The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-26
SOM: TARIFF LESSONS.
Free-Trade Sophistry Contradicted b,
Official F'igurex

4 Free-Trade Sophistry Contradicted By
Official Figures.
No one denies that placing an arti.
Gle on the free list will reduce the rev.
enue from customs by an amount equal
to the duty collected before the reduc-
ton. But does reduction of 90 per
cent in the rate of duty reduce the
revenue on that article 20 per cent. |?
This is what Mr.. Mills claimed. He
and his free-trade associates insisted
that the revenue of the Government
must be reduced They presented a
bill in which large number of arti-
cles. among them tin plates. cotton
ties, salt and lumber are placed on the
free list. 1t is conceded that the rev.
enues will be reduced by the amount
of duty collected on these articles, but
will there be a reduction in revenues
by reason of the reduction in duty on
steel rails. for example. which were
reduced from ST. to sl1 ton. Mr..
Mills claimed that there would be and
gave a table showing how much his
bill will reduce the revenues based on
the assumption that the reduction in
revenues will just equal the reduction
in dudes on articles placed on the free
list plus reduction equal to the re-
duction in rates on those articles left
dutiable.
Now, is Mr.. Mills or any other free
trader or revenue reformer justified
in assuming that this is so? No one
can tell the future, but as Patrick
Henry said. in effect, we can Judge the
future by the past: and, judging by
the past. a reduction in the tariff rates
means unusual importatlons and unu-
sual revenues. Let US prove this by
notable examples.
In 1888 the duty on caustic soda was
reduced SO Is per cent, or from he
to lc. pound. The importation in
creased from 81, 172. 400 pounds in
1888 Fiscal year) to SO, Si9. 905 pounds
in 1887 Fiscal year,. or about 60 per
cent, and the amount of duties in
creased from $780, to 1888. 499.
That is, with a 33 Is per cent. reduc-
ton in duties the importations in
creased so per cent. and the duties COL
lected 10 per cent.
The duty on sulphate of soda, an
other chemical, was changed from &c.
per pound to 20 per cent. which in
1887 was equal to 5-10c The reduction
was 40 per cent. The importations
increased from 26. 341 pounds in 1888
to 1856. 5SS pounds in 1887. over 500
per cent, while the duties collected in
creased about the same per cent.
The duty on copper ore was reduced
from Sc. per pound to &c. per pound.
and forthwith the quantity imported
quadrupled. the value doubled, and
amount of duty collected rose from
s33. 462 to $1O3. 7Ss.
On tin-plates the duty was lowered
from 1-10c. to 1c. per pound, and the
revenue rose from "a, 991, $50 to S.
FOG, 442.
On the contrary. on wire rods the
duty was at the same time raised from
80 per cent. to 45 per cent. and 10! the
revenue fell from 81. 1872, 459 for fiscal
year 1888 to 81, 1875, 663 for fiscal year
1887.
On screws the duty was slightly
raised and reclassifed. and the rev.
enue fell from SIS, GOO to exactly one
tenth as much.
On unbleached cotton cloth the duty
was reduced from &c. to &c. per square
yard. and the revenue rose from 50. 451
for fiscal year 1888 to ST. 61 for fiscal
year 1887. In this instance fall of
Is in the duty increased the revenue
s! fold.
On a grade Of hannels the duties
were reduced by about One-half, and
the revenue rose from Sl.O0O.615 to
IS. 1914 Even on rags and shoddy. |
the duty being lowered from II cents
to 10 cents per pound. the revenue |
rose from s116. 500 in 1888 to 1920, 23S
in 1887. the quantity of shoddy used
in American cloth increasing ten-fold.
Take wool. Unsecured wool of the |
first-class clothing wool, valued at 80 |
cents and less per pound, paid 10 cents |
a pound and II per cent. ad valorem
prior to 1888. In 1888 the 10 per cent |
was stricken off. In 1888 there were |
imported II, 46O.63S pounds, which |
paid duty of $1,424,576, while in
1887 the amount was %, 607. $50 pounds.
paying a duty of 81, 26O. 7S5. nearly
double the quantity and 80 per cent.
increase in duties collected. Carpet |
woods, valued at II cents pound and
less. paid 3 cents pound duty prior
TO 1883. This was reduced I! cent, or
l6 % per cent The importations in
creased from g, 477.5 93 pounds in 1888
to 81, 1867 pounds in 1887, or about
100 per cent, and the duties collected
rom ss54,32s to $1.545. 299, or not
quite 100 per cent.
1t seems to US that these examples
Indicate, il they do not prove, that
reductions in rates are not followed by
,eductions in revenue, but that on the
contrary they increase the revenue
Y. Y. Mail and Express.
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