pS
erroneous decisions OF the Treasury Department
ITO secure the proper reimbursement ana cquai-
izaiion OF tariff rates rendered necessary by modned
business conditions, improvements IN methods OF pro-
ducton radical changes IN prices. or by new clements
sources Of competition
5.-To give relief and protection TO many industries
which now suffering account OF the lnahcqi~o
rates levied on competing products A.,
Tho majority expresses Us conviction OF the made
quacy OF the House bill remedial measure for the
reasons:
THAT It would probably increase instead of re-
2.-That It provides no remedy for undcrvaluaons,
but the contrary invites and gives immunity 10
fraud by substituting adj vaorem for specific duties ard
3.-That It does not remedy any OF the inequalities
or anomalies any OF the defects OF existing law
The feature which most clearly indicates the pur,
pose o. the Mills bill the proposed substitution OF
al valorem for specific duties. This could have no
other result than 10 change rates now protective ior
this bill must have been familiar with the testimony
submitted TO Congress by Secretary Manning, disci1s-
Ing enormous frauds upon the revenue ard honest
merchants through the use OF ad valorcm rates The
frequency and notorciy o. these frauds and the wide
spread decentralization resulting from them, should
have prevented any attempts to extend the system
ABUSES OF AID VALOREM RATES.
The use OF ad valorcm rates has been condemned by
the experience OF every commercial nation In the world
by the judgment Of those who have been intrusted
with the responsibility of customs administration and
by honest importers and merchants, as well as by
intelligent political economists and legislators OF
shade OF economic belief The for this general
and sweeping condemnation obvious, adj vaorcm
rates equally unsatisfactory ana uncertain whether
levied for revenue or for protective PURPOSES duties s
most favorable circumstances, necessarily uncertain
and unequal; but when. as now many foreign I'M I'M,
porters deem the successful evasion OF our revenue
avs by INSCRIPTIONS methods the highest evidence
Of business capacity, adj vaorcm rates fail lamentaby
OF their purpose. They greatly eXaSgerae variations
in foreign prices. When business Is depressed and
foreign prices abnormaly low when foreign com
petition Is most TO be dreaded and when defensive
barrier most needed by domestic producers, then
al valorom rates are lowest, protection Is reduced
and depression is intensified On the other hand
when foreign values highest rates highest and
restriction enlargcs into prohibition. ,...,..
should be adopted, rates should Increase foreign
prices diminish I'D valorem rates afforded facilities
undervaluaons they invite evaslons OF the law and
reward dishonest importers, while they destroy the
business alike of honest importers. and OF domestic
manufacturers. The foreign manufacturer practically
fixes the duty which he Is willing 10 and in many
the only Limitation upon the amount OF foreign
lmporiations Is the extent TO which inc fear OF dc
lection influences the persons who make the Invoices
The evils which flow from ~ valocm rates great
and so manifest that tbs plan of collect duties has no
advocates but professional and political revenue
reforners and dishonest conslgnets
In Illustration Of the effect OF the House Dill TO
increase lmpOratiOns and break down domestic pro
ducers, we cite the application Of al yalorGm rates
cihc rates levied upon cotton cloths furnish no
reasonable grounds for adverse criticism The In
evitabe effect of the substitution would be 10 largely
increase the importation OF all the finer and more
expensive classes OF these goods, and to produce dis
organization and depression in this important in.
dusiry The uniform rate OF 40 pc- centum proposed
bears very unevenly upon the various grades OF goods
II would be, If collected upon an honest valuation.
protective upon the cOarsCr and cOmmOner kinds.
which are largely consumed by all classes OF our pco
restraint Of those fine fabrics which may be pop
erly designated as luxuries.
features Of wool would be equally unsatisfactory and
destructive The rate proposed in the wool sched a,
1annels, blankets, and hats OF wool, and all low and
medium grades OF cassimeres and other cloths which
enter into the clothing of the great mass of our peo
pie, but would be insufficient upon all tho finer
classes Of dress goods and cloths for mems wear
All the articles in both these schedules Whch couId
be cassed as neccssatcs of life, and which are worn
by our working and women. would be protected
by the rates proposed TO the extent OF exclusion OF
the foreign article, while upon all the finer and more
expensive products, which are in the nature OF lux
would place no restraint upon imporiations and would
furnish protection to the American producer
FEATURES OF THE FREEwOOL CLAUSES.
OF free wool the majority says: We have been
recently advised by the President Of the United states
that in any tariff revision such reliance upon present
revenue arrangements has been invited or encour
aged should be fairly and Justly regarded and assured
that I'm the reforms inaugmaied by his party lichus
abrpt and radical changes which might endanSer such
enterprises and nturOusy affect the interests OF labor
dependent upon their success and continuance are not
contemplated or Intended.
There can be no better Of the sincerity OF these
sounding declarations than the proposition TO put wool
on the free list Wool has been dutabe since 1916.
and through all the tariff mutations which have taken
place since suggestion has been made ny any toi,,
cai party up to the Inauguration OF the present 40
ministraon for the removal OF duties o 10 " cn
growers Of the country produce annuay 2yooUVOvO
pounds OF wool, valued al S1O0,OOOOOO; They supply
nine tenths OF the clothing wool used by American
manufacturers and they have raised the nied Slaes
TO the first rank among the ool-producng countries
OF the world Those who have by their patient labor
and intelligent efforts built up this great industry re
revenue ARRANGEMENTS are certainly entitled to fair
treatment and reasonable consideration. They are
In selecting these branches of industry for the rad
cal changes which freeTadc theories enforce the Pe-
dent and his party have made 10 perfectly undeisoo
in this country and abroad, that their acceptance OF
these theories is complete, and that they Intend TO
put the axe the root Of the protective tree.
II viii be noticed that in 1860, after iourteon years
of revenue tariff, the total production Ii or or
IL pounds per capita while in 1884. after twenty
four years Of protection, the total production
had Increased to SOC 100000 pounds, or ID pounds
per capita This increase stifcs The policy Of afford
Ing this important agricultural product adequate pro
The people Of the United states consume nearly one
third OF the wool produced the globe the cOnsump
snv other County,. In iseo the american producers
supplied sixty eight per cent Of tho amount of wooeus
piled eighty seven per cent while IN 1854 the amount
of woolen goods imported was probably less than ten
The reduction of rates made in 1883. however with
the Increase in the value of our imports Of woollcns
domestic production has relatively declined.
II Is only by the maintenance Of the American sye-
tenn that the operatives in american woolen mills can
hope to retain the immense aGvan ages IN RESPECT Oh
wages which they have over the worLingmen OF Eng
land, Germany and France The protection OF Inc
ever, been beneficial alone 10 the persons employed IN
vOOllcn mills il has at the same TINE happened To
Increase the wages and the rewards Of farm labor II
has enabled TO raise and sell 00OOO0O pounds Of
wool where GO.OOO.OOO pounds were raised, and 10
employ operatives I'm working up 400 900 900 pounds
where but s6,OOO.oOO pounds were manufactured. Co
Incident with this constant advance I'm wages and en-
largcd employment there has been great reduction
in the cost of wO0llcn goods 10 American consumers
Free trade in wool and a bare revenue duty for wool
lens would compel farmers 10 raise other crops. of
which the supply Is already greater than the demand
and II would close factories IN which millions Of
capital invested rob army Of operatives of en-
plOyment and force down the wages Of all other labor
II Is better maintain the wages Of workers and
develop resources than 10 abandon our
fields stop mills, and 10 lock to Europe for the
supply Of our manufactured products.
THE MILLS BILL A SECTIONAL BILL
The majority terms the Mills bill " sectional bill >
and says The removal Of The duty from cotton ties.
burlaps 10 used cotton bagging. machinery for
making cotton baggng. juc bags, etc. the retention
OF high duties certain plantation projects, such as
sugar at ca per cent at 100 per cent. tho
imposition of duties which would be protective on the
coaser kinds Of cotton and wool fabrics manufactured