New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-12
AD TALOREH DUTIES.

The ideas on which the Mills Tariff bill is
framed are deadly to home industries But 1lr.
Mills and his friends refuse to believe it. AS II
for the express purpose Of convincing them, or
else of convincing voters throughout the country,
that the bill is pernlcious there comes a series
Of disasters, now in State branch Of in
dustry, and then in another, which cuhously IL
illustrates the theories TO which this measure owes
it's being and its shape fresh comes from Phil
| adelphia which is the more worth studying be-
cause the false principle which It illustrates is
applied in the Mills bill to the entire range Of
imports which affect by competition several Of
| the largest home industries
The catastrophe in the cotton hose trade, IL Is
estimated by one large dealer, has already COM
PEELED at least 5000 workers in Philadelphia
to seek other employments. One shop after
another has closed, and though few of the
strongest concerns, which depend for the sale Of
| goods not upon extreme low prices but upon the
| preference Of established custom, are still in
| operation, The Boston Commercial Buetin'
| believes that none can be doing profitable
business. What is the trouble? Simply this,
| that duties have been reduced from about 10
cents per pair to less than cents per pair, and
| just at a time when overstocked market abroad
causes ruinous prices there.
"Ah, that is false says the able tariff reformer,
There has been no reduction whatever in the
rate Of duty on cotton hose Very true; no
ductiOn whatever in the rate, and that illustrates
| one of the most dangerous features Of the pending
| bill That free-trade measure cuts away great
| part OF the specific duties on imported woollen
| and cotton goods, substituting ad valOrem duties
only, for the express purpose Of providing that
| the duties shall in effect become lighter whenever
the foreign markets are overstocked or peculiarly
/ IL,
high, perhaps 25 cents per pair was paid for
the fulLfashioned stockings now imported in great
quantity, and the duty, then now. At the rate
| Of 40 per cent, WAS then about 10 cents per
pain. But steady decline in the COS. Of such
| goods has involved decline in the duty payable
| on each pair or dozen imported. About o year
ago, it is stated. the cheaper full-fsshoned and
| striped cotton stockings, which sold then at 81
per dozen, actually oost, duty paid, about 81 90,
and it is stated that just the same stockings are
now imported In great quantity. duty paid, cost
ing not more than 81 81 1-2, that IL to say,
the original cost of the stockings cannot have
ceeded about cents per pair, and the duty
thereon, at the old rate Of 40 per cent is but
trine over cents per pair. The cause Of the
| extraordinary fall in the foreign pres Is thus
stated by The Boston Commercial Bulletin:
The stockings which come largely from Chemnitz
Germany, largely made In the homes OF tho artisans,
thoy taking the yarn from the factories and returning
is Indictment, the whole family down to children seven
years OF age go to work making stockings, and as this
as the Product Is o s The
earned by tho operative range from twoive TO twenty
have fallen with tremendous taud, the market being
completely glutted
If the object Of tho duty Is TO defend tho
home industry at all, then specific duty only
affords defence at such. periods Of prostration In
foreign countries. Naturally the free trader, who
wants to take out of the tariff every feature which
defends home industry, as far as he can, proposes
to substitute the ad valorem for the specific
duties that the practical effect Of the duty
shall be as small as possible at the very time
when the home industry most needs defence
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The Civil Service Reform Association are able
to discover that there has been considerable
revival Of this nefarious business meaning the
levying Of political assessments office holders.
The dictionary defines revival as renewed at
tention' to thing, or renewed interest in it, or
renewed prevalence" Of it. II the CivilService
Reformcrs keep their eyes open during the coming
campaign they will doubtless be equal to the task
Of perceiving all these forms and manifestations
Of a revival of the assessment practice. But we
venture the prediction that with the aoutest lis
tening they will not be able to catch whisper
spirit that once denounced offensive partisan
Ship "pernicious activity and kindred Woes
Having obtained Mr.. Patrick Ford's Endorsement Of
Blaine THE TRIBUNE should now secure one from
ODonovan Rosa II probably would not cost than
q couple OF glasses OF whlskey.-tProvldonoo Journal.
Mr. Cleveland obtained Rossa's indorscment'
four years ago, and probably considers that he has
prior lien.
In his veto OF the HalfHoliday bill Governor
Hill said that it Is matter to be largely regu-
lated by public sentiment When it comes to
high license, however he is not willing to let
public sentiment have any show at all. Public
sentiment of the best sort in both parties and in
all churches was emphatically in favor Of this
mode OF restricting the evils Of the saloon But
the Governor had hardhood enough TO defy this
and array himself with the enemies Of society and
good order in the hope that he light thus achieve
some political advantage.
II the Administration had always mode diplo- |
matte appointments creditable in every way |
Us that Of the Hon. Robert b Roosevelt rs Min |
ister to Holland, the State Department would not
now be the laughing stock II is After o long |
procession OF keeys and his kind 1t Is refreshing
to see a sensible business appointment Of first
rate man qualified for the particular position |
he Is sent 10, and against whom nothing can be |
said
The Massachusetts, Railroad Commissioners do |
clare that the inspection OF car wheels is very far
short of what it ought to be In the case OF the |
accident which called out the criticism, they say
that the inspection was lamentalSc mockery.'
That this is not too strong statement is shown
by the testimony Of an employs who asserted
that 10 was customary TO rap the wheels because
it produced good impression on the public No
doubt many traveller has felt relieved at hear
ing the sound Of the hammer OH the wheels Of
the car in which he was journeying and com