New-York tribune., 1890-06-06
IMPORTERS AGAINST HOME INDUSTRIES.

The long heralded hearing of importers and
,oonts of foreign manufacturers who desired
70 protest against the new Tariff bill, eVideht-
" did not result as the delegation expected.
IT, embraced many excellent citizens. VINO are
no doubt sincere in their belief that the meas
IRE which tends TO lessen their particular puSl-
moss or profits must of necessity be injurious
70 tho whole country. As one OF them curious
" remarked he beloved the importers buSi-
ness was as large and as much entitled 10 ne
taken into consideration rs that OF the manu-
facturers. 1t is strange how personal interest
dstorts the mental vision The value of im-
norted goods of all kinds is only about
S700. 600 900 in year, while the value OF
products of manufacture ten years ago was
more than So, 900, 600, and has undoubt-
edly increased nearly or quito roo per cent
within the last decade. If it be said that
considerable part Of The products OF manu-
facture is not affected by protective duties, 1t
is also true that large share of the imports
are already free. while such duties a. exist on
large proportion of the remainder were I'M
nosed and have been retained for revenue
reasons only.
The importers and the agents Of foreign
houses NAV therefore he rcclloncd rs repre-
sontinC less than onc-seyenth of the value oi
nrodncts of manufacture. and If the increase
has been as great as there is reason 10 suppose
within the last ten years pr billy loss than
onc-fourtecnth Yet 50 curiouSly arc these
gentlemen mentally blinded by their interests
that they really suppose their business rs I'M
portant or moro important 10 the country thah
the business Of the manufacturer. The dlNer-
ence between these interests. IN their just
claims upon the consideration OF Am"fcan
citizens. is not 10 be determined 10y = com
parison Of dollars and cents alone, but by con
sidoration Of the number of American citizens
who depend upon each for n livelihood len
ycors ago the number Of hands employed IN
manufactures was about 100000. How
croat the increase has been during the last
ton wears il is impossible 10 Judge. but all
understand that it has been very large. On
The other hand. ten years ago the number "i
all pcrsons employed n traders and dealers
and rs agents was lcss than 100000, and II Is
well-known fact that the proportion OF those
who arc in any way connected with foreign
trade is comparatively insignificant After
weeks Of laboriouS preparation, after organ
ization in many different branches of trade
and in many different cities, so that Mr.. Con
stable ronorted that the delegation which visit
cd Washington " came from all the important
centres Of this country" II docs not appear That
more than about 600 persons were found -
ioin in the memorial which was presented.
Undoubtedly these hayo the sympathy oi
larger number. and upon them are dependent
some thousands Of workers in various branches
Of cmpOvmcnt accountants, clerks poI'er''
fcamstnrS and aborers But this whole force,
be il as large aS anybody can imagine, Is utter
" insignificant when compared with the vast
body of American citizens whose livelihood de-
pcndS upon the success and prosperity oi
American manufacturers.
The delegation OF importers appeared anxious
10 impress the Finance Committee with tn"
belief that they we've not in opinion Free
Traders. But the committee and tho public
will Judge them by the deliberate representa-
tons which they have chosen to make in order
10 influence legislation Tried By that test
these importers and agents Of foreign manu-
facturcrs cannot be distinguished from those
Free Traders who have fer many years labored
10 break down the American system OF pro
lection. What they propose now Is in terms
exactly what tho Democratic Free Traders in
Congress proposed before the Presidential eec-
tion and their arguments now are exactly the
arguments which the people heard in the last
Presidential campaign and deliberately and
intnigcntly rejected. 1t is TO he regretted
that the business interests Of some OF these
gentlemen throw them into such relations with
agents of foreign manufacturers, whose sole
interest in this country is 10 get all they can
ont of il. and whose relations with the revenue
donartmcnt of the Government are not III all
cases emnently to their credit.