New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-24
n,-Tyr syD THE TARIFF.

n. "
rho came journals which declared, not long
ono that Senator Allison was hungry 10 get al
10 Iouso Tariff bill and destroy 1t, lndlng
NOW stories needed for waning hopes, are now
ronortinc that President Harrison has " de-
cIarod war on the Mckinley bill" Most valu-
ahIo information. indeed these papers are CIV
ing The President has Simply udH>i''', ""
without comment report OF the fah-AWcricah
Conference Secretary Blaine in that report
has SUGGESTED that in exchange for removal OF
dutics on sugar and by admission OF carpet
woods free of duty from South American couh-
t,;o. valuable benefits could be obtained in eX-
change Men who think this declaration OF
war must be IN extreme need of consolation.
T, ;s no secret at Washington that these
viows have been ably presented before the
committees charged with tariff legislation hut
without avail. Mr.. Mckinley himself not
fovorinc free sugar aS yet, Thought 9ocrc'aI!
pIoino's reasoning might have weight with MS
committee. But free sugar was voted never
,bolcss in committee and in the House The
Secrctary's able report may yet lead senators
~ omnower the President 10 negotiate a. 10
sugar duties but no one knows better than
socro,ar, Blaine that il is almost too late 10
upnOtlafc HUNdUld-fbuNir ~ -'i''''- ="
sion Of duty which one House has already
voted. ard which the committee representing
tho majority in the other House has already
recommended. For change which Is 50
pIainly likely TO be made without any com
nensatiOn. purely because the people OF ms
country want it, foreign Governments are no'
ant to sacrifice very heavily. Whether II would
not have hcon wiser for both houses to give
heed earlier 10 the advice OF the secretary j
not now the question. After the action taken
il was natural that the Secretary should pace
on record publicly the advice he had gwen
and he would have been less likely to make II
nnblic if he had expected that he would yet be
charged with negotiations of the nature con-
tcmplatcd.
The argument for free admission OF South
American woods is not a new one hut mas hech
presented with great carnestncSS ever since inc
session Of Congress began. The RepublcahN
Of the House voted. not for free wool OF any
class. but for higher duties on carpet WOODS on
thc broad ground that it would be Impossible
70 designate in any tariff classes Of wool which
could lie used for that purpose. but could not
he used for eliminating in place of American
woods. The senate Committee has reached In"
same decision. 1t has been brought +" the
knowledge of Republican members that wool
Of many classes formerly imported for carpet
making only. has within a few years been $"
greatly improved that it can be and is largely
uscd i'm the manufacture Of cloths. as Nr. hoh-
OFT Rlcokic and other free trade manufacturers
have admitted. The same improvement could
lac made in wool, Of South America. II ad-
nittcd once bv treaties. such wool could not
then be excluded at the desire of the people by
law. if they should find it interfering with their
industry. Moreover. the wool which already
| comes from south America is mol carpet wool
alone last wear about lO0O0.00 pounds of
Garnet wool were imported from all south
American countries. but $500. GOO pounds OF
clothing wool of which nearly the whole came
from Western and Southern Uruguay, Scpar-
atcd only by river from the Argentine Eepuh-
| lie with its enormous hOckS Of sheep.
1t is not probable that the Republicans OF the
country will consent to leave protection OF all
wool growing in this country 10 depend upon
acts of South American Powers. For If
Uruguay can grow fine clothing wool IN great
| quantities. 80 can the Argentine Rcpubllc,
| Brazil or Chill and almost without limit as to
ouantiry. Mr. Blaine is too accurate an OBJ
server of political events TO suppose that the
| precsc policy upon which President Cleveland
was defeated would now be accepted by the
! pcople for the uncertain compensation OF larger
| exports 10 countries where all the channels OF
trade are in European hands and where none
tary and political disturbances retard progress.