News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-10-02
Questions and Answers.

A correspondent writes 10 Ulle Troy
Times and asks for information on
the following points;
/. What we're the exports and i'm
ports of the United States for the
year 1889, and which was in excess?
,. What were the principal articles
of export and import?
3. What is the difference between
tariff for revenue and a tariff for pro-
lection?
4 In the case of high tariff on
articles consumed in the United States
who practically pays the duty-thef
foreign producers or the people
this country?
The correspondent adds: "These
are vital questions, and he is en-
titled to a respectful answer. The re-
plies are as briefly as possible:
/. The fiscal year of the govern
ment ends June 80 In giving Off
cial figures and for purposes OF cNom-
Darison it is more convenient to-Gake
that period than the calendar year
ending with December. During the
fiscal wear ended June 30, 1889, the
total exports from the United States
were 1899, 042, 90S; total imports
S773, O93, 1875; total imports and ex-
ports 81, 613, 1877 1913; excess of ex-
ports over imports S63, 94S,l S3.
During the fiscal year ended June 30,
1888, the total foreign trade was
81. 525, 1858, 100, with an excess of
$40, 926,410 in favor of imports;
while in the fiscal year ended June
30, 1887, on a total foreign trade of
81, 504, 671 ,402 there was an excess
of S309,65S in favor of imports.
That is, for two years previous to
the last fiscal year we had a balance
of trade against us of the amount
mentioned.
2. The largest items of exports
| during the fiscal year ended June 30,
! 1889, were as follows: Cotton $751;
IT'S, 27O; breadstuffs, 1928, S76,-
661; provisions, including meat and
dairy products, $104122 IA; min
eral oil, S49,913,077; tobacco, and
manufactures of, S26,910,672; iron.
steel and iron ore, S21 ,156, 100; cot
| ton, manufactures of, so, 212, GA;
animals, S1S,374. sos; leather, and
manufac lures of, 0,74T, 1O6.
Among the leading articles imported
were the following: Sugar, including
candy and confectionery, SSS, $50
614; coffee, $74, 724 $50; wool,
manufactures of, $50, 564, 942; iron
and steel and ore, $43, $3.50 ,4ol;
chemicals, $4,000, 81; fax, hemp,
ETC., manufactured, $50, 46S, 475;
flax. hemp, etc., manufactures of,
S26. S95 .942; hides and skins, 500
127, $50; fruits and nuts, SIS, 746,-
AT.
3. A tariff for revenue is tariff inn
posed for the sole purpose of raising
money for the use of the government.
A tariff for protection takes into ac-
count not only the governments
need of revenue, but also the I'M
portance of imposing barrier
against injurious foreign competition
with domestic industries. Hence in
levying duties under aprotectlve tar
iff system the highest duties are
placed either on articles of luxury or
on articles of a kind similar to those
produced or which it is desirable to
produce at home.
: 4. 1t depends on Une cHdTdCUeI vi
the imports. If a man buys dia-
monds and other precious stones not
found here he pays the duty, which
constitutes part of the cost. They
are articles of luxury which do not
. enter into competition with home
products, and duties are not levied
on them with a view to protecting
home industries. There are many
: things, like clothing, shirts, collars
f and cuffs, boots and shoes and scores
: of other important articles on which
duties are imposed, thus protecting
home interests against dangerous II
valry from abroad. Under this pro
lection our manufactures of these ar
ticles have been built up, while home
: competition has kept the cost to con-
sumers down to rates lower in many
instances than those of the imported
products. In such cases it cannot be
truthfully said that the consumer OF
the foreign product pays the duty,
+ for he can get articles equally as good
of home manufacture at the same or
lower cost than those from abroad.
And the foreign producer is compelled
5 in order to sell goods here, to put his
: price, with the duty added, as low as
that of the home product. In that
sense, therefore, he pays the duty
himself Troy Times
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